San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-11-16

ficers stationed here, l am told. She
was Just as absurd about Mr.. Martin, of
the Eleventh-everyb body says so in town
and she picked out Brewster because
he was the kandsomest of the new lot
when our regiment came in. Ask any
one you choose, and / think my view
will hold good. Ask Captain Rolfe what
he thinks, and he and Mr.. Brewster are
not on friendly terms"
81 have asked Role; asked him only
this evening"" replied Berrien, turning
redder, "and he begged to be excused
from expressing an opinion"
| WHY"
"Well, he wouldn't say, but he had
seen something or other that we hadn't,
and he doesn't like Brewster. L can't
have man making love to Winnie one
|
minute and that kalsomined creature
the next. wish there We're no dance
tonight. want to see Rolfe again. Who
| takes herr"
"Mr. Brewster, of course. He asked
her two days ago, when the affair was
first projected. He is in the parlOr now,
but so are all the others"
The major stepped over to the win
dow and began drumming with his
| pudgy fingers upon the pane. All the
| joviality and gladness seemed gone from
| his face. The lights were already be-
| ginning to twinkle, in the quarters
across the parade, and darkness, ''waft-
| ed downward like feather" was shut
| ting out the long line of shadowy bluffs
beyond the stream. Down stairs he
could hear the sound of joyous chatter,
| the deep voices of the men mingling
| with the ripping, silvery laughter he
knew and loved so well. How happy
the child seemed! How she loved the
regiment and gloried in his profession!
| How proud she was at school of the pho
tographs he had from time to time sent
of his brother officers, and how the other
girls, her letters declared, envied her
because she was soldiers daughter
and had lived on the wild frontier. He
could hear the sound of other girlish
voices, too, Winifred's friends from
town, but he found that his ear listened
only for hers. How blithe and musical
and full of hope and gladness it seemed.
How lovely she looked as she came
down dressed for dinner just as he re-
turned from that odd, constrained talk
with Rolfe. Poor Rolfe! he was given
over to the blue devils now, sure enough.
He and Kenyon and "Pills," the doctor,
| formed a triumyirate of sympathetic
souls, for since Jennie and 1.-THE kids"
had gone Holdens life seemed to have
fallen into the scar and yellow leaf.
Kenyon, as in duty bound, was max
ing the circuit of the garrison returning
calls just now, but Rolfe went nowhere
except the doctors. There he could be
found almost every evening, for ever
since Mia Guthries visit the walls of
the old house seemed charmed to him.
"Begad," said the major, "Tll slip over
there tonight myself, while the rest of
the folks are dancing. want to see
what it is he is holding back"
For the life of him he could not be re-
pellant in manner to Brewster when he
went down stairs. The three young
fellows honored with invitations on this
particular evening were Brewster, Ran
dolph and Ridgeway. Brewster be-
cause he was to be Winifred's escort to
the hop, the others because they had
| made the best of matters and invited
the other girls, Ridgeway, be it known,
not without inward evaporation. He
fancied Miss Kitty Pennoyer as a sub
stitute for Winifred Berrien about as
much or as little as one is content with
| a back seat when he cannot have a
box. But it kept him sin touch with
| the house." so to speak, and gave him
| opportunities at least of occasional
word with the beautiful girl whom he
!, so admired.
| He knew he was no match for Brew
ster so far as physique or reputation was
| concerned, but then girls had been
known to prefer patrimonial estate to
| personal charms, and he meant at least
| to try the effect of his solid qualifca-
lions as against those which made Brew
ster so attractive to the sex. He knew
the major liked him well enough, and
he thought he could count on the good
offices of Mrs. Berrien, but he was not
so sure about Winifred. When the
iovial major appeared he was in readi-
ness to pay his respects at once, and
was cordially welcomed by that red
faced veteran; so was Randolph; and
then there stood Brewster at Winnie's
side, both, as it so happened, looking
straight at him.
| "Wel, by Jove, they do make an al
most ideal coupler he said to himself.
Brewster fair, stalwart, straight and
soldierly, a picture of manliness and
vigor. Winifred dark, yet with SO rich
glow mantling the soft, creamy skin,
with such glorious, deep brown-black
| n,-os ca lovely and slender and graceful