The Advocate and news., 1899-02-15

rough handling and by rain. He would
then still have some e4O0, and he asked
his wife for certain bills that had been
frequently coming to her accompanied
by urgent demands. Laura said she had
not kept them. Which ought to be paid
frstS he asked Which had been longest
outstanding? Laura's reply was that
she did not know, but if he had got
that money from San Antonio st last
she ought to have some to send to Nine.
Chalmette. She positively had not a
dinner dress fit TO be seen. Winn did
not even glance at the open doors Of a
big closet, hung thick with costly
gowns his wife had hardly worn at all,
but that now, she said, were out of
style. There were other matters to be
thought Of than dinner gowns, he told
her gravely, and her face olouded at
once She had almost forgotten the
troubles Of the week gone by.
He went down to his den and sat
there thinking. What ought he to do?
What should he do with this money!
Every cent Of it would be swallowed up
II he squared those oommissary &C.
counts and turned the balance into
checks and sent it OF to pay these bills,
and then, If Mullane's bullet sped true
TO its mark, what would there be to
take Laura and the baby northI
"Home" he dared not say. She had nc
home. Collabone's diagnosis of that sit,
uation was correct Then, too, if MUl
James pistol did not fail him, there
would be no way in which that mys-
terious friend and beneficiary Of his fa-
theF's could ever be repaid. What right
had he to use one cent of this money for
any purpose whatever when another
day might be his last?
Winn wished no still had the San
Antonio check instead OF these bulky
packages of greenbacks They were
now looked up in Trott's safe, unbro-
ken, pending action at department head
quarters ON the new schedule sent
thither, based on the recovery Of some
Of the damaged stores. He thought Of
it all as long before gun fire that morn
ing che black care Of his life came and
reused him from his 1itful sleep and
babe him face his daily, hourly tor
ment. He had risen, and as he softly
moved about the room, thoughtful for
her, she slept on plaoidly as happy
child, soundly as slept the nurse and
the little one in the adjoining room.
Donning his stable dress, he carried
his boots into the hall and down the
breaking stairs and sat there, with soli-
tary candle, at his desk, wearily jotting
down inexorable figures The dawn
came stealing in the eastward window.
From Aloft q qUerulous little wall was
uplifted on the stiffness Of the summer
morning There was no answering hush
Of loving, mOtherly voice. Laura could
not stand wakeful nights He tiptoed
swiftly up again to rouse the nurse in
case she, tooD slept on, but he heard her
hand beating drowsy time on the cover
let, and the soothing "Shoo, shoe,
shoo," with which she communicated
her own heayiness to her little charge.
Laura had turned uneasily, he saw as
he peeped in at the open doorway, but
again slept soundly, her lovely face
now full turned toward him, half pill.
lowed on the white and rounded arm
he used TO kiss with such rapture in the
touch Of his lips, Her white brow was
shaded by the curling wealth Of her
soft shining hair The white eyelids
drooped their long ourving lashes over
the rounded cheeks family tinged with
the rosy hue Of youth and health. The
exquisite lips, warm, delicately nodded,
parted just enough to reveal the white,
even, pearly teeth. The snowy, round
I'd throat and neck and shoulders were
enhanced in their beauty BY the fllmy
fabric Of her gown, beneath which her
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