The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1915-03-05
you've had a terrible shoex-when

w sRu ha'N nav Coutthihk W
eat and drink" observed the practical
Minna authoritatively.
Marta would not haze the food
brought 10 her. She insisted that she
was strong enough TO accompany
Minna TO the tower. While Minna
urged mouthfuls down Marta's dry
throat as she sat outside tho door Of
the sitting.room with her mother q
number OF weary dust-streaked faces.
with feverish energy in their eyes,
peered over the hedge that bounded
the garden on the side toward tho pass.
These scout skirmishers OF Stransky's
men OF the SD Regiment OF the
Browns made beckoning gestures as
10 a crowd. before they sprang over
the hedge and ran swiftly. watchfully.
toward the linden stumps. closely fol-
lowed by their comrades. Soon the
whole garden was overrun by the lean.
businesslike fellows, their glances all
ferret-like to the front.
Look. Minna!" exclaimed Marta.
The giant who carried the old man In
pickaback the first night OF tho war."
Minna was flushing. but the flush
dissipated and she drew up her chin
when Stransky. looking around. recog-
nized her with a merry. confident
wave OF his hand.
'See. he's a captain and he wears
an iron crossl" said Marta as Stransky
fastened toward them.
"He acts like it," assented Minna
grudgingly
sweeping gesture as he made "A low
bow. Stransky was tho very spirit OF
retributiye victory returning To claim
the ground that he had lost.
well. this is like getting homo
again!" he cried.
so | see!" said Minna eQuivocally.
Stransky drew his eyes together.
sighting them on the bridge OF his nose
thoughtfully at this dubious reception.
Il came back for tho chance TO kiss
good woman's hand" he observed
with a profound awkwardness and
looking at Minna's hand. your
hand!" he added, the cast I'm his eyes
strengthening as he looked directly nj
her appealingly.
She extended her finger-tips and he
pressed his lips to them.
Il kept seeing tho way you looked
when you belted me one In the face"
he went on. "and knocked any an
archism out OF me that was left hfter
tho shell burst. kept seeing your
face In my last glimpse when the
Grays made me run for II from your
| kitchen door before | had hall n chance
for the oratlon crying for veice. You
were In my dreams You were In bat
tie with mel"
This sounds like disordered
mind" observed Mnna. "rvo heard
men talk that way before"
"Oh. have talked that way to other
women myself" said Stransky.
Yes" said Minna bitterly. His can
dor was rather unexpected
Il have talked TO others In passing
on the high road" he continued. But
never after woman had struck me In
the face. That blow sank deep--deep
~httU an Nuit tshnbtIOn tdlu NH'u
revolted on the march say II TO you
with this"--he touched the erosion
my breast. And I'm not going 10 give
you up. lt's "A big world. There's
room In IL for place for you after the
war is over and I'm going to make the
place. Good.by till I'm Blackjack to
stay! Good-by, little daughter!" he
added with a wave OF his hand to Clar-
issa as he turned to go. Maybe Wa
shall have our own automobile some
day. It's no stranger than what's been
happening TO me since the war began"
"lf you don't marry him. Minna. I'll
Ill" Mrs. Galland could not find
words for the fearful thing that she
would do.
Marry him! ! have only met him
three times for about three minutes
each tlme!" protested Minna. She
was as rosy as a girl and I'm her confu.
sion she busted herself relying the rib
bon on Clarissa Eileen's hair "Hs
called you little daughterl" she said
softly to the child as she withdrew into
the tower.
Marta remained in the chair by tho
doorway OF the tower. weak and list
less. Now her lashes were closed;
again they opened slightly as her gaze
roved the semicircle OF the horizon. A
mounted officer and his orderly gallop-
ing across the fields to the pass road
caught her desultory attention and
held II, for they formed the most inn
petuous object on the landscape. When
the officer alighted at the foot OF the
garden and tossed his reins 70 the or
derly, she detected something familiar
about him. He leaped the garden wall
at bound and. half running, came to-
ward the tower. Not until he lifted his
cap and waved II did she associate this
1.-the, dspper artillerist with a stopped
old gardener In blue blouse and torn
straw hat who had once shuhied among
the flowers at her service.
Hello! Hello!" he shouted In
clarion greeting at sight OF her. Hello.
my successorl"
Only In the whlteness OF his hair
was he like the old Feller. ris tone,
the boyiEh sparkle OF his black eyes,