Willmar tribune., 1898-09-07
,nce. Henry had to 60 with his regi-

i! .jS
>'AIrs. Hayne is coming back, is she
not?'' he queried 81 Florence, but had
to repeat the query twice. She only
shook her head. 3@Ss 4:s s.@$ a. ;. :: j
He waited q moment. Listen, Flor
ence, DEAR" he presently said, as he
bent compassionately over her. II am
ordered on guard at once, and must
60 to relieve Henry. Even though +.
cannot tell you what Mrs. McLane
wishes to see me about, this will tell
you, dear. If I must see her, you shall
know it first-from me, and not hear of
it through some meddling gossip"
He was wondering as he walked away.
who could have. told his wife he had
called at Grafton's and asked for Mrs.
McLane. He was too proud to inquire.
He had kissed her gently, forgivingly,
as he said to himself, before coming
away, and promised that he would be
with her again if only for few min
utes before the signal for lights out.
He found Henry swearing with impa-
tience, as the youngster had a 'raft"
Of preparations to make, and it was
very late, nearly II o'clock, before he
had reestablished the sentry posts as
ordered by the new officer of the day.
The trumpets sounded "taps'' to heed
less ears, and the lights burned bright
ly in all the barracks, and the troopers
who were not to 60 were chatting the
"dough-boys'' who were, and so mix
ing up not a little in the work of prep
aration. He had seen Hayne moment
and had been told that Mrs. Hayne
would run back to Florence again as
soon as she had seen to the packing
of his mess chest and field kit. The
children were to be allowed to sit up
and see the regiment off. Merriam sup
posed when taps came that by this time
Mrs. Hayne was with Florence, but all
the same he left the guard in charge
oi the sergeant few minutes and hur-
ried away over the parade and up to
her room, and there he found her lying
almost as he had left her-face down
; ward upon the sofa, and all alone.
Throwing aside his belt and saber,
Randy knelt by her side and strove
gently to turn her toward him.
my little girl?'' he murmured. do you
realize this is the first trouble that has
ever come between us, and that I'm be-
ing very, very much abused for some
thing that is no fault of mine?" His
tone and manner were almost playful,
despite a certain soreness at heart he
could not quite ignore, but Floy re-
sisted and was silent. II have only a
moment or two, my wife," he presently
continued, gravely and sadly. You are
soldier enough to know should not be
away from my guard even now, but my
heart yearned over you, Florence, in
your illness and distress, and had to
steal a moment. Won't you come into
my arms little while, and let me kiss
away the traces of those foolish tears?"
All, who knows how much her heart,
too. may have been pleading with his
pleading voice at the moment, yet the
devil of her jealous love kept rigid
guard between them.
II shall do very WE'LL" she answered.
coldly. Mrs. Hayne was here, and I:
told her not to stay'-pause-then,
neither need you.'' ...
At first he could not believe his
senses. The wild outburst of few
hours before was something easily ac-
counted for in one so young and pas
sionate, but this cold, repellant, re-
morseless refusal, this practical dis
missal of his proffer of love, comfort
and caresses, this was something ut
terly unlike Florence. It not only
amazed, it stung him, and, rising slow
ly to his feet, he stood one moment look
ing down at her in deep bewilderment,
and with no little effort curbing his
tongue and temper. The pretty wrap
per she wore had become disarranged,
and one slender, slippered foot that pro-
jected from beneath it's shelter was
tapping nervously the foot of the sofa.
Sitting sigh, he looked about him,
took from neighboring chair heavy
shawl she had been using earlier in the
day, and, carefully spreading it over
her as to cover even the rebellious foot,
he quietly picked up his saber and as
quietly walked to the door. There,
turning about, he looked back at her.
Without changing her position, she mad
calmly stripped off the shawl with her
right hand and dropped it to the floor.
The slippered foot was still beating its
nervous. irreconcilable tattoo as he
slowly descended the stairs.
She heard him let himself out into the
night and the clank of the scabbard
against the gatepost and the tramp of
his cavalry boot as he crossed the road.
Ite walked slowly, heavily now, not
eagerly as he came. Florence heard
and noted, and then her pride and reso-
luton gave away, and again she wept
bitter, bitter, yet not wholly penitent
tears. ~ * ..s- -.
The waning moon was shining over
the dim, far-stretching desert to the
east, and little torchlight procession
was forming at the band barracks, as
Merriam recrossed the parade. Each
musician wore attached to his headgear
a bright little lamp, it's reflector so ar
ranged as to throw the light full upon
the sheet Of music in the rack of his
instrument. It wasnearly time to form