Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, December 23, 1894, Page 18

THE OMAHA DAIL ) DECEMBER 23, 1891 CLARENC By Bret Harte. Author of “The Luck of Sandy Bar,’ (Copyright, 184, PART I1.—Chapter 11 Called to a general council of officers at @ivisional headquarters the mext day, Brant had little t'me for further speculation regard- ing his strange guest. But a remark from the division commander that he preferred to commit the general plan of a movement then under discussion to the memories rather than to written orders in the ordinary routine, meemod to show that his chief still sus- pected the existence of a spy. He there- fore told him of his late interview with Miss Faulkner and her probable withdrawal in favor of a mulatto neighbor. The division commander received the Information with in- difference. “They're much too clever to employ a hussy like that, who shows her hand at every turn—either as a spy or a mes- senger of spies—and the mulattoes are too stupid, to say nothing of their probable fidelity to us. No, general, If we are watched, it is by an eagle and not a mocking brd. Miss Faulkner has nothing worse about her than her tongue, and there isn't the nigger blood in the whole south that would risk a noose for her, or for any of their masters or mis- tresses It was therefore, perhaps, with some miti- gation of his usual critical severity that he saw her walking before him alone in the lane as he rode home to quarters. She was ap- parently lost in a half impatient, halt moody reverie, which even the trotting hoof beats of his own and his orderly's horse had not disturbed. From time to time she struck the myrtle hedge beside her with the head of a large flower which hung by its stalk from her listless hands, or held it to her face as if to inhale its perfume. Dismissing his or- derly by a side path, he rode gently for- ward, but to his surprise, without turning or seeming to be aware of his presence, she quickened her pace, and even apppeared to Jook from side to side for some avenue of escape. If only to end matters, was obliged to ride quickly forward to her side, where he threw himself from his horse, flung the reins on his arm, and began to walk beside her. She at first turned a slightly flushed cheek away from him, and then looked up with a purely simulated start of surprise, “T am afraid,” he sald gently, “that T am the first to break my own orders in regard to any intrusion on your privacy. But I wanted to ask you if T could give you any ald whatever in the change you, think of making.” He was quite sincere, had been touched by her manifest disturbance, and despite his masculine relentlessness of criti- cism he had an intuition of feminine suffer- that was In itself feminine, “‘Meaning that you are in a hurry to get 7id of me,” she said curtly, without raising her eyes. “Meaning that T only wish to expedite a business which I think is unpleasant to you, but which I believe you have under- taken from unselfish devotion."” The scant expresslon of a reserved na- ture is sometimes more attractive to women than the| most fluent vivacity. Possibly there was also a melancholy grace in his sardonic soldier's manner that affected her, for she looked up and sald impulsively: “You think s0?" But he met her eager eyes surprise. “I certainly do,” he replied more coldly. “I can imagine your feelings on finding your uncle's home in' the possession of your en- emies, and your presence under the family Toof only a sufferance. 1 can hardly believe it a pleasure to you or a task you would have accepted for yourself alone.” “But,” she sald, turning from him wick- edly, “what it I did it only to excite my Tevenge; what If I knew it would give me courage to incite my people to carry the war into your own homes, to make you of the north feel as I feel, and taste our bitter- Dess?” “I could easily understand that too,” he returned with listless coldness, “although I don’t admit that revenge is an unmixed pleas- ure, even to a woman.” “A woman,” she repeated indignantly, *‘there is no sex in a war like this.” “You are spolling your flower,” he sald quietly. “It is very pretty—and a native one, too—not an invader—nor even transplanted. May T look at it? She hesitated, half recoiling for an instant, and her hand trembled. Then suddenly and abruptly she sald with a hysteric little laugh: “Tako it—then,” and almost thrust it in his hand. It eertainly was a pretty flower, not unlike a lily in appearance, with a bell-like cup and long anthers covered with a fine pollen like red dust. As