The Irish standard., 1911-10-28
Copyrighl. by A. Z McClurg d Co.
Entered as Ssadones's Hall London.

permit Of my discussing her, even in
directly, with private soldiers behind
the back of their officer. Every sense
of honor revolted at such thought.
Not through any curiosity of mine,
however justified by the depth of my
own feeling, should she be made the
subject of idle gossip about the camp
fire.
For, in truth, at this time, unhappy
as my own situation undeniably was,-
and as soldier I realized all it's
dangers,- gave 1t but little considera-
ton. Usually quick of wit, fertile in
expedients, ever ready to take ad-
vantage of each opportunity, I had
taken stock Of all my surroundings,
yet discovered nowhere the slightest
opening for escape. The vigilance of
the guard, as we'll as the thorough
manner in which I was bound, rend-
cred any such attempt the merest
madness. Realizing this, with the
fatalism OF a veteran I resigned myself
In all patience to what must be.
Then It was that other thoughts
came surging upon me in a series of
interrogatories, which no knowledge
possessed could possibly answer. Who
was this proud, womanly woman who
called herself Edith Brennan? She
had been at some pains to inform me
that she was married, yet there was
that about her-her bearing, her man
ner-which I could not In the least
reconcile with that thought Her ex-
treme youthfulness made me feel it
improbable, and the impression re-
manned with me that she intended to
make some explanation of her words,
when the coming Of Bungay inter
rupted US. How they might be ex.
planned could not imagine; merely
struggled against accepting what I
longed to believe untrue. And this
man? this Federal major, bearing the
same name, whom she called Frank,
who was he? What manner Of rela-
tionship existed between them? In
their meeting and short intercourse
I had noted several things which told
me much-that she feared, respected.
valued him, and that he was not only
swayed by, but intensely jealous OF
any rival in, her good opinion. Yet
their unexpected meeting was scarcely
that Of husband and wife. Was he
the one she sought in her night ride
from one Federal camp to another1
If so, was he brother, friend, or hus-
band? What was the bond Of union
existing between these two? Every
word spoken made me fear the last
must be the true solution.
Such were some Of the queries I
silently struggled with, and they were
rendered more acute by that deepen
ing interest which now confessed to
myself was feeling toward her who
inspired them. 1t may be fashionable
nowadays to sheer at love, yet certain
It is, the rare personality of this
Edith Brennan had reached and in
fluenced me in those few hours we
had been thrown together as that Of
no other woman had ever done. Pos
sibly this was so because the long
years in camp and field had kept mo
isolated from all cultured and refined
womanhood. This may, indeed, have
caused me to be peculiarly susceptible
to the beauty and purity of this one
I know not; I am content to give
facts, and leave philosophy to others.
My life has ever been one of action, Of
intense feeling; and there in the road
that day, standing bareheaded In the
sun, I was clearly conscious of but
one changeless fact, that loved Edith
Brennan with every throb of my
heart, and that there was enmity, Bit
ter and unforgiving, between me and
the man within who bore her name.
Whatever he might be to her I re-
joiced to know that he hated me with
all the unreasoning hatred Of jealousy.
had read it In his eyes, in his words.
in his manner; and the memory Of it's
open manifestation caused me to
smile, as hoped for an hour when
we should meet alone and face to
face. How she regarded him I was
unable as yet to tell, but his love for
her was plainly apparent in every
glance and word.
AS was thus thinking, half in
despair and half in hope, the two
came out from the house together;
and it pleased me to note how imme-
diately her eyes sought for me, and
how she lifted her hand to shade them
from the glare Of the sun, 80 that
she might see more clearly. Her COM
panion appeared to ignore my pres
ence utterly, and gazed anxiously up
and down the road az though search
ing for something.
Peters," he asked sharply Of the
fellow on guard, where are Sergeant
Steele and the rest Of the squad?"
The soldier addressed saluted in q
manner that convinced me he was Of
the regular service.
"They are resting out Of the sun
in that clump of bushes down the hill,
sir"
Brennan glanced in the direction IN
dicated.