Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1899-03-18

McLane covered that lady with con-
sternation. What Meet Randy Mer-
riam when she had less than 30 min
utes In which to dress! 1t couldn't
be thought of When Merriam called,
Mrs. Grafton futtered down, with
flushing cheeks and indignant eyes.
"I'm 80 sorry, Mr.. Merriam, but really
Mrs. McLane says she Is SO far from well
again this evening that she cannot see
anyone. She has gone back to bed, but
begs that you will come In at noon to-
J morrow. How Is dear Florence? ]
should have been to see her, but am
tied hands and feet"
And Randy went angering back to
Floy's mutely inquiring eyes. What
can do to cheer you tonight, my dar-
ling?" he whispered, as he bent over
to kiss her. us Mrs. Hayne coming
back?"
Florence was lying on the sofa In her
pretty room aloft, and Merriam knelt
Il. her side, taking her passive hand in
his and stroking gently the curls that
shimmered about her white temples.
The smile with which she greeted him
was very wan and fitting.
"She said she would, after little. l
told her you'd be in right after pa
rade, but" and the "but" had q mourn
full tone TO It.
~ had TO stop moment on the way,
dear. A matter promised to attend
to-" and hgain he bent and laid his lips
upon her brow, then pressed them to
hers. Time was, and only few days
gone by, when she used to meet that
fond caress with q kiss as fond, rs lin
gering us his own. Now she lay there
patient, unresponsive. Something
prompted him to pass his arm under
meath her neck and to draw her head to
his breast, and she let herself go, I'M
resisting, but her cheek did not nestle
happily, confidently, us was its way.
Her big, pathetic eyes were down.
cast, even averted.
IL wish / knew some way to gladden.
you n bit. my Brownie" he murmured.
using for almost the first time her fa-
Tiers own fond pet name for her, and
he was startled beyond measure al the
result. One instant her face light
ed MS with sudden radiant JOY, then
quivered all over with pent-up emo
ton. Then the pretty mouth began
TO twitch and the lips to tremble, and
then, despite every effort, she turned
back to her pillow and burst into pas
sion of tears, great sobs shaking her
slender frame from head to foot.
"Florence! Florence!" he cried, in
utter dismay and trouble. "What is It..
sweetheart? What is it, my pet, my
precious? All, don't turn from me like
that. You are not well, my own, or you
would not break my heart by shrinking
from me. What can have said TO so
distress you?" And now he would take
no denial. but Ind clasped his arms
about her and drawn her to his breast
again, and began kissing away her tears
and striving to check her sobbing. II
was useless.
"Oh, let me cry-let me cryl" she
pleaded-"it's what need"
And so in pain and bewildcrment he
yielded to her wish and strove TO con-
tent himself with murmuring soft,
soothing words and holding her close
to his heart, and ut last the storm Of
tears seemed drifting away and she
could speak in answer to his pleading,
and presently she looked one instant
into his eyes and began:
"Do you think-could we-go back
to the--cantonment for--just little
while?"
"why, Floy, darling, we've only just
come from there"
~ know. And yet-and yet-oh, II
seems months - years since - since
then!" And now the sobs again be-
came uncomfortable, and in dread and
distress he sprang up to call the serv-
ant and bid him 90 for Mrs. Hayne
and the doctor. Florence protested,
even implored, but to no purpose. The
message wns sent, and before many
minutes both were there.
The medico looked perturbed when he
came downstairs, talked about lownerv-
Gus condition; said that air, sunshine,
cheerful companionship were what she
really needed, etc., etc. Shed been
housing herself too much Of late. He
would send over some sedatiyes from
the hospital; and then he hustled out,
and was glad to get away. Then came
an orderly with the colonel's compl-
ments, and would Mr.. Merriam step
over to the Office minute; and, glanc-
ing across the parade, Randy was sur
prised to see that bright lights were
shining from the windows at headquar-
tiers, and there were signs Of unusual
life and stir about the infantry bar
racks. Quickly he mounted the stairs
and again knelt by the side OF his young
wife. She. was quieter now, but evil
IDENTIFY weak from the violence OF her
emotion, II from no other cause. Smil-
ing alphabetically, Mrs. Hayne
arose from her place near the head Of
the sofa, that he might come closer and
fold Florence in his arms, as she felt
sure Florence wished to be folded, and
Randy did come nearer, and took the
slender hand In his and spoke tenderly
and fondly, and bent again and kissed
the pale forehead, lingeringly, and all
this Florence seemed to accept without
other notice than silence and submis-
sion. Mrs. Hayne gazed with swiftly
changeful expression. This was some
thing utterly new, utterly unlocked for.
What could have occurred to turn Flor
ence Merriam, fondest, hnppiest Of
wives, into this limp, unresponsive
creature? Surely, 1t could not be that
there fingered one remaining doubt Of
Randy now. He had ignored so utterly,
SO successfully, the wiles Of the CO.