The Irish standard., 1898-03-26

angcrel him beyond repair. His last
act had been orc of fond, thoughtful
care. lie had spread the shawl over her
ana fingered over it as though he loved
to touch her, mad. miserable, ugly.
hateful us she had been, and she had
spitefnlly thrown it OFF. She picked it
up now and strorc TO arrange it as he
had done, but could not. She arose
and ha,hed her face and eyes, and gazcd
out over the now deserted parade. She
had not even stirred when the Riflers
marched away. She paced the floor
again and felt TINT she was weak, and
became conscious that she was most
unromantically hungry, and then-Oh,
heavens! how could she!-how could
she have forgotten? Here was Randy
on guard up all night, and never before
since they came back from their we'd
ding tour had she failed when he was
officer of the guard to have delightful
little chating dish supper all ready for
him Mt IL O'Clock, and he used to come
over from his duties for half an hour
and eat with such an appetite and praise
hcr Welsh rarebit, or her oysters, and
then take her in his arms with such love
and delight In his fond eyes. and hero
ind here it was one o'clock and she'd
utterly forgotten IT. Oh. poor Randy
must be starving!
In ton minutes Mrs. Merriam had
bundled up her dishcvcllcd hair, tlonnc.i
some more becoming gown than the
tumhlcd wrapper. and had hustled
downstairs and lighted the pnrlor lamp
to sigma! Randy to come home and be
fed and forgiven. and then she ran
sacked the cupboard and started her
fire. and then pccped over toward the
distant gnartlroom and saw no sign Of
his coming. She trotttd through tho
Kitchen and banged Justify at Hop
1.ing's door and butlc him rise and go
summon his master, but the mental am
swercd not. He. too. had slipped away
to the JunctioI---not so much to see the
Killers off us to have ii shy ut fan tan,
and Florence was alone. Never mind
She had been born and reared in Garri-
son. No one could teach her the ms
and outs Of post life. Why shouldn't
she run across the wide, dimly-livhtcd
fat ard surprise her darling at his desk,
and bid him come home with her and
let her Irvine herself about him, up,l
have n Happier cry rs she told him low
weak and wicked and cruel and hateful
she had been, and beg to be taken back
into his love and trust Yes, yes, we'll
she knew that he was too noble, too
grand to treat her stcrnly, coi'lly. be-
cause Of her teulpestno,s outbreak It.
was all because she loved him so--luvrd
him SO that it WAS torture to think amy
other woman could claim or hold or
even attract him. With Frightening
eyes. with bounding heart, she threw
over her head and shoulders light
wrap and stepped out on the piazza
Somebody was coming across the pa
rade-from the g,nrdhousc-cvcn now.
lie was still too far away to be rccog-
nized, but MS he halted one minute and
turned MS though to listen TO the SEN
tries just beginning to cnll hnlf-past
one. the moonlight glintc,l on the steel
scabbard. and she knew it must he
Randy. Then lie was coming to her
after all. and she need not have to sccle
him and be the first TO "mnltc up" ns
she used to say in girlisll days. The
call went round with cchoing ring, and
then on came her loving husband again.
Tow she loved that martial stride OF
his! How erect and strong and SOL
tlicrly he seemed! IIow-why-he
wasn't coming straight to her. lie had
reached the flagstaff. There lny the
beaten pathway right before his eyes
and hers. lie must see the bright lights
OF his home bidding him come and find
love ond welcome. But he had turned
away-was wnlking, not toward tho
west end, but straight for the middle of
the row. straight to where the Graftons
d-whcrc-that woman lived
But that meant nothing. Oh, not
Florence we'll knew Tint meant moth
ing. Had lie not said only little willie
before that never would he see or speak
with her without coming first TO his
wife, his Florence, and letting her
know? Yet, why should he go thithcr,
at this hour of the night? That was not
the way TO the sentry posts. Uncon-
1s e2ss~ : $50