he lifted it to his face to inhale its perfume she uttered a slight cry and snatched it from his hand. “There!”” she said, with the same nervous laugh. “I knew you wouid—I ought to have arned you. The pollen comes off so easily, and leaves a stain. And you've got some on your cheek. Look!” she continued, taking her handkerchief from her pocket and wip- ng his cheeck, “‘see there!” The delicate cambric showed a blood red streak. “It grows in a swamp,” she continued, in the same excited strain. “We cail it dragon's teeth—like the Kind that was sown in the story, you know. We children used to find it then and paint our faces and lips with dt. We called it our rouge. I was almost tempted to try it agaln when I found it Just now. It took me back so to the old times."” _ Following her odd manner her words, as she turned her face toward him suddenly, Brant was inclined to think that she had tried it already, so scarlet was her cheeck. But it presenfly paled again under his cold scrutiny. “You must miss the old times,” he said, calmly. “I am afrald you found very little of them left, except in ‘these flowers, ‘And hardly there,”” she said bitterly. “Your troops had found a way through the marsh and had trampled down the bushes.” Brant's brow clouded. He remembered that the brook which had run red during the fight had lost itselt in this marsh. 1t did not increase his liking for this beautiful but blindly vicious animal at his side, and even his momentary pity for her was fading away fast. She was incorrigible, They walked with some rather than on for a few moments in § le “You said,” she began at and even hesitating voice, “that your wife as a southern woman.” He checked an irritated dim- culty, T belleve I did,” he said coldly,” as he re- gretted it. “And of course you taught your gospel— the gospel according to St. Lincoln. O, I know,” she went on hurriedly, as it con- solous of his irratation and seeking to allay it. “She was a woman and loved you, and thought with your thoughts and saw only WIth ‘your eyes. Yes—that’s the way with ™l supposo we all do it,” sho added bit- or! “She had her own opinions,” said Brant briefly, as he recovered himself. Novertheless, his manner so decidedly closed all ferther discusion that there was nothing left for the young girl but silence. But 1t was broken by her In a few moments in her old contemptuous voice and manner. “Pray don't trouble yourself to accompany me any further, General Brant. Unless, of course, you are afrald I may come across somo of "your—your soldiers. 1 promise you T won't eat them. T am afrald you must suffer my company a little longer, Miss Faulkner, on account of hose same soidiers,” returned Brant gravely. You may not know that this road in which 1 find you takes you through a cordon of pickels.” If you were alone you would be * #topped, questioned, and failing to give the pasiword, you would be detained, sent to the guard house, and—"" he stopped and fixed is eyes on ber keenly as le added, ‘searched.” You would not dare to search a woman! she said indignantly, althongh her ush gave Wiy to a slight pallor, “You sald just now that there should be no ' mex In a war like this" returned Brant care- Jeosly, but without ebating his scrutiniziog guze, “Then 1t s war," she sald guickly, with a white, significant face, *._His look of scrutiny turned to oue of puz- #led wonder. Bul at the same moment there in a gentler start with the Bash of & bayouet o the hedge, -1 T — of Roaring Cam “Two Men Ete, the by Author.) vbice called “halt,” and a soldier stepped into the road General Brant advanced, met the salute of the picket with a few formal words, and then turned toward his fair companion, as another soldier and sergeant joinod the group “Miss Fauikner is new to the camp, took the wrong turning, and was unwittingly leaving the when I jolned ier.” He fixed his ently on lier now colorles face, but she did not return hie jook. *You will show her the shortest wav to quarters,’ he continued, to the sergeant, “and should she at any time again lose her way you will again conduct her home—but without detain- ing or reporting her." | Ho Ifited his cap, remounted his horse and rode away, as the young girl, with a proud, indifferent step, moved down the road with the sergeant. A mounted officer passed and saluted him—it was one of his own staff. From somo strange instinct he knew that | he had witnessed the scene, and from some equally strange intuition he was annoyed by it. But he continued his way, visiting one or | two outposts, and returned