The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-10-18

Hail to the band" Crailey chuckled
softly. How the rogues keep the
time! It's 'Rosin the Bow all right!
All, that is as it should be. Mrs.
Tanberry, you and I have one thing in
common, if you'll let me fatter myself
so far; we've always believed in good
cheer in spite of the devil and all, you
and I, Ell? The best of things, even
If things are bad, dear lady eh?"
You darling vagabond!" Mrs Tan
berry murmured, trying to smile back
to him.
"Hark to em!" said Crailey.
They're very near! Only hear the
people cheer them! They'll march
away so gaily,' won't they?-and how
right that isl" The vanguard appeared
in the street, and over the hedge
cleaned the oncoming banner, the
fresh colors flying out on a strong
| breeze. Crailey greeted it with a
GREATNESS cry. There's the flag
look. Farchon. your hag!-waving
above the hedge; and it's Jeff who
want to dance! Bravo, bravo!"
The procession halted for a moment
! in the street and the music ceased.
Then, with a jublant flourish of brass
and the roll of drums, the band struck
| up THE Star Spangled Banner" and
Jefferson Rareaud proudly led the way
through the gates and down the drive
way, the bright silk streaming over
head. Behind him briskly marched the
volunteers. with heads erect and
cheerful faces, as they knew Corporal
| Gray wished to see them, their cap
tain fiourishng his sword in the air.
| Here they come! Do you see,
| Fanchon?" cried Crailey, excitedly.
They are all there, Jeff and Tapping
| ham, and the two Madrillons and Will,
the dear old fellow-hell never write
| a decent paragraph as long as he lives,
| and
| what deviltries I've led the boy into
| and there's the old General, for
| getting all the tiffs we've had. God
bless them all and grant them all
safe return! What on earth are they
taking off their hats for?-Ah, good=by,
boys, good-by!"
They saw the white face at the win
dow, and the slender hand fiuttering
it's farewell, and Tappingham halted
| his men.
Three times three for Corporal
| Gray" he shouted, managing, some
how, to keep the smile upon his lips.
Three times three, and may he rejoin
his company before we enter the Mexi-
can capital!"
He beat the time for the thunderous
cheers that they gave; the procession
| described a circle on the lawn, and
then, with the band playing and the
colors flying. passed out of the gates
and took up the march to the wharf.
THE flag, the fag!" whispered
Crailey, following it with his eyes. 1T
shows that you helped make it, Fan
| chon it's so beautiful. All, Tom,
they've said we abused it sometimes
it was only that we loved it so we'll
| we didn't like to see any one make 1t
look silly or mean. But, after all, no
man can do that-no, nor no group Of
men, nor party! His voice grew louder
| as the last strains of the music came
more family from the street. They'll
take your banner across the Rio
Grande, Fanchon, but that is not all
some day it's stars must spread over
the world! Don't you all see that they
will?'
After a. little while, he closed his
eyes with a sigh; the doctor bent over
him quickly. and Miss Betty started
forward unconsciously and cried out.
But the bright eyes opened again
and fixed themselves upon her with all
their old, gay inscrutability.
Not vet" said Crailey. Miss
Carewe, may tell you that 1 am sorry
could not have known you sooner?
Perhaps you might have liked me for
Fanchon's sake--I know you care for
her"
'T dol do" she faltered. II love
her, and--ah!-I do like you, Mr.. Gray,
for know you, though | never-met
YOU until-last night. God bless you
God bless you"
She wavered a moment, like a lily
in the wind, and put out hand blind
ly. Not you!" she said sharply, as
Tom Vanrevel started toward her.
Mrs. Tanberry came quickly and put
an arm about her, and together they
went out of the room.
You must be good to her. Tom"
said Crailey then, in very low voice.
| ct" answered Tom, gently There
was never a chance of that lad"
Listen" whispered Crailey. Lean
down-no-closer." He cast a quick
other side of the bed her golden head
on the white coverlet, her out
stretched hand clutching his; and he
spoke so close to Toms ear and in SO
low a tone that only Tom could hear.
'She never cared for me. She felt
that she ought to-but that was only
because l masqueraded in your history.
she wanted to tell me before l went
away that there was no chance for me.
She was telling me that when he
called from the window 1t was at
the dance, the night before, that she
knew. 1 think there has been some
one else from the flrst-God send it's
you Did you speak to her that night
or she to your"
"Ah. no." said Tom Vanrevel. "An
the Others"
Mrs. Tanberry and Betty and Mr..
| GaTeOuQ waited al the lDTdTyt the Two
women huddled together on a sofa,
with their arms round each other, and
all the house was very still. By and
by, they heard a prolonged, far-away
cheering and the steamers whistle,
and knew that the boat was off. Half
an hour later, Will Cummings came
back alone, entered the room on tip
toe, and silently sank into a chair near
| Mr. Bareaud, with his face away from
Miss Betty. He was to remain in
Rouen another week. and join his
regiment with Tom. None of the three
appeared to notice his coming more
than dimly. and he sat with his face
bowed in his hands, and did not move.
Thus perhaps an hour passed, with
| only a sound of footsteps on the gravel
of the driveway, now and then, and a
low murmur of voices in the rear of
the house where people came to ask
after Crailey; and when the door of
the room where he lay was opened, the
four watchers started as at a loud
explosion. 1t was Mrs. Bareaud and
the old doctor. and they closed the
door again, softly and came in to the
others. They had left Crailey alone
with Fanchon and Tom Vanrevel, the
two who loved him best.
The warm day beyond the windows
became like Sunday no voices sound
ed from without in the noon hush
though sometimes a little group of
people would gather across the street
to eye the house curiously and nod
. ard uhiSDer. Tha GtrnnR. blue shadows