The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-12-20

1
! good fortune to be sent to the front al
most Immediately. There is, after all
something in good luck, though per
haps more in good manners. Hare
worked as he was in General Grub's
! division, he still found time to be mis-
erable over the fact that Kathlyr
Schuyler had refused to marry him fol
the excellent reason that she was going
to marry some one else. She had con
fided this fact to him under the limo
cent impression that anything whicl
made her so tremendously happy must
be good news to him, and the poor jun
ior surgeon was made to feel for the
first time the bitterness Of the old ad
age that what is one mans meat Is
another mans poison. He sighed again
as he stuck his hand into the pocket
where he kept one of the girls short
characteristic notes. wondering who
been given him.
The rhythmical beat of faraway
horses hoofs brokcin upon his thoughts
abruptly. While he listened, his heart
hammering against his ribs, for the
sound coming out Of the stiffness OF
the early morning was as thrilling as q
; midnight extra cried through deserted
streets, the soft piping Of birds in the
forest turned into an eXpectant silence,
and it seemed to the junior surgeon
that he alone in all the big, din world
around him was waiting for the soil
tary borseman.
Pushing the tent flap hastily aside,
he ran with long strides past the can
vas colony to the clearing beyond. The
sentry, alert with the fear Of the some
thing unknown which was drawing
nearer, saluted him as he put the Ques-
ton which was in his own mind:
"What is it?"
Something queer. sir. Listen to the
birds.'
4Was the general expecting ncws?"
"Nothing's expected, sir; it amt
nothing that we're expecting. Nothing
but ha'nt rides so deadly quick"
"a ha'nt.'
zone Of them as has been killed
ugh!' Tie soldier drew in his breath
with frightened, sucking sound as a
bay mare, covered with sweat. canter-
ed into view. She stopped short on see
ing the camp, then With half pleased
whinny at being among friends again
allowed the sentry to catch her bride.
Her rider hung an inert mass from the
saddle, and the junior surgeon wonder
ed as he lifted him down what had
kept him from falling under the horses
hoofs.
"By Jove." he exclaimed suddenly as
the mans face came into view, and the
sentry added, as though it were q SOL
emn response: Lieutenant Fielding,
sir! The pity Of it,"
When everything necessary had been
done for Fielding, the junior surgeon
picked up the coat he had to cut away
from the wound in his arm and in so
doing split the contents Of one Of the
inner pockets on to the floor. Some pa
pers, bound together by an elastic,
which snapped with the jar Of the fall,
were scattered to right and left, and
on STOPPING to pick them up he gave q
start Of surprise ut the sight of Il small
photograph, lying face upward under
his hand. ''Kathlynw he exclaimed in
bewilderment How the devil?" He
stared at it moment, then absently
turned it over and read the writing on
the back.
"Only come back, my dearest" it
ran, land / will marry you on nothing
q year or do anything else you want
me to. I know now whether love
you, and. oh, Dick. do Don't let them
kill you. would ever so much rather
you ran away at the first shot-so long
as you ran back TO me-
The junior surgeon turned toward
the man on the cot. so it was Field
ing." he said gently. The tears in his
eyes suddenly b]ottcd out the scene
about him. but not the vivid rcmem-
brancc Of {; slim, tallish young girl,
whose face and figure, fresh and erect
as daffodils, held out the allurjng hope
Of fuller beauty later on-the hope
which makes spring SO adorable.
An hour later the junior surgeon was
ushercd into General Grub's tent,
where that testy little fighter sat eat
Ing his breakfast Of soft boiled eggs,
toast and coffee. willie Cassandra wab-
bled about the table in search Of
crumbs. 10 see the general eat eggs
was monstrous spectacle, for it is q
disheartcning fact that good table man
ners and greatness rarely dwell to-
gether They had known each other
many ycars-were. in fact, friends Of
long standirg-sincc it had been on the
auspicious occasion Of the Junior sur
geon's first pair OF brccches that Cen
cral Grub had offered his hand and
heart to Miss Lucrctia. the Junior sur
geon's Youngest aunt. For purely per-
sonal reasons Miss Lucretia had rel
fused to marry, but she had not the
power to keep that pighcaded officer
from considering llei' ever after rs the
only woman in the world
"How the deuce did you find Field
ing?" he asked when the junior sur
gcon had spoken. The young. fellow
told his tale with Il simple brcyity nat
ural to him. yet at the end the listening
general was conscious that Fielding &c
served every honor that conlL be con-
ferrcd upon him.
"Bad wounds% he asked testify.