by a long de- tour to his quarters. As he stepped upon the veranda he saw Miss Faulkner at the bot- tom of the garden talking with some one across the hedge. By the aid of his glasses | he could recognize the shapely figure of the mulatto woman which he had seen before. | By its ald he also discovered that she was | carrying a flower exactly like the cne which Miss Faulkner still held in her hand. Had she been with Miss Faulkner in the lane—and it 80, why had she disappeared when he came up? Tmpelled by something stronger than mera curiosity, he walksd quickly down the garden, but she evidently had noticed him, for she as quickly disappeared. Not carlng to meet Miss Faulkner again, he retraced his steps, resolving that he would on the first opportunity personally examine and interro- gate this new visito:. For if she were to take Miss Faulkncr's place—even in a subordinate capacity—this precaution was clearly within hig rights. He re-entered h's room, and seated h'm self at his desk before the dispatches, orders and reports wwaiting him. He found him- self, however, working half mechanieally and recurring to his late interview with Miss Faulkner in the lane. If she had any inclination to act the spy, or to use her position here as a_means of communication | with the enemy’s llnes, he thought hs had thoroughly frightened her.” Nevertheless now, for the first time, he was incli to | looked by the spy. There were one or two freckles of red on the desk, which made this accident appear the more probable. But he was equally struck by another circum- stance. ~The desk stood immediately before the window. As he glanced mechanically from it he was surprised to see that it com- manded an extensive view of the slope below the eminence on which the house stood, even ond his furthest line of pickets. The vase of flowers—each of which was nearly as large as a magnolia blossbm, and striking in color—occupled a ecentral position before it, and no doubt could be quite distinctly seen from a distance. OFf that he would sat isty himself hereafter. But for the prese he could not resist the strong impression that this fateful and extraordinary blossom carried by Miss Faulkner and the mulatto, and so strikingly “in evidence” at the wi dow, was in some way a signal. Obeying an impulse which he was conscious had a half superstitious foundation, he carefully lifted the vase from its position before the window and placed it on a side table. Then he cautiously slipped from the room. But he could not easily shake off the per- plexity which the occurrence had caused, al- though he was satisfied that it was fraught with no military or strategic danger to his command, and that the unknown spy had obtained no informattion whatever. But he was forced to admit to himself that he was more concerned in his attempts to justify the conduct of Miss Faulkner with this later reve- lation. 1t was quite possible that the dispate box had been purloined by some one else dur- ing her absence from the house—as the pres- ence of the mulatto servant in his room would have been less suspicious than hers. There was really little evidence ‘o connect Miss Faulkner * with the actual outrage—rather might not the real spy have taken advantage of her visit here to throw susp.clon upon her? He remembered her singular manner—the strange insistency with which she had forced this flower upon him. She would hardly h done so had she been conscious of it having 80 serious an import. Yet what was the ~ gecret of her maifest agita- tion? A sudden inspiration flashed across his mind; a smile came upon his lip. She was in love! The enemy's line contained some sighing young subaltern with whom she was in communication—and for whom she had undertaken this quest. Th flower was their language of correspondence, no doubt. It explained also the young girl's animosity against the younger officers—his adversarie against himself—their commander. H: had previously wondered why, If she were indeed a spy, she had not chosen, upon some equally specious order from Washington, the head- quarters of the division commander, whose secrets were more valuable. This was ex- plained by the fact that she was nearer the lines and ‘her lover in her present abods. He had no fdea that he was making excuses for her; he believed himself only just. The re ollection of what she had said of the power of love, albeit it had hurt him cruelly at the time, was now clearer to him, aud even accept his chie's opinion of her, She was not cnly too clumsy and inexperienced, but she totally