The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-06-21

commandan t, was the cynosure of all eyes,
II suppose" grumbled Thornton, ''if 1
should tell you that was the adjutant of
my class / should be of some Importance. :"
Miss Bruce did not reply at once. She
was attentively watching the cadet who,
saluting with his bright sword, pronounced
his stereotyped phrase and then marched
to his place facing the battalions.
"Were you the adjutant?" she asked
then, lifting her eyes and regarding the
lieutenant approvingly.
"No, but Cary was the lieutenant of his
class, so you see he can rise in your esti-
nation at once"
Miss Bruce looked back, languidly.
toward the hundreds of gray and white
figures who were executing the manual of
arms with fauitless precision and unanim-
lty of movement.
..'Oh, but that was so long ago." she
said, inditferently.
Thornton thought this remark and the
tone of it rather insolent. He colored and
cast a glance at Cary, who was regarding
Miss Bruce's couture with reflective and
studious air which the young officer found
amusing. He bit his mustache and
smiled.
II needn't worry about Cary" he unused.
He IS, no doubt, trying to deduce from
that speech some idea of Miss Bruce's up
bringing, and the succession of motives
which led to her making it,
Thornton was not far wrong in the latter
guess. simultaneously with the booming
OF the sunset gun there had come to Cary
flash of comprehension of the young
lady's altered manner toward himself. He
recalled the uncomfortable position in
which he had found her and her mother
when he put in his tardy appearance at
parade, and understood that in their minds
their discomfort and his hardness were
closely related. He had made himself
Miss Bruces cavalier for the afternoon,
and they had both enjoyed their ramble
through the wild and lovely paths up the
hlii beyond the south gate, but had his
oolgations not ceased when he babe her
| goodbye on the hotel piazza? Evidently
Sne thought not. She was offended with
MIN, and Cary thought uniustly so.
She Is a pretty, spoiled girl, who has
oeen taught by the attention she has re-
| celved to be exacting. l shall not aid in
the spolling process, he declared mentally.
! Suddenly Colonel Mackenzie's smile DC.
Cured to him. According to theory If was
his place now to leave that flower repre-
scented by Miss Fanny Bruce and fy away
10 another whose sweetness might be for
| hlm. Just here fell the young yoman,s
sighting remark, which should have left
the bee no vestige of doubt as to the ad.
| Visibility of his immediate departure. In
| stead OF deciding him to leave however il
raised in his mind only the query as to
the probable difference in age between
| Miss Bruce and himself and the conse-
| quent calculation absorbed him so fully
that when Miss Lain exclaimed upon the
| perfection of the cadets drill and asked
| HIM how long it took to ACQUIRE such
| 9ulckhesS ana precision, he looked quite
/ through her appraised blue eyes and an
| swered that he couldn't be sure. but he
| should think about ten wears.
On, know you are perfectly awful
tease, Mr.. Cary" returned the young lady.
| with twirl of her pink parasol Il shall
never ask you another question"
| ms was a consummation so ardently
0eslred by the lieutenant that it arrested
his stammered apologies. There was a
| general silence now also as the graduating
class advancing in line, the commandment
addressed TO them a few words of con-
| graduation, after which the band struck
| up qulckstep and the battalion began the
return, IN double time. TO barracks. The
| gay sight and sounds so delighted MissTaf
lin that she uttered enraptured littIe
shrieks. Cary did not like women whose
outlets Tor emotion were little shrieks
MISS Bruce turned 10 him suddenly.
evidently for the moment seIf-forpetfIil
ana gave hlm her bright smile. This is
the TIME when L cannot sit still, - she said.
Il always want 10 follow them"
1t is rather thrilling" he resnonded.
eager TO preserve that cordial EXPRESSION,
and there IS always some impressiveness
connected with the last performance of
anythingn
es, lido not ike TO believe those first
class men are wholly glad that il is the
last time"
Cary smiled. Don't ask me any ques-
tons about 1t, then, Miss Bruce. -
Were you, you, the adjutant. glad never
TO come out here again on this beautiful
PLAIN IN ali that crimson and gold and
| gray and white, and be admired by the
common herd of civilians?n
The lieutenant laughed. That is a very
tempting way of putting it, You see I
giu NOT know what an interesting object
l was; so you must forgive me if / saw that
life"
70 dear, what bad iasfaW Miss Rrnna