The Deserter

ngular words had caused. So far from feeling in the least rebuffed, Mrs. Rayner well understood from his manner that not the faintest discourtesy was intended. There was not a s

m the welcoming embrace of her stalwart husband, Mrs. Rayner found time to present the other and younger officers to her sister. As many as half a dozen had followed the captain in his wild rush upon the car, and, while he and his baby boy were resuming acquaintanceship after a separation of many long months, Miss Travers found herself the centre of a circle of young officers who had braved

ignificant nod of the head. "There are as many as a dozen of them,-or at least there w

frozen to death; and there are ever so many of the soldiers

The colonel is there, and he would have all arrangements made. Here, Graham! Foster! Mrs. Rayner says there are a lot of frozen cavalrymen forwar

heir; Lieutenant Ross escorted Mrs. Rayner; two others devoted themselves exclusively to Miss Travers; a fourth picked up the Maltese kitten. Two or three smart, trim-looking infantry soldiers cleared the section of bags and bundles of shawls, and the entire party was soon within the door-way of the waiting-room, where a red-hot coal-stove glowed fierce welcome

h came,-and there are a dozen of these men, besides Dr. Grimes, all more or less crippled

us. We can make the ladies comfortable here at the hotel for the night. Some of the officers have to get ba

ther; but no one seemed to care so long as they were on the trail. Then came the change of wind, and a driving snow-storm, in which they lost the trail as a matter of course; and then this blizzard stru

! Was he w

n at once to offer his services.

the luck!-and was to have six months' leave before joining. I wish it was six years. Where is he now

ut it's God's mercy he was with these poor fellows. His skill and

ill humor. "He is the last man I expected to see this day o

eir disabled comrades. Rayner himself hesitated a moment, then turned about and trudged heavily back along the wind-swept platform. The train had pulled away, and was o

o be taken out to the hospital. Don't try to come back for us to-night: we'll stay here in town. Send t

e serious than a mishap to a squad of soldiers had brought about the sudden change. He was all gladness, all rejoicing and delight, when he clasped her and his baby boy in his arms but ten minutes before, and now-something had occurr

oster to scrape acquaintance; the kitten, with dainty step, and ears and tail erect, was making a leisurely inspection of the premises, sniffing about the few benches and chairs with which the bare room was burdened, and reconnoitring the door leading to the hall-way with evident desire to extend her researches in that direction. Presently that very door opened, and in came two or three bundles of fur in mas

feet and an excited chorus of barks and yelps were heard aloft; then a stern voice ordering, "Down, you brutes!" a sudden howl as though in response to a vigorous kick, and an instant later, bearing the kitten, ruffled, terrified, and wildly excited, yet unharmed, there came springing lightly down the steps the young man in

wo subalterns who had taken the wrong turn at the top of the stairs reappeared there just as the rescuer shot past them on his way back, and stood staring, first after his dis

onstraint in the manner of every officer present and the sudden disappear

you know tha

who he i

s he,

first lieutenant, Mrs. R

she exclaimed, gr

e. Had you never

And she broke short off, confused and plainly distresse