The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1890-08-15

the diamond solitaire that dashed among
the leaves of the exquisite rosebud he
smilingly handed her that night was one
to make any woman gasp with delight.
Could anything on earth be rich enough,
pure enough, fair enough to lavish on
her, his peerless queen?
She had held forth her soft white hand
and let him slip it ON the engagement
finger, and then bend the knee Ike
knight of old and kiss it fervently. She
reveled in it, rejoiced in it, but, needing
her mothers advice, slowed it away
where none could see it, in the secret
drawer of her desk, and Lane was per-
fectly satisfied. Il will tell you the
reason some day." Mrs. Vincent had said
to him. ''but not just now, for I might
be doing wrong;" and he had protested
that she need never tell him. What
cared he SO long as Mabels love was
his, and they understood each other as
they did?
And so, while people at Graham piled
him with questions and i~nsinuations
and side remarks about the ''girl he left
behind him" in the east, he kept faith
fully to the agreement, and though the
whole garrison knew he wrote to her
every day and took long rides alone that
he might think of her, doubtless, and
though every n knew that those dainty
missives that came so often for Capt.
Lane were written by Miss Mabel Vim
cent, never once did he admit the exist
enee of an engagement-never once un-
til long afterwards.
The first real tidings that the Graham
people had of her came in a letter from
headquarters. Mrs. Riggs had had such
a long, charming letter from Mr.. Noel
that she called in several of her cronies
and read it all to them; and that very
evening one of the number, unable to
bear the burden of so much information,
shifted it from her mental shoulders by
writing it all to Mrs. Nash. Perhaps the
best plan will be to read the extract
which referred to Lane exactly as Mr..
Noel wrote it:
"By this time ! presume Fred Lane is
busily engaged with his new troop. i
served with them in the Sioux campaign
and they never gave me any trouble ut
all. So. too, in the Geronimo chase q
while ago, when Maj. Brace picked me
out to go ahead by night from Carrizo's
| asked for a detachment from d troop,
and the men seemed to appreciate it. l
knew they would follow wherever /
would lead, and would stand by me
through thick and thin. If Lane starts
in right I've no doubt they will do just
as well for him; but I expect he is feel
ing mighty blue at having to rejoin just
now. You know I've always been a
warm friend of his, and it hurt me to
see him so unwilling to go back. No one
seemed to know him very well in society,
and it's very queer, for this was his old
homeland | was never more delight
fully welcomed anywhere; the people
are charming. But Lane had held him.
self aloof a good deal, and fellows at the
club say he didn't run with the right
set Then, if all accounts be true, he
had had hard luck in several ways. I'm
told that he lost money in a big wheat
speculation, and everybody says he
totally lost his heart. l tell you this in
confidence because l know you are q de-
voted friend of his-as indeed you are of
all in the dear old regiment-but he was
much embarrassed when it came to turn
ing owe the funds. There was quite
a heavy shortage, which he had to make
mp at q time when it was probably most
ln~convenient. AS to the other loss, it
isn't to be wondered at. She is a beau
tiful and most charming girl, and many
a man, l fancy, has laid his heart at her
feet. 1t is said, however, that Lanes
loss is the heavier in this case because
well, l fear it will come to nothing. A
young lady told me yesterday that there
was something back Of it all-that she,
Miss Vincent, was deeply in love with a
Mr.. Rossiter, of New York, and had
been for over a year, and they were to
been married this coming Septem-
Der, but that the gentleman () learned
that her father had been nearly swamped
in speculation and had not a penny to
give her. My informant went to school
with Miss Vincent and knows her init
mately, and she says that Mr.. Rossiter
threw her over a short time ago,
and that it was through pique and exas-
peration and to hide her heartbreak from
the world that Mabel Vincent began to
show such pleasure in Lanes devotions.
She led him on, so her lady friends say;
and now Mr.. Rossiter has found out that
old Vincent was sharper and shrewder
than any one supposed, and made instead
of losing a pile, and now he is suing to be
taken back, and they say that she is SO
much in love with the fellow that the
chances are all in his favor. This is why
| feel such sorrow and anxiety for Lane.
"Well, 1 led the german at a lovely
party at the Prendergasts' last night.
Miss Vincent was there, looking like a
peach blossom, and we danced together
u great deal. When it came time to
break up l believe half the people in the
came to say good night to me and
to tell me they had never seen so delight.
full a german-'everything so depends ON
the leader / have invitations for some
thing or other for every night for the
next fortnight; and yet I 80 often long
for the old regiment and the true friends
l had to leave. 1t did me a world of
IL ..-lA4 -