Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-01-13


rude, nnpafRted crosses, each marking
| the grave OF some victim of this savage
warfare, and Mr.. Holmes was quite right
in his theory that il would be far safer
and pleasanter to stay at Laramie until
some big party went up TO the hills.
The doctor was most hospitable in
his pressing invitation for him to
make his house home just as long as il
might please him. Nellie was glad to
win her beloved father 5 praise by doing
what she could to make the army home
stead attractive to his guest; Zhe guest
himself was courteous, well bred and
cordial in manner, speedily winning
friends all over the garrison, and the
| only man TO whom his protracted visit
became matter of serious disquietude
was poor Randall Mclean With low
err IS intuition he saw that the wealthy
Chicagoan was deeply interested in sweet
Nellie Basard, and thai her father
eagerly favored the suit
Up TO the hour of Mr.. Holmes arrival,
there was not day on which the young
fellow had not enjoyed walk or one or
more delightful chats with the doctor's
pretty daughter. He had no rivals;
there were at the moment no other bach
elor officers at the post with the eXcep-
ton of Hatton, who, besides having
ehiYalrous disposition not to cut in where
his eomrade was Interested was popularity
supposed to be the peculiar property of
Miss Jeanette Bruce.
Now, however, since Mr.. Holmes had
taken up his abode under the Esculapian
vine and fig tree, Mclean found it simply
impossible 10 see the lady of his love ex-
cept in general company The Chicago
capitalist, despite his thirty-eight years
ear, and, though courteous and unob-
trusiye, it was patent to Mclean that he
meant no other man should charm it with
a lovers wooing until his own substantial
claims had had full consideration. No
matter at what hour the lieutenant called
there was Roswell Holmes in the paFloP;
and when he sought to engage her for
walk, it so happened that papa and Mr..
Holmes had arranged to go calling at
that very time, and papa had expressed his
wish that she should go too. 1t began to
look very ominous before the end of that
second day, and when the evening of the
dinner came Mr.. Mclean was decidedly
low i'll his mind. He was not even in
vited.
Now there was nothing in this circum-
stance to which he should have attached
any Importance whatever. Army quar-
tiers are small at best, and a dining room
on the frontier big enough to accommO-
date a dozen people was i'll those days
decided rarity. The doctor, after con-
sultation with Nellie and with the presid-
ing goddess i'll the Kitchen had decided
upon ten as the proper number to be
seated at his table. There would then be
no crowding and all might go off without
confusion. Very proud was the doctor of
some precious old family plate and
some more modern and even more
beautiful china with which he
adorned his table on state occasions. He
wanted to make an impression on has
wealthy guest and this was an .oppor-
tunity not to be neglected. He gave
much thought, too, to the composition
of his party The commanding officer
and his wife must, OF course, be invited
Captain and Mrs. Bruce he decided upon
because they were people of much travel
and, for army folks, remarkably well
read and Informed. They would reflect
credit on his entertainment. The
adjutant and his wife were also hidden
as being guests who would grace his
board, but he did not invite even
his own junior and assistant, Doctor
Weeks. 81 can explain all that, Nellie.
He won Il mind he said, and besides,
If Holmes can stay till the end of the
week III give another and have all the
youngsters - She had Frightened up at
that for her heart misgave her little
at the thought of her most loyal friends
being left out in the cold. Then she
looked very grave again when his next
words were spoken. And now dear,
we want one more lady TO make our
party complete, and no one will do as
well as Miss Forrest
Poor NellieI She knew not what to
say. Her father was, of course, cogni-
zant of the growing dislike to that strange
girl and had pooh-poohed some OF the
stories that had been brought to his ears.
There was not a woman in all the officers
quarters whom she would not rather have
invited yet from the very first she felt
in the depths of her soul that Miss For
rest would be her father 5 choice. One
timid little suggestion she made in favor
of Jeanette Bruce, since her parents
were to be of the party, but the doctor
promptly secuted it
Why, daughter, she's barely seven
teen, q girl who would not be in society !
at all anywhere in civilization - and |
with sigh Nellie abandoned the point
. Besides - said the doctor as clincher,
81 want this a swell affair; just think
how much Miss Forrest s taste in dress |
will help out -
Certainly his Judgment was warranted |
by her appearance the evening of the din |
ner, when, the last guest to arrive, Fan |
ny Forrest came Tustling down the stairs |
and into the brightly lighted parlor. 1t |
had begun to rain just before sunset and |
she had brought Celestine with her to hold |
the umbrella over her while her own |
jeweled hands gathered those costly skirts |
about her under the folds of the gossa- /
mer that enyeloped her from head to |
feet. The girl, a bright, intelligent |
followed her mistress up stairs |
to the room set apart for the use of the |
ladies, and was busy removing her wraps |
when Nellie ran up to inquire if she could |
be of any assistance.
FThank you heartily, Nellie, - was the /
cordial answer. elbow simply exquisite
you look to-night!' and Miss Forrest |
winsome smile was brighter than ever as
she bent her head to kiss the reluctant |
cheek that seemed to pale under her !
touch. ''NO--run back to your guests.
Celestine win put me 10 rights in min
ute and II be down in a jiffy-don t
wait -
And SO Nellie returned to the parlor,
and in a moment Celestine came down |