Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-10-02
CH6PTER XII.

"Tcu me truly and frankly, Capt. Lane"
A dreary winter was that of 1S8- at
old Fort Graham. Capt. Breese became
major of the til, and his troop was
ordered to exchange with K, which had
been so long at headquarters, and this
brought old jim Rawlins up to take COM
mand of the little cavalry battalion at
"the oasis" There were many of the
officers-Rawlins among them-who
thought that after his success with ''the
Devils Own, as D troop had been called,
Lane was entitled to enjoy the position
of battalion commander; but Mrs. Riggs
had promptly asserted her belief that he
was not in position TO enjoy anything.
He had come back to the post late in the
fall, looking some years older and graver;
he had been very i'll at Jefferson bar
racks, said letter from that point,
while waiting to take out party of re-
cruits to the regiment; he had resumed
duty without word to anybody of the
matters that had so suddenly called him
east, but there was no need of telling:
they knew all about it; at least they said
and thought they did.
Mrs. Riggs had had such complete ac-
counts from Noel, and had received such
a sweet letter from Miss Vincent in re-
ply to the one she had written congratu-
lating her upon her engagement to her
Afrs. Riggs ''favorite among all the
oficers-and the colonels too" "She
was SO sorry-sO painfully distressed
about Capt. Lane" said Mrs. Riggs.
"She never really cared for him. 1t was
gratitude and propinquity and pleasure
In his attentions that she mistook for
love; but she never knew what love was
until she met Gordon. They were to be
married early in the spring and would
take only brief tour, for he had to be
at his station. She dreaded coming to
the regiment, though she would follow
Gordon to the end of the world if he
said so, for she knew there were people
who would blame her for breaking with
Capt. Lane as she had to; but she knew
long before she did so that they could
never be happy together. She had
written to him, telling him all, long be-
fore he came east, and they had that
dreadful scene in which Mr.. Noel had
behaved with such perfect self command
and such excessive consideration for
Capt. Lanes feelings. OF course, as
Gordon said, all possibility of reconcilia-
ton or future friendship between them
was at an end unless Capt. Lane humbly
apologized. She had been mercifully
spared hearing it; for the fearful ex-
preston of his face when they discovered
him listening at the portiere had caused
her to faint away, and she only came to,
Gordon said, in time to prevent his
pitching him out of the window, so ut
terly was he tried She was so thankful
to have in Mrs. Riggs a friend who
would not see Gordon wronged, and
who could be counted on to deny any
stories that poor Capt. Lane, in his dis
appointment, might put in circulation"
But Lane never mentioned the sub
ject. AS for the letters to which she re-
ferred, they all followed him east in
one bundle and were sent to her IN
opened; and she knew when she wrote
to Mrs. Riggs that, though she might
have told him all" as she said, he new
eEknew word of it until his eyes and
ears revealed the truth that wretched
night in the library where his brief,
sweet love dream began and ended.
There were other matters wherein
Mr.. Noel himself was consulting Mrs.
Riggs. He was now senior first heuten-
ant. Any accident of service might
make him a captain, and then, if prece-
dent were followed, "he might be Or
dered to join at once. Ordinarily, as
she well knew, nothing would give him
greater joy; but now-solely on Mabel's
account-he hesitated. A friend at the
war department had said that, if Col.
Riggs would approve, q six months
leave to visit Europe, for the purpose of
prosecuting his professional duties,
might be obtained. Would she kindly
etc"
There was no enc to write or 81 ak
for Lane: only one side # the story was
being told, and, though the men had
had little else than contempt for IJoel,
they were of small account in molding
garrison opinions as compared with two
or three determined women.
But no one saw the sorrowful, almost
heart broken, letter written by Ms. Vim
cent 70 Lane. She had no words IN
which to speak of Mabel's conduct.
They had both been deceived; and yet
she implored him for forgiveness for her
child. The world was all changed now.
Their home remained to them, and her
own little fortune, together with ths
wreck Of Mr.. Vincent's, but Regy had TO
go out into the world and seek to earn
what he could He had no idea of busi-
ness. There was no one to step in and
build up the cid farm, and the executors
bad advised that everything be closed
out. Mr.. Clark's affairs had been left IN
lamentable confusion, but luckily he had
nothing else to nothing, that is,
but confusion and creditors. Peopls
were constantly importuning her for
payment of his liabilities, claiming that
they were contracted by the firm. Her
lawyers absolutely forbade her listenir p
/. zck demands. II she paid one-fcursh
g -Tten she wccld have nothing left.
gne thought g his sacrificed Cheyerre
property and the little fortune he bad 50
frestx offered NJ &c save e thk dr. I.x