Evening journal., 1892-07-26

have ever met, and l cannot bear 10 say
goodby 20 YOU" There is the lingering
hand clasp and yet not the faintest SEN
timentality. Nita's blue eyes-very blue
gaze straight into those Of her friends.
She seems TO advance a step or two, as
though eager TO meet and take 10y the
hand each newcomer. Even the elders
among the women find it hard 70 90,
ana rs for the girls, they linger spell
bound; they cluster about her, watch
ing the sunshine in her face, the play of
her features, the sparkle of her eyes,
drinking in her winsome words, her rip
pling laughter.
Its just the only chance we've had
to ourselves, Miss Nita, protests Wini-
fred Berrien. "Yon've been surrounded
by men all the rest Of the time, and we
couldn't see you now if it weren't that
they had to be in stables Oh, if you
only didn't have to go tonightr
"Indeed, Winnie, l don't want TO GO
IL seems TO me nothing can be more de-
lightful than life in an army post like
this. Certainly no girl ever had a better
time anywhere than You have given me
here, and it is so unlike what fancied
/
it might be-"
1T is entirely unlike what life on the
frontier used 70 be, Miss Guthrie" an
swers her hostess, the majors wife, in
her calm, placid way. "Any one con-
trasting our beatitude Of today with our
life here, there and everywhere over the
west during the Indian campaigns in
which the regiment was necessarily en-
gagged can only wonder how we found
it possible to exist in those days. Social
conditions have changed, too, and in the
gathering of our troops in larger gar
iisons a great many of the unpleasant
features Of the old life have been elm
mated entirely. Indeed. | wish you
might stay and see more of us. But you
are coming again, are you not"
IF wishing will bring it about shall
be with you again with the coming sum
mer or early in the spring. have prom
ised Mrs. Holden that l will return to
her ii only for a fortnight"
The enthusiasm excited among the
girls and apparently shared by all the
women present when this announcement
is made ought certainly to convince
Miss Guthrie that they most reluctantly
part with her now and most pleasantly
anticipate her future coming. The
clamor of voices is such that for n time
no one is conscious Of the fact that oui
on the parade the regimental line has
formed and that the band is already
trooping down the front. Berrien had
taken his position as commanding Off
GER Several subalterns, whose head.
were kept rigidly straight to the front
found their eyes wandering furtively
over toward the majors quarters. In
couples and groups a number of the la
dies come sauntering forth, gathering
opposite the center nearer the colonell
house, from which point they general,
watched the closing ceremony of tl,
day. But still oblvious to any musi,
but that of her voice dozen Of theii
number hover about Miss Guthrie. Ever
gunhre fails to distract their attention
1t is not until the major himself returns
tossing off his helmet and tugging at hii
waistbelt, that they realize that parade
is over and dinner waiting.
, "Now, you win come back mex
spring." "You will writer "You won
forget to send me the photograph-mind
| cabinet size-Miss Nita?" "lndeed i
} ever get anywhere near st. Louis you'll
be the first soul / shall come in search Of.
} 1t is a little flock of enthusiastic arm,
, girls surrounding her, maidens who's
= early lives had been spent wanderin.
) from river to mountain, from the gul
4 to the Columbia, to whom city life wa
almost a revelation, and city bellies be
ings from another world Winifrel
{ Berrien is the leader of the coterie,
y I girl whose eyes are as dark as Nitas ar,
? blue, and they are ready to brim over a
. this very instant
? "Here comes Captain Rolfe for Vol
= now, and we've got to let you go; bu
! we'll all be down to see you off at traii
r time"
! The man who enters at the momen
, and stands just within the heavy Nava
! 10 portiere, smilingly looking upon tn,
4 group and quite unconscious Of the al
most vengeful glances in the eyes Of tn,
. young girls is a cavalry officer abou
thirty-fve years of age. He is tall fel
: low, somewhat heavily built, yet wei
proportional and athletic. His face i
! tanned by long exposure to the sun an,
i wind of the wide frontier. His brown
hair, close cropped, has a suspicion o
a gray just silvering the temples. Hi
y eyebrows are thick and strongly marked
! the eyes beneath are deep set an,
ninged with heavy lashes The mus
tache, sweeping from his upper lip, is o
q a lighter brown than his hair, bu
a equally thick, heavy and curling. Other
!. wise his face is smoothly shaved, and i
one which impresses those who lool
+ upon it, even .carelessly, as strong an'
4 resolute He still wears the doubl
] breasted coat, with shoulder knots an'
r fourragere, just as he had come Of
parade. though he has exchanged hel
!, met for forage cap, which latter head
q gear at this moment is being dandled il
one hand, while the fingers Of the othei
beat rapid tattoo upon the visor. Com
4 rades of Rolfe would tell you this is
/ sigt that he is nervous; yet TO look a
I him there, smiling upon the group, quitl
v as though remarking what pretty pic
: ture they make, no one else would b.