The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-03-31

| "A'cohSi "SChi anu Will I5JuI
| tured horses Ray and Maynard wer
again on duty with the regiment an
under orders for home, but before tn
move began theirs came tidings that in
| volved a change in the personnel of tn
old regiment, and one it could not wei
come. Barry received his promotion t,
lieutenant colonelcy, and new mum
Der cleaned in silver over the crossed
sabers of his forage cap. 1t was hard tx
lose this true hearted, courteous soldier
and gentleman from the til. 1t wa
hard to think that Mrs. Barry woult
not again return to them, for one ant
all, men and women both, they knew
her influence for good and deplored theil
loss. There were quite number, there.
fore, who received the further news
that came with something akin to graf.
ification-the other regiment would not
get the Barrys after all, for Mrs. Bar.
y'n health would not admit of her go
ing to the extreme north, and, knowing
this and needing now inspector gener-
al just then, distinguished division
commander asked that the recently pro-
NOTED lieutenant colonel be assigned to
him for staff duty, and the war secre-
tary was pleased to say "Aye." The
summer at Sea Grit had been of benefit
to both Mrs. Barry and Nathalie, espe-
cially the latter, who was beginning to
look wondrously well again, wrote Mrs.
Barry, and shyly, sweetly happy. "You
must come and see for yourself. Mr..
Ronald Maynard, she wrote, and that
was something the bronzed and wiry
warrior meant to do the moment the
summers work was done and he could
get the longed for leave of absence.
Very sad and touching, but grateful,
were the letters that came to him from
the sorrowing household-Henry Will
liams' kindred, in the placid Now Eng
land village-yet even these letters
breathed something like relief from
long threatened shame. 1t was as though
the final taking off of that reckless, sin
stained wanderer had lifted from their
hearts load of anxiety and dread.
Then there were Grace's letters, so
changed from all the old possessive, ad.
visory, not to say mandatory, missives
that used to come to him. Grace felt
her fall from grace far more keenly than
her stubborn pride would ever let her
show. Grace maintained, to herself at
least, that her course was justified by
the circumstances and would ultimately
have been justified in Ronald's eyes
but for Gertrude's utterly unlocked for
and incomprebensible detection. Had
she but remained faithful to her school
girl fondness for Ronald he would have
been in honor bound, and over the re.
sultant dovecot would Grace have how.
cred, its self appointed, self sufficient
guardian angel. But with Gertrude the
first to bolt there was an end to any
semblance of obligation on Ronald's
part.
She had faced him unfiinchingly
when at last brought to bay and told
that she had concealed from him the
fact Of Gertrude's engagement. She ad,
mitted it and declared that it was her
wrath at Gertrude that prompted it.
She felt that purely out Of pique be-
cause Of Ronald's indifference the girl
had temporarily taken up with another
sdmirer, but that 1t was nothing moro
than fancy from which Grace could
wean her when once again she resumed
her sway at home. But Grace had been
away too long. The young man had
come to stay, and another of her former
vassals had declared independence.
And Sc, with both her former subjects
in revolt, Grace's home life seemed
grown even narrower, sadder than ever
With her loved father gone she had lit
tie to do but brood over the past and be-
wall the present. People, good, church
going neighbors, began to speak of her
as iHlbittered aud morbid and to up
braid her in all kindliness of spirit be-
cause she became lax in attendance at
prayer meetings and the like, and all
tho time the poor woman was asking
herself what would Ronald say if he
ever learned that she had actually join
cd forces with that empty headed,
frivolous creature at Fort Russell in
war against the good name of Nathalie ,
Baird.
Anger blazed in his eyes when he
wrnng from her the admission that she ..
lad told Nathalie Baird that he was
engaged to Gertrude Bonner,
out it was anger too deep for words He .
would have no scene under the roof that !.
10 long and until SO recently had shell :.