lacked the self-restraint of a spy. Her nervous agitation in the lane was due to something mora disturbing than his mere possible intrusion upon her confidences with the mulatto. On the confrary, it seemed to be personal to himself. He recalled the singular sig- nificance of her questions. “Then it is war?" Hoe recalled her strange allusion to his wite; was it merely the outcome of his own fool- ish confession on their first interview, or was it a concealed ironical taunt? Having satisfied himself that she was not likely to imperil his public duty in any way, he was angry with himself for speculating fur- ther. But although he still felt toward her the same antagonism she had at first pro- voked, he was conscious that she was be- gluning to excrelse a strange fascination on him, Dismissing her at last with an effort, he finished his work and then rose, and unlock- ing a closet took out a small dispatch box to which he intended to intrust a few more important orders and memoranda. As he opened It with a key on his watch chain he was struck with a faint perfume that seemed to come from it—a perfume that he remem- bered. Was it the smell of the flower that Miss Faulkner carriel—or the scent of the handkerchief with which she had wiped his cheek—or a mingling of both? Or was he under some diabolical spell of that wretched girl—and her witchlike flower? He leaned on the box and suddenly started. Upon the outer covering of a dispatch was a singular blood-red streak! He examined it closely— it was the powdery stain of the lily pollen— exactly as he had seen it on her handker- chief, There could be no mistake. He passed his finger over the staln—he could still feel the slippery, impalpable powder of the pollen. It was not there when he had closed tho box that morning. It was impossible that it should be there unless the box had been opened in his absence. He re-examined the contents of the box. The papers were all there. More than that—they were papers of no importance except to him personally; conlained no plans nor key to any military secret, He had been far too wise to intrust any to the accidents of this alien house. The prying intruder, whoever it was, had gained nothing! But there was unmistaka- bly the attempt! And the ‘existence of a would-be spy within the purlieus of the house was equally clear. He called an officer from the next room. “Has any one been here since my absence? 0, general.” us any one passed through the hall?” He had fully anticipated the answer, as the subaltern replled: “Only the woman servant, He re-cntered his room. Closing the door, be again carefully examined the box, his table, the papers upon It, the chair before it, and even the Chinese matting on the ficor, for any further indication of the pollen, It hardly seemed possible that any one could have entered the room with the flower in Nis or her hand without scattering some of the telltale dust elsewhere; it was too large a flower to be worn on the breast or in the hair. Again, no one would have dared to lin- ger there long enough to have made an ex- amination of the box—with an cfficer in the next room and servants passing. The box had been removed and the examination made elsewhere! An idea selzed him. Miss Faulkner was still absent—the mulatto had apparently gone home, Ho quickly mounted the staircase, but, instead of entering his room, turned suddenly into the wing which had been reserved. The first door ylelded as he turned the knob gently, and he entered a room which he at once rec- ognized as the “young lady's boudoir.” But the dusty . and draped furniture had been arranged and uncovered, and the apartment had every sign of present use. Yet, although there was every evidence of its being used by person of taste and refinement, he was sur- prised to see that the garments hanging in the open press were such as were us:d by negro servants, and that a gaudy handker- chief, such as housemaids used for turbans, was lying on the preity silken coverlet. He Qid not linger over these detalls, but cast a rapid glance around the room. Then his eyes became fixed on a fanciful writing d h #topd by the window. Kor in a hand- some vase placed on its level top and drooping on 2 porifolo below hung a clusier of the strange flowers that Miss Faulkner had car- ried. PART IL—CHAPTER IV. 1t sgemed plain to Bryant that the dispatch box had been couveyed here and opened for security on this desk, and in the hurry of examining the papers the flower had been :S-uu,mmmmmumuup secemed to mitigate her offense. She would bo h:re