The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1890-08-22


month; but your letters will reach me
safely.
Why was it that she should experience
o feeling almost of relief in reading that
he was going to be absent from the gar
rison awhile-going out on two weeks
scout?
She had sent him, as she promised, a
lovely cabinet photograph of herself that
had been taken expressly for him. 1t
came to the old frontier fort just as the
men were marching up from evening sta
bles, and the messenger, distributing the
mail about the post, handed the packet to
the captain as he stood with little knot
Of comrades on the walk. There was liz
slant demand that he should open it and
show the picture to them, but, blushing
like girl, he broke away and hid him
self in his room; and then, when sure OF
being uninterrupted, he took it to the
window and Toasted his eyes upon the
exquisite face and form there portrayed.
He kept it from that time in silken
case, which he locked in a bureau drawer
whenever he left the house, but in the
evening or when writing at his desk he
brought it forth to light again and set it
where every moment he could look upon
and almost worship it.
And then came her letters announcing
their safe arrival at Deer Park:
sour journey was most trying, for the
heat was intolerable until we got well
up among the mountains. Papa came;
but l know he is simply fretting his
heart out with anxiety to get back to the
Office. Mr.. Clark only returned from
his vacation the day we started. Cor
don Noel came down to the train to see
us off, and brought mother basket of
such luscious fruit. He says that he
has no home to go to now that we are
gone. Indeed, he has been very thought
full and kind, and l don't think he is
quite happy despite his efforts to be
always gay and cheerful.
"Do you really mean that you will be
gone fortnight? How 1 shall miss
your dear letters, Fred. And now in
deed l will try to write regularly.
There's no one here l care anything
about, though the hotel seems very full,
and there is much dancing and gayety.
You say that my letters will reach you,
but wonder how"
Lane read this with sigh of relief.
He had persuaded himself that it was be-
cause he dreaded the effect Of the long
continued hot weather upon her that he
so desired her to get to the mountains.
Any other thought would have been dis
loyalty to his queen. He wished-just a
little bit-that she had not written of
him as Gordon Noel; he much preferred
that she should call him captain. She
would not write so fully and frankly of
him if he were anything but friendly, he
argued, and she would not tolerate his
visits on any other grounds. Yet she
did not tell him that they had walked up
and down the platform together for ten
minutes before the train started, and
that when it was time to part he had
bent down and said, almost in a whis-
per:
''Do you want to send a message for
me to Fred Lane in your next letter."
II will do so, if you WISH" she muir
INJURED; but her eyes fell before the gaze
in his, and the hot blood rushed to her
face.
Tell him there's no man in all the
regiment so long to see, and no man in
all the world so envy"
Probably conscience smote her, for
during the week that followed five let
tiers came-f~e letters in seven days!
His heart went wild with delight over
their tenderness. The last was written
Saturday, and then none came for three
days; and when the fourth day came
and brought the longed for missive it
was disappointment. somehow.
Papa left s to go back to the Office
last night" she wrote. "He could stand
1t no longer. fear it did him little
good here. The Witherses came on
Saturday, and that strange girl, Miss
Marshall, is with them. She always i'm
presses me with the idea that she is
striving to read my thoughts. She
speaks SO admiringly of you, and says
you were SO courteous to her the night
you dined at the Witherses' and / do
not remember your ever saying anything
about her to me- You see, sir, I am
much more communicative about my
friends.
1--WE. had such u delightful surprise
Saturday night. Who should appear in
the hop room but Gordon Noel. He
stayed until the midnight train Sunday;
and / really was very glad to see him."
And here Lane stopped reading for q
while.