Andrew the Glad

"I told Tempie to put less pepper in those chicken croquettes last

night--I saw Phoebe's light burning until two o'clock and heard her and

Caroline laughing and talking even after that. The major was so nervous

that he was up and dressed at six o'clock. I must see that all of you get

simpler food--your nerves will suffer. Major, suppose you don't eat

much dinner--just have a little milk toast. I'll see Tempie about it

now!" and Mrs. Buchanan departed after bestowing a glance, in which was a

conviction of dyspepsia, upon all three of them.

"Now, David Kildare, see what you've done with your black-cat crawlings!

I'll have to eat that toast--see if I don't! I've consumed it with a

smile during stated periods for thirty years. Yes, girl-love is a kind

of cup-custard, but wife-love is bread and butter--milk toast, for

instance--bless her! But I am hungry!" The major's expression was a

tragedy.

"I'm going to try and beg you off, Major, dear," said Caroline Darrah,

and she hurried after Mrs. Matilda into Tempie's domain.

"Major," said David as he gazed after the girl, "when I look at her I

feel cold all over, then hot-mad! He's going to-morrow night on the

midnight train--and she doesn't know! I can't even talk to him

about it--he looks like a dead man and works like a demon. I don't know

what to do!"

"David," said the major slowly as he pressed the tips of his long lean

fingers together and regarded them intently, "how love, tender wise love,

love that is fed on heart's blood and lives by soul-breath, can go deaf,

blind, dumb, halt, broken-winged, idiotic and mortally cruel is more than

I can see. God Almighty comfort him when he finds what he has done!"

"And if she does find it out she won't understand," exclaimed David.

"No," answered the major, "she doesn't even suspect anything. She thinks

it is the press of his work that keeps him away from her. The child

carries about with her that aura of transport that only an acknowledgment

from a lover can give a woman. I had hoped that he had seen some way--I

couldn't ask! I wonder--"

"Yes, Major," interrupted David quickly, and he winced as he spoke, "it

happened on the hunt Saturday evening. They climbed the bluff and watched

the hunt from a distance and I saw how it was the minute they came back

to the campfire. I saw it and I was just jolly happy over it even to the

tune of Phoebe's sulks--I thought it was all right, and I wish you could

have seen him. His head was up and his eyes danced and he gave up almost

the first real laugh I ever heard from him, when I teased her about

getting lost. As I looked at him I thought about the other, your glad

Andrew, Major, and I was happy all in a shot for you, because I thought

you were going to get back something of what you'd lost. It all seemed

so good!"