but a day or two longer; he could afford to wait without interrogating her. But as to the real intruder—spy or thief— that was another affair and quickly settled. He gave an order to. the officer of the day pe:- emptorily forbidding the entrance of alien servants or slaves within the precinets of the headquarters. Any one thus trespassing was to be brought before him. The officer looked surprised—he even fancied disappointed. The graces of the mulatto woman's figuie had evidently not been thrown away upon his subalterns. An hour or two later, when he was mount- ing his horse for a round of inspection, he was surprised to see Miss Faulkner, accom- panied by the mulatto woman, running hur- riedly to the house. He had forgotten his late order until he saw the latter halted by the sentries, but the young girl came flying on regardless of her companion. Her skirt was caught in one hand, her straw hat had fallen back in her flight, and was caught only by a ribbon around her swelling throat, Lier loosened hair lay in a black rippled loop on one shoulder. Tor an Instant Brant thought that she was secking him in indigna- tion al his order, but a second look at her face, cager eyes and parted scarlet lips, showed him that she had not even noticed him in the concentration of her purpose. She swept by him into the hall; he heard the swish of her skirt and rapid feet on the stairs; she was gone. What had happened— or was this another of her moods. But he was called to himself by the ap- parition of a corporal standing before him with a mulatto woman—the first capture under his order. She was tall, well formed, but unmistakably showing the negro type, even in her small features. Her black eyes were excited, but unintelligent, her manner dogged, but With the obstinacy of half-con- sclous 'stupldity. Brant felt not only dis- appointed, but had a singular impression that she was not the same woman that he had first seen. Yet there was the tall, grace- ful figure, the dark profile, and the turbaned head that he had once followed down the passage by his room. Her story was as stupldly simple. She had known' ‘“‘missy” from a chile! She had Just trapsed over to see her that afternoon; they were walking together when the sogers stopped her. She had never been stopped be- fore, even by “patter rollers.”* Her ole massa (Manly) had gib leat to go see Miss Jesey, and hadn't sald noffin’ about no “orders.” More annoyed than he cared to confess, Brant briefly dismisesd her with a warning. As he cantered down the slope the view of the distant pickets recalled the window in the wing. and he turned in his saddle to look at it. There it was—the largest and most deminant window in that part of the build- ing—and within 1t a digtinet and vivid ob- Ject, aimost filling the opening, was the vase of flowers which he had a few hours ago re- moved, restored to its original position. He smiled. The hurrfed entrance and consterna- tion of Miss Faulkner was now fully ex- plained. He had -interrupted some impas sloned message, perhaps even countermands me affectionate rendezvous beyond the nes. And it settled the fact that it was she who had done the signaling. ' But would not this also make her cognizant of the taking of the dispatch box? He. reflected, however, that the room was apparently occupied by the mulatto woman; he remembered the cal- ico dresses and turban on the bed; and it was possiblo that Miss Faulkner had only visited it for the purpose of signaling to her lover. But the circumstance did not tend to make his mind easier. —&t -was, however, grescatly diverted by an unlookéd-for Inci: ent. As he rode through the camp a group of officers congregated belorv a Jarge mess tent appeared to be highly amused by the conyer- sation—halt monologue and half harangue— of a singular looking individual who stood in the center. He wore & “slouch” hat, to the band of which he had imparted a mili- tary afr by the addition of a gold cord, but the brim was caught up at. the side in a pecullarly theatrical and highly artifical fashion. A heavy. eavalry sabre depended from a broad buckled beit under his black , with the additiop of two re- volvers, miunus thelr Rolsters, stuck on either side of the buckle, after the style of stage smugglers. A pair of long, enamelied leather riding boots, with the tops turned deeply over, as if they had once done duty for the representative of a cavaller, completed his extraordinary equipment. The group wi 80 absorbed in him that they did not pe celve the approach of their chief and his orderly, and Brant, with & sign to the latter, halted only a few paces from this central figure. His speech was a singular mingling of high-flown and exalted epithets and in- *I. e., patrols—a civic home guard in the south that kept survetllunee of slaves. | about | information as 1 exact pronunciation, of western slang. “Well, I ain't purtendin’ to any stratuteg- feal smartness, and 1 didn’t gradooate at West Point as one of these Apocryphal en- gineers. 