The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-08-24
HIS LAST CHANCE.
|HY THE LIEUTENANT NEVER GOT MARRIED.
ROMANCE OF LOVE AND H1GHwAYMEN.

The lieutenant arose with somewhat of a
|adache. In common with most of the Off
Rs of the fort he was given to tarrying
Their longer at the wine than the good of
9 service really demanded, and last night
was the custom, cards had formed part
the entertainment. He was not loser in
III, but he was in self-respect. He had
| pit himself reasonably clean from the
sel things in life till he came here; but
e velvet of West Point suffered abrasion
zen it met the wolf'skin of the frontier.
hings were more primitive. Men spoke
id thought farther away from that social
naman's whip which keeps us all
order. The lieutenant felt abased,
ia wondered, as he slowly dressed
nself, how he could thread the
y out of this labyrinth; how he could
land up clean among-not apart from-the
mrades of his new life. And there were
an something moro than that. He did
t care to transfer the army into draw
groom, but he cherished lively hope
lat time might come when he could
ove that other heights were better than
is round of cynocism. revel and routine.
The mail coach had driven from Deep
rings this morning, arriving before he
fose, thus avoiding the heat of the day,
d when tho lieutenant returned from
ssakfast he found letter on the table.
s the one letter of all to him. Maud
ventry was a good correspondent. She
3ote such delightfully."- long letters.
ere wasn't much of news or philosophy
them, but one rose from the reading
b the consciousness of having been
nearly an hour in her presence,
perfect reserve pervaded every line
i yet one felt the soft, warm influence of
lnguid, blonde woman; the incense of
erence paid by rare creature, weak and
ling to be led, rose to the brain of man
81 given to understanding himself. She
q rich, too. All these things revolved
Esmselves, rather than were revolved, in
mind as he sat on the cool porch in the
ng day and studied the familiar pictures
fort and valley.
sut his heart would come back from all
se wandsrings after lofty things and fix
alf right here in the smoke of the Sierras.
had met Kate Bentley. He had walked
b her and talked with her, had danced
b her and had sounded the welcome
this of strong good fellowship. She was
antithesis of Maud Coventry, She was
<, with cheeks of wine and lips of red;
was strong, resourceful, composed. He
drawn to her like iron to . magnet. She
aplimented where he was deficient. She
equipped abundantly with those quail
that had been denied him.
Iarriage to good woman was undoubt-
7 the one sure way to quit the bad and
tie to the good without getting ont OF
. with the forces at the fort-and before
knew it the lieutenant had said almost
libby:
Yes. marriage; but to which one Of
m?' Then be recovered his poise With'a
Oh at the arrogance, and did them both
grace to confess that he had no reason
rnow that either one would have him.
nd here came Kate Bently right at q
when she should stay away. No doubt
lieutensnt would have come from his
ssrie just AZ he had from many . one
pre-. These early mosning reformations
owing a night OF excess. arr ropel
sand, and few men are bound long By
II folds Here came Kate Bentley
. IN Indian bog attendant