Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-07-30

years though not so many files" his junior. He never had liked him, and now there was an air of conscious supe- riority about Jerrold that fairly exas- perated him. He angrily followed and called to him to stop, but Jerrold walk ed on. Captain Chester stood still and watched them. The. little man had al- most to run before he overlook the tall one. They were out of earshot when he finally did so. There were n few words on both sides. Then Jerrold shifted his light cane into his left hand, and Ches- ter started forward. half expecting a fracas- To his astonishment, the two of- ficers shook hands and parted.
 "Well," said he as Sloat came back, with an angry yet bewildered face, 'I'm glad you shook hands. almost feared a TOW and was just going to stop it. So he apologized, did he?''
 "No, nothing like it. ''
 '-Then what did you mean by shaking hands?"
 That's nothing-ncyer you mind,' said Sloat confuscdly. 1T haven't for given him, by good deal. The mans conceit is enough to disgust anything but a woman, I suppose" he finished ruefully.
 Well, it's none of my business, Sloat, but pardon my saying don't see what there was to bring about the ap- parent reconciliation. That handshake meant something"
 "Oh, well-d-n itl We had some words, and he-or well, there's a bet, and we shook hands on it. ''
 "Seems to me that's pretty serious business Sloat-a bet following such n talk as you two have had. I hope"-
 "Well, captain," interrupted Sloat, ''1 wouldn't have done it if I hadn t been mad as blazes, but made 1t and must stick to it. That's all. "
 You wouldn't mind telling me what 1t was, suppose?''
 ''I can't, and that ends 1t. "
 Captain Chester found food for much thought and speculation over this incl dent. So far as he was concerned, the abrupt remark of Sloat by no means ended it. In his distrust of Jerrold he, too, had taken alarm at the very sub- stantial intimacy to which that young man was welcomed at the colonels quarters Prior to his marriage old Maynard had not liked him at all, but it
  ligent of his duties and so determined a beau in city society after his arrival at Sibley. He had indeed threatened to nave him transferred to a company still on frontier service if he did not reform, but then the rife practice season began, and Jcrrold was capital shot and sure to be on the list of competitors for the department team, so what was the use? n T n camp anyway, and so the colonel decid- ed to keep him at headquarters. This was in the summer of the year gone by. Then came the colonel's long leave, his visit to Europe, his meeting with his old friend, now the widow of the la- mentcd Renwick; their delightful win ter together in Italy, his courtship, her consent, their marriage and return to America When Maynard came back to Siblcy and tho old regiment, he was so jolly and content that every man was welcomed at his house, and it was really source of pride and pleasure to him that his accomplished wife should find any of his young officers so thor oughly agreeable as she pronounced Mir Jerrold. Others were soldicrly, cour- teous, we'll bred, but he had the air of foreign court about him. she privately informed her lord, and it seems indeed that in days gone by Mir. Jcrrold's fa. ther had spent many years in France and Spain, once as his country's < repre- sentative near the throne. Though tho father died long before the boy was out of his knickCrbockcrs, he had left the impress of his grand manner, and JCr- rold, to women of any age, was at once a courier and a knight. But tho colonel never saw how her eyes followed the tall young officer time and again. There were women who soon noted it. and one of them said it was such ycarning, longing look.
 Was Mrs. Maynard really happy? they asked each other. Did she really want to see Alice mate with him, the hand some, the dangerous, the selfish fellow they knew him to be? If not, could any thing