The Washington herald., 1919-08-21
None was gay as she.

That very night the soldier came
into her life, came as she walked
about the farm to see that all was
secure. Her skirt was caught as she
trod fearfully through a growth OF
high frs; she heard the mutter of
mans voice. A dark lantern revealed
spur entangled in her skirt, a young
and slender man clad in brilliant brass
and scarlet. 1t flashed like a gleam
Of romance in gray days. that scarlet
coat that was afterwrds TO be remem-
bered as SO sinister a pOrtent.
The man was Sergt. Troy. a light
hearted scoundrel whose ready fiat
terry sounded sweeter in Bathsheba's
ears than the stammering longing Of
Gabriel or Boldwood. He courted her
romantically. wooing her with his
sword. She stood, a few days later.
in a hollow of ferns and about her
flashed his whirling. edged weapon
slashing so close to her that she
could hear its sharp hiss as it carved
out in the air her lissome figure. And
when he turned to leave her, he
stopped swiftly and kissed her on the
lips.
Gabriel tried to warn Bathsheba
bAN Sllt SNOlHtu ilS ltplOiNll'Ss N'N
he bore silently with his grief and he
did not tell her that Troy had be-
guiled little Fanny Robin away from
/ Weatherbury. Boldwood. whose heart
had never before beat faster at n
woman's approach, could not so con-
troll his anger He shouted ma,ediC-
tions upon the man who had robbed
! him Of all that had made life JOYOUS
His madness precipitated that which
he most dreaded, Bathsheba's mar
riage to Troy.
The hasty maria Ee led swiftly to
I sorrow. inevitably to tragedy. Troy
celebrated the wedding by revel in
the barn where he and all the joVial
rustics were soon hopelessly befud-
died. Gabriel dared not drink with
them. The creeping things OF thH
night and the huddIed sheep had
warned him of a nearing storm ana
in the fields the high riCks of wheat
and barley lay uncovered.
The moon vanished and the wind
suhsided; on far horizons baleful fires
/ fluttered. The mutter of distant
thunder rolled into a sharp rattle.
! The flashes grew bright as he worked
! to protect the grain. Then Bath
sheba was with him and their labor
ing forms were outlined in black oy
| the green snakes of fire that darted
| venomously earthward. As she trem-
! bled with fright, Gabriel felt mel
warm arm tremble in his great, shel-
| tering hand. She was another man
! wife: she did not love him; but therC
was solace in the strange ways ot
! fate that had brought her nearer 10
him than when her heart was free.
IT. Np
crept home to die. Her body with
that of her child, was brought back
to the house where she had worked
Standing by the coffin. Bathsheba
learned that Troy had never loved
her as he had this girl who hao
borne death and shame for him. ne
fled from WATERBURY and wore
was brought to Bathsheba that he
| had BEEN swept out to sea anc
drowned
The seasons rolled on and sorrow
gave to Bathsheba's face serious
ness that added to her charm. Bold
wood dreamed again and he wa'
made happy by a promise. althougf
six years must pass before its ful'
filment.
To celebrate his joy. he planned
a Christmas Eve party more thar
a year after Troy had disappeared
And it was on this night that TROY
chose to reappear, striding like
spectre among the merry-makers
AS he advanced upon her. Bathsheoi
stood like a stricken thing. half
convinced that delusion had en-
thralled her. But there was moth
ing ghostly in the rough command
that he shouted at her, nor in tn
brutal grip that he took upon he
arm. Then only did she stir. bu
she could not speak. A strangle'
scream was heard, then a deafenint
roar. Some eyes were upon Troy
pitching forward and never to ris
again: other upon Boldwood, stand
ing with smoking gun in hi
hands. f>. -
Not until the next August, lon!
after il was known That BOldwOOI