1 don't go mugh talkin' about ‘flank’ movements or ‘recognizances in force,’ or ‘Ehellon skirmishin’, but when it comes down to square Injin fightin' I reckon I kin have my say. There are men who don't know any army contractor,” he _added darkly, “who mebbe have heard of ‘Red Jim!' I don’t mention names, gentiemen, but only the other day a man you all know says to me, ‘If I only knew what you do scoutin’ 1 wouldn't be wanting for do.’ 1 ain't goin' to say who it was, or break any confidence between gen- tlomen, by, saying how many stars he had on his shquldqr strap, but he was a man who knew what he was saying. And 1 say agin, gentlpmen, that the curse of the north ern army, is. the want of proper scout What was it caused Bull's Run?—want scoutin’ i, was it rolled up Pope? o' scoutin’. . What killed Baker at Ball's Bluff >—wagt qf scoutin’. What caused the slaughter aj,the, Wilderness >—want o' scoutin Injin scoubin'.; Why, only the other day, gentlemen, I was approached to know what I'd take toorganize a scoutin’ force. And what did L say? ‘No, general, it ain't be- cause I represent one of the largest army beef contracts (in this country,’ sa I ‘it ain't bicawse L belong, €0 to speak, to the “‘sinews of wan,’ but because I'd want about 10,000 trained fnjuns from the reservations! An the regular, West Polnt, high toned, sci- entific inkybus, that welghs so heavily on our army dow'y see it—and won't have it!’ Then Sherman,| he sez to me—" L But heresa roar of laughter Interrupted him, and in a crossfire cf sarcastic interro- gations that began, Brant saw with relief a chanca to escape. For in the voice, manner, and, above all, the characteristic tempera- ment of the stranger, he had recognized his old playmate and the husband of Susy—the redoubtable Jim Hooker! There was no mis- taking that gloomy audacity—that mysterious significance—that = magnificent lying. But even at that moment Clarence Brant's heart had gone out, with all his old loyalty of feel- ing, toward his old companion. He knew that a public recognition of him then and there would plunge Hooker into confu- sion; he felt keenly the ironical plaudits and laughter cf his officers over the manifest weakness and vanity of the ex-teamster, ex- rancher, ex-actor and husband of his girl sweetheart, and would have spared him the knowledge that he had overheard it. Turn- ing hastily to the orderly, he bade him bring the stranger to his headquarters and rode away unpercelved. He had heard enough, however, to account for his presence there and the singular chance that had brought them again to gether. He was evidently one of thoze large civil contractors of supplies whom the ernment was obliged to employ, who visited the camp, half officially, and whom the army alternately depended upon and abused. Brant had dealt with his underlings In the commis- sariat, and even now remembered that he had heard he was coming, but had over- looked the significance of his name. But how he came to leave his theatrical profession, how he had dttained a position which im- plied a command of considerable capi for many of the contractors had already amassed large fortunes—and what had be- come of Susy and her ambitions in this radi- cal change of circumstances were things to be learned. In his own changed conditions he had ecldom thought of her; it was with a strange feeling of irritation and half responsibility that he now recalled his last interview with her and the emotion to which he had succumbed. He had not long to wait. He had scarcely regained the quarters at his own private office befors lie heard the step of the orderly upon the veranda and the trailing clank of Hooker's sabre. He did not know, however, that Hooker, without recognizing his name, had received the message as a personal trib- ute, and had left his sarcastic companions triumphantly, with the air of a man going 1o a confidential interview to which his well known military connection had entitled him. It was with a bearing cf gloomy importance and his characteristic sullen, sidelong glance that he entered the apartment, and he did not look up until Brant had signalled the orderly -to withdraw and closed the door behind him. - And then he recognized his old boyish companion—the professed favorite of fortune! For a moment he gasped with astonish- ment. For. a; moment gloomy incredulity, suspicion, delight, pride, admiration, even af- fection, straggled for mastery In his sullen, staring eyes 'and open, twitching mouth. For here was Clarence Brant, handsomer than ever, “more superior than ever in the majesty of aniform and authority—which fit- ted him, the younger man—through his_ four years of active service with the carcless ease and bearing of a veteran, Here was the hero whose name was already =0 famous that the mfera coincidence of jt with that of the modest civil'an he had known would have struck him as preposterous, Yet here he was, supreme and dazzling, surrounded by the pomp And circurdstance of war, into whose reservéd presence he, Jim Hooker, had been ushered with the formality of chal- lenge, saluting and presented bayonets! Luckily Brant had taken advantage of his first gratified ejaculation to shake him warmly by the hand, and then, with both hands laid familiarly on his shoulder, force him down into‘a chdir. Luckily, for by that time Jim Hooker had with characterist gloominess found time to taste the pangs of envy—an envy the more keen since, in spite of his success as a peaceful contractor, he had always eecretly longed for military display and distincton. He looked at the man who had achieved it, as he firmly be- lieved, by sheer luck and accident, and his eyes darkened, Then, with characterlstic weakness and yanity, he began to resist his first impressions of Clarence’s superiority and to alr his own importance. He leaned heavily back in the chair Into which he had been thus genially forced, drew off his gaunt- let, and attempted to thrust it through his beit, as he had seen Brant do, but failed on account of his pistols already occupying that position, dropped it, got his sword be- tween his legs in attempting to pick it up, and then leaned back again, with half-closed eyes, screnely indifferent to his old com- panion’s smiling face, “I reckon,” he began slowly, with a slightly patronizing afr, “that we'd have met sooner or later at Washington or at Grant's headquarters, for Hooker, Meacham & Co. go everywhere, and are about as well known as Major-Generals, to say nothin',” he went on, with a sidelong glance at Brant's shoul- der straps, “‘of Brigadiers; and it's rather strange—only, of course, you're kind of fresh in the service—that you ain't heard of me afore.” “But I'm very glad to hear of you now, Jim,” sald Brant, smiling, “and from your own lips, which I am also delighted to find,” he added mischievously, “‘are still as frankiy communicative on that'topic as of old. But I congratulate you, old fellow, on your good fortune. When did you leave th> stag Mr. Hooker frowned slightly. “I never was really on the stage, you know,” he said, waving his hand with ‘assumed n:gligence— “only went on to please my wife. Mrs, Hooker wouldn't act with vulgar profession- als, don't you see? I was really manager most of the time, and lessee of the theater. Went east when the war broke out to offer my sword and knowledge of Injun fightin' to Uncle Sam. Drifted into a big pork con- tract at St. Louls with Fremont. Been at it ever since. Offered a commission in the reg’lar service lots o' times. Refused.”” “Why?" asked Braut, demurely. “Too much West Point starch around to suif me,” returned Hooker darkly. “And too many spies. “Spies?"” a momentary ner. “Yes, spies,” continued Hooker, with dog- ged mystery. “One half of Washington Is watching t'gtber half, and from the presi- dent's wife down, most of the women is soces| . Brant suddenly fixed his keen eyes on his guest. But (he next moment he reflected that it was only Jim Hooker's usual speech and possessed no ulterior significance. He smiled again and said more gently: “*And how- is Mrs Hooker? Mr. Hooker ixed his eyes on the ceiling, rose, pretended to look out of the window; then taking' his seat again by the table, ay it fronting #n imaginary audience, and pull- ing slowly &t ‘his gauntlets, after the usual theatrical | igdlcation of perfect sangtroid, sald A “There alp't, & “Good heavens!” sald Brant with genuine emotion. I beg your pardon—really I—" ““Mrs, Hogkep and me are divorced,” con- with occasional lapses echoed Brant, abstractedly, with reminiscence of Miss Faulks tinued Hooker, slightly ehanging bis attitude want | was—you understand,” gauntlet aside—‘incompatibility of tempor!— and—we—parted. Ha!" he uttered a low, bitter, scornful laugh, which, however, pro- duced the distinct fmpression in Brant's mind that up to that moment he had never had the slightest feeling In the matter what- ever. “You seemed to be on such good terms with each other,” murmured Brant vaguely “Seemed!" sald Hooker bitterly, glancing sardonically at an ideal second row in the pit before him—''yes, seemed! There were other differences—social and political. You undoerstand that—you have sufferod, too.” He reached out his hand and pressed Brant's effusivencss. “But,” he continued, lightly tossing his glove again, 0 aro also men of the world—we let that pass And it was possible that he found lightly tossing his | the strain of his present attitude too great, for he changed to an “But,” gald Brant, thought that Mrs, union and northern." “Put on!" sald Hooker, voice, “But you remember flag?" persisted Brant. “Mrs. Hooker was alwa fald Hooker significantly. “But,” he added cheerfully, “‘Mrs. Hooker Is now the wife of Senator Bornpointer, one of the wealthiost and most powerful republicans in Washing- ton—carries the patronage of the whole west In his vest pocket!" “Yet, if she is not a republican—why did sho"—began Bran| “For a_purpose, fer position curtously, "1 always Hooker was intensely his in natural the incident of the an actress," responded Hooker, dark “But,” e added again with greater cheer- fulness, “she belongs tp the very elite of Washington society. Goes to all the forelgn ambassadors' balls, and is a power at the white house. Her p 1s in all the first- class illustrated papers The singular but unmistakable pride of the man in the importance of the wife from whom he was divorced, and for whom he did not care, would have offended Brant's delicacy, or at least have excited his ridi- cule, but for tho reason that he was more deeply stung by Hooker's alluson to his own ‘wife and his degrading similitude of their two conditions. But he dismissed tha former as part of Hooker's In- vineible and still boyish extravagance, and the latler as a part of his equally character- istic assumption. Perhaps he was consclous, too, notwithstanding the lapse of years and the condonation of separation and forget- fulness, that he deserved litile delicacy from the hands of Susy's husband. Nevertheless he dreaded to hear him speak again of her. And the fear was realized in a question, “Does_she know you are here?" “Who?" said Brant curtly. “Your wife. That is—I reckon she's your wife still, eh?" “I do not know that. she knows,” returned Brant quietly. He had regained his self- composure, “Susy—Mrs. Senator Bornpointer that is"— he seemed to feel a certain dignity in his late wife's new title, “allowed that she'd gone abroad on a secret mission from the Southern Confederacy to them crowned heads over there. She was good at ropiw' men in, you know. Anyhow Susy—afore she was Mrs. Bornpointer—was dead set on findin' o here she was—but never could. She seemed to drop out of sight a year ago. Some said one thing and some said another. But you can bet your bottom dollar that Mrs. Senator Bornpointer, who knows how to pull all the wires in Washington, will know if any onedoes. “But is Mrs. Bornpointer really disaffected and a southern sympathizer?’ eaid Brant, “or is it only caprice or fashion?’ While speaking he had risen with a half-abstracted face and hed gone to the window, where he stood in a loitering attitude. Presently he opened the window and stepped outside. Hooker wonderingly followed him. One or two officers had already stepped out of their rooms and were standing upon the veranda; another had halted in the path. Then one quickly re-entered the house, reappeared with his cap and sword In his hand and ran lightly toward the guerd house. A slight crackling noise seemed to come from beyond the_garden wall. “What's up?”’ said Hooker, with staring eye “Picket firing.” The_crackling suddenly became a long rat- tle. Brant re-entered the room, and picked up his hat. “You'll excuse me for a few moments, A hollow sound shook the house. “What's that?" gasped Hooker. “Cannon.” (To_be continued.) NERVOUS PROSTRATION, (NEURASTHENIA) INSOMNIA, NERVOUS DYSPEPSIA : MELANCHOLIA, AND THE THOUSAND ILLS THAT FOLLOW A DENANGED CONDITION OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM meny CEREBRINE THE EXTRACT OF THE BRAIN OF THE OX, PREPAREO UNDER THE FORMULA OF Dr. WILLIAM A. HAMMOND, IN HIS LABORATORY AT WASHINGTON, D. C. 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