The Advocate and news., 1899-02-01

turned slowly back 20 the pathway ana
like a blind man seemed cropping his
way toward Frazier's The officer Of
the day passed him by ON the run, fol-
lowing at the Doctors heels, with never
another look at him. Men seemed to
think only Of Barclay Was it credible
chat an officer and a gentleman, as
Winn had been regarded, could pur-
posely have dealt that honored soldier
mortal blow, unless-unless--but who
could find words TO frame the thought
Once within Brayton's hallway, De
Lanoy turned and slammed shut the
door, for others were coming on the
run from far across the parade. Over at
the guardhouse the men had started for
their breakfast, but hung there, cluster
ed about the sentry post gazing over
the orissoross plat of the parade and
muttering their Conjectures as to the
cause Of the trouble. The sight Of Lieu
tenant Winn wandering on down the
row, turning from time to time, halt
ing as though uncertain what he ought
to do, while every other officer was
running,to the other end Of the row,
was something they could not under
stand.
Then Mrs. VIM, in riding habit
came suddenly forth upon her piazza,
and, gazing wildly up and down, caught
sight of her husband, now some 80
PAGES away along the gravel walk.
Stretching forth her arms to him, she
began to call aloud: "Harry, Harryl
Please come backW He never turned.
She ran down the steps and out to the
gate and called him louder, louder, so
that they could hear the voice all over
the garrison in the sweet, still morning
air; but on he went doggedly now,
faster and faster. She gathered up her
clinging skirts in one hand and, plead
ing still, followed after. Not until he
had mounted the steps at the colonel's
did the yonng officer turn again. Then
with uplifted hand and arm he stood
warning her back. Something in the
attitude, something in the stern, quiv-
ering, white face seemed at last to bring
to her the realization of the force Of
his unspoken denunciation.
"HarTyl HarryW she cried. "Oh,
come and let me tell youl You don't
understand Imeant no wrongl was
only going for a ride. Not with him,
not with him, Harryr' and so, plead
ing, weeping, she followed almost to
the Colonel's gate before the door was
opened from within and Winn was
swallowed up in the darkness Of the
hall.
By this time some inkling Ct the
trouble had been borne to Collabone,
ever an early riser. As he came hastily
forth from his quarters the first thing
he saw was the dropping form Of Mrs.
Winn weeping at the colonel's gate.
Seizing her arm with scant ceremony,
he whirled her about and bore her
homeward, she sobbing out her story as
they sped along, he listening with
Clouded, anxious face.
"Go back to your room, Mrs. Winn,"
he said, SO solemnly and warningly she
could not but heed. "Go to your baby.
I'll go first next door, then I'll find
your husband" She shrank within the
hallway and threw herself, weeping
miserably, upon the sofa in the pretty
parlor--the parlor where she had so
fascinated Hodge. There the sound Of
her baby's wailing reached her in an
interval of her own, and she called to
the nurse to do something to comfort
that child. There was no answer.
Miss Purdy," with Gathering tongue
and eager eyes and ears and half
dozen sympathizing neighbors, was out
in rear of the house, deaf to demands
of either mother or child. There Cola
bone found her and sent her scurrying
within before the fury of his wrath.
"Now, this will not do, Mrs Winn,
he said, as following he lifted the moan
ing woman from the sofa. "You must