The Argosy, Christmas 1912 — page 113: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

BEFORE THE DARK. away. He had given the signal for salute too soon. The company had obeyed the order in a puzzled, unnatural way. There was an awkward pause. Then their leader seemed suddenly to take in the situation. He gave another command. A few brisk steps forward, and the company reached the right place. The salute was given, another order rang out, and the company marched on as the others had done. ; But although the incident was passed over so quickly, Bennett’s error had been noticed particularly by two people who counted. The first, and more important, was Edith. The other was the colonel. Edith mentioned it to him as soon as the review was over. “What made you stop like that?” she asked in concern, when Bennett came up, immediately after the con- clusion of the proceedings. Bennett smiled painfully. “We all make mistakes sometimes,’’ he replied. “You remember what I told you,” broke in Osgood, who was standing by. “It must be your eyes. They fail you at times. And don’t forget the prediction this afternoon. Take my advice, old man, and have them seen to at once.” “Oh, all right,” said Bennett, al- most shortly, for him. He was usually very even-tempered. Even when annoyed he. could still be - pleasant. Perhaps this was not so much due to great self-control as to his habit of subduing his emotions. To-day, however, was an exception. The tremendous events of the past hour had greatly moved him. Then, as if he realized, that he had been ungracious, he added: “I appre- ciate your thinking about it, of course. You know that, don’t your” “Yes, that’s all right,’’ said Osgood. The girl had listened in troubled si- lence to this conversation. The allu- sion to “the prediction this after- noon” was, of course, lost upon her. 99 But the incident of Bennett’s mistake in ordering the salute was very vivid in her memory. _A look of anxiety appeared on her face. Was there anything wrong with Bennett’s sight? Womanlike, she felt worried. She made an effort to hide her feelings. On account of the sud- denness of their new relation she could not manifest more than ordinary con- cern. At that moment her mother got up, and suggested starting for home. The little party began to move slowly away. Osgood adroitly managed to place himself at E,dith’s side. “What did you think of it, Miss Trevor?” he asked. “‘ Splendid,” she answered. “TI en- joyed it immensely. Didn't you, mother? ” Mrs. Trevor’s reply intimated that the review had given her a very pleas- ant afternoon. There was a lull in the talk. They had now joined the stream of those leaving the parade-ground. Suddenly Edith noticed her mother chatting to a lady by her side. It appeared that she had found herself walking beside a friend of hers. Since Edith was well taken care of by the two men, she proposed going home with her friend. Edith approved the plan. From that moment the two older ladies were a community in themselves. Bennett, Osgood, and Edith engaged in a sep- arate conversation. There had been many visitors to the review, and as they were all leaving at the same time, individual progress was slow. It was just like any other audience—it had arrived in twos and threes, and was trying to leave quickly en masse. The three had been performing a sort of marking-time for an appre- ciable period, when an orderly ap- peared and saluted Bennett. “Yes?” said Bennett. “The colonel wants to see you, sir. He is in his tent now, sir.” “All right. I'll come at once.” CoOMmicbook CO