The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1890-07-18


Miss Vincent's escort. 1t was with great
disappointment that he received her an
swer, which was spoken, however, in
tone of such sorrow that poor Lane felt
that the barbs, at least. of the arrow had
been removed.
II don't know how to tell you how I
regret having to say No. Mr.. Lane"
she said, and there was tremor in her
voice and little culver at the corners of
her pretty mouth. 81 have almost felt
confident that you were going to ask me
lis that very bold thing to say?-for
you have been $3.50 kind to me since
our first meeting, and indeed wanted
in some way to let you know that there
were other arrangements already made.
But how could say anything? Mr.. Ros-
sitter, the eldest son of fathers former
partner, comes to pay us visit of four
OF five days before he goes abroad again.
And he is great friend of the Chiltons,
and, being our guest, he goes with me.
Indeed, I'm very sorry, Mr.. Lane, if you
are disappointed"
Fred, of course, begged that she should
SiNC lCIoCll hO tiuCdolllCoo. lhClO was
no other girl whom he had thought of
taking. Mr.. Rossiter was very much to
be envied, and he would like to call and
pay his respects to that gentleman when
he arrived. "By all means do" said Miss
Vincent; and, if not asking too much,
would Mr.. Lane get him card at the
club? Brother Rex was away, or she
wouldn't trouble him. But Lane was
delighted to be troubled. Anything she
asked-any service he could render her
he flew with untold eagerness to accom-
plish; and, though properly jealous of
the coming man--this Mr.. Rossiter, of
whom he had never before heard men,
tion-he was eager to meet and entertain
him. The gentleman was to arrive on
Monday, and Lane spent delightful
evening at the Vincents', wondering why
he hadn't come. Tuesday would surely
bring him, or an explanation, said Miss
Mabel; and on Tuesday Lane was prompt
to call, and glad to spend another long
evening at theshospitable old homestead,
and stoutly did he hold his ground
through three successive relays of visi-
tors, encouraged to do so by certain
look in his lady's bright eyes that spoke
volumes to his throbbing heart, and that
very next morning at the club he found
her dainty missive on his breakfast
table.
How early she must have risen to write
it!-and to have seen the announcement
of his promotion in the Washington dis
to1Naot T,,,,A hea navaA fhnf ~
was frequently her pleasure to be up be-
times to give her father his coffee; for
Vincent pere was business man of the
old school, who liked to begin early i'll
the day. OF course he'had seen the name
in the Washington news and had read
the paragraph to her; that was the way
to account for it. But her note was a
Joy to him in its sweet, half shy, half
confidential wording. She merely wrote
to say that Mr.. Rossiter had wired that
he would be detained in New York until
the end of the week. and now, if Capt.
Lane had really made no engagement,
she would be glad indeed If he cared to
renew the invitation which with such re-
greet she was compelled week ago to
decline. Lane totally forgot his break
fast in his haste to rush to the writing
room and send her reply.
All "The Queen City" had been quick
to see or hear of his Sudden smite" and
consequent devotion to Mabel Vincent,
and great was the speculation as to the
probable result.
"How can she encourage him as she
does? What can she see in that solemn
prigT Indignantly demanded Miss Fanny
Holton, who had shown marked inter-
est in Mr.. Lane during his first six
months in society and had danced with
him all through tho season. HE is one
of the forloriest, stupidest men l ever
knew-utterly unlike what I supposed a
cavalry officer to be-"
"And yet, Fanny dear, you were very
much taken up with him the first winter
last year, mean," was the reply Of
her most devoted and intimate friend.
what an outrageous fib! wasn't,
and, If / was, it was because wanted
to draw him out-do something to en-
liven him. OF course danced with him
q great deal. There isn't better dancer
in town, and you know it. Maud; you've
said so yourself time and again"
"Well, you didn't draw him out-nor
on. But the moment he sees Mabel Vim
cent he fails heels over head in love with
her. Why, l never saw man whose
every look and word so utterly gave
him away" was Miss Maud's character
istic and slangy reply. "And it's my be-
lief she'll take him, too. She likes him
well, and she says he knows more than
any other man she has ever met.
"He has money, too, and can resign
and live here If she wants him to-" went
on Miss Maud after pause which, oddly
enough, her friend had not taken advan-
tage of.
"You don't know anything about what
Mabel Vincent will or won't do, Maud.
I've known her years longer than you
have, and, though I'm awfully fond of
her, and wouldn't have this repeated for
the world-and you must swear never to
repeat it to anybody know her so well
that can say she doesn't know her own
mind now and would change it in less
than six months if she did. She is as
fickle-in love ~ in her friendshins: and