Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-06-21

really in love; on the contrary. he was
SUR that his first love was vet 10 como,
but lIcrthn was n pastimc. nj INV rnte.
Thipys rrogresscd picaIv NOW pa.
ten and Miss Ruggles TOOL, ,reo,.n,
horseback rides. and often did not 90,
horn, r,,u a.. IL.
,his b,roonoJ na.t.a .,, ', 10
mnmr,a,s nresonco 'rt,I, 80 ne
,,cnh,iro. .Lo AZ -. - aI
,n,,Lnr ,,o,,iI 80 49, nn'" "nae ne,
:, ,-nnJ hora,ino -, -" , uo SUI "a
to,,,nc F,nc,, ,hnn ha. 49, s'nsi1
Jcligh, IA, hoin,, ,na, ,,,i,h- 10. 20. "nu
and cnt vonr dinnar L., I,na ~,
lsrnt warm - A., a., .',Li..
Patton dnncoJ ,n,s, - ,t, -,
Bertha. and forgot tn co,nn,njn ~ ,hn
seynt,,hos ahc n,do -, Iii. ,...,ttsi
puma, Ivory on, ,vos 80 ,h',,, 80
eng ged; only Miss Ruggles and Her
mother were the least bit uneasy.
Ii u happened, us 1t sometimes did,
that q day passed without Bertha's
spending several hours In the licutcn-
ants society. home was made generally
uncomfortable for her, for at such
times Mrs. Rug.gles' temper returned
to its natural state, from which II only
emerged when Patterns form rose
against the horizon.
There came Il time when the lady's
temper did not swccten for whole
weeks-it was when the troops were
ordered away.
Patterns troop was among them, and
Capt Rugglcs' company was not This
was bad; 1t meant that Bertha would
be "thc girl he left behind him" II she
did not manage to Gland her fish" be-
fore the appointed time, which
was only fortnight hence. Time
wore on; only Il week wus left, and
things wero at standstill. Bertha
was nervous and her mother cross
The week became day, and still
things were the same. There re-
manned ono more chance, however; IL
was forlorn hope
The troops were to camp the first
night only ten miles away from the
post, and most of the ladies OF the
garrison were going out to take supper
with the departing officers, then they
were to ride back by moonlight Now
or never must Patten declare his intrn-
lions. When he rode away with his
troop that last morning. he stopped ut
lcrthn's house and impressed upon her
that she must not fail to come out that
evening, he wanted to see her very
much" he added, in what the listening
Mrs Rugglcs considered very signid-
cant way. The good woman uctually
kissed Bertha after the lieutenant had
ridden away, and the child was SO sur
prised that She forgot to cry because
her warrior bold" had ridden "bravc-
ly to the fray"
She really looked very pretty when
she cantcrcl Off to the camp that after
Eoon; she felt quite confident of vic
tory; II seemed to her that the others
went very slowly through tho nine
woods. She would have run her little
bronco every step of the way had she
been alone Lieut.. Pattcn was mount
cd when the party arrived, and he
suggested that he and Bertha go for u
little ride. II she were not too tired.
Tired not shci she fairly heamed with
delight But alter an hours scramble
on the foothills, they came back, and
matters had not progressed ut all
Puttcn was lovely, but not quite lovely
enough. NiAions of maternal wrath
began TO Goat lcioro Bcrtha's eyes and
dimmcl the glory of the sunset which
she and the young cavalryman watched
together from under big pine. Sun-
set Is the accepted timc for saying
those things which Patten should have
said; but he did not seem to know it
Then they had supper, cooked over
tho camp fire. The married women
Hccmei to find it very jolly, Bertha
thought, wistfully. II was determined
after supper that n couple of "An tents
should be prepared for the women. that
they might spend tho night in camp,
and II courier was sent of TO tell those
left behind.
There was still life and still hope,
thought Bertha, but every moment
was precious. Why, then, should those
wom.n, with all the traditional bar
Oarily of chapcrons, say that they
were tired and carry Miss Ruggles OH
to bed9 But SO it wasi and that even
ing, which might have turned out SO
well, was spoiled and lost forever
At daylight, however, Bertha
emerged from her tent She looked
hGggard after her sleepless night, and
the cold, cruel light of the morning
was not becoming.
The soldiers had been up several
hours already, and breakfast - real
camp breakfast of bacon, coffee, yeast.
powder biscuits, and canned beans
was nearly ready. Miss Ruggles felt
her breath come in gasps us Pattep
STROBE up to her and doifed his cam.