rcrombie
sat down again, waiting and listening. It was the general's usual time
to come home from headquarters. How would he come? or would he come at
all? These were the questions that agitated her soul. The sad, troubled
humiliating, suffering past, how its records of sorrow and shame and
fear kept unrolling themselves before her eyes! There was little if
anything in these records to give hope or comfort. Ah! how many times
had he fallen from his high estate of manhood, each time sinking lower
and lower, and each time recovering himself from the fall with greater
difficulty than before! He might never rise again. The chances were
largely against him.

How the wretched woman longed for yet dreaded the return of her
husband! If he had been drinking again, as she feared, there, was
before her a night of anguish and terror--a night which might have for
her no awaking in the world. But she had learned to dread some things
more than death.

Time wore on until it was past the hour for General Abercrombie's
return, and yet there was no sign of his coming. At last the loud clang
of the supper-bell ringing through the halls gave her a sudden start.
She clasped her hands across her forehead, while a look of anguish
convulsed her face, then held them tightly against her heart and
groaned aloud.

"God pity us both!" she cried, in a low, wailing voice, striking her
hands together and lifting upward her eyes, that were full of the
deepest anguish.

For a few moments her eyes were upraised. Then her head sunk forward
upon her bosom, and she sat an image of helpless despair.

A knock at the door roused her. She started to her feet and opened it
with nervous haste.

"A letter for you," said a servant.

She took it from his hand and shut and locked the door before examining
the handwriting on the envelope. It was that of her husband. She tore
it open with trembling hand and read:

"DEAR EDITH: An order requiring my presence in Washington to-morrow
morning has just reached me, and I have only time to make the train. I
shall be gone two or three days."

The deep flush which excitement had spread over the face of Mrs.
Abercrombie faded off, and the deadly pallor returned. Her hands shook
so that the letter dropped out of them and fell to the floor. Another
groan as of a breaking heart sobbed through her lips as she threw
herself in despairing abandonment across the bed and buried her face
deep among the pillows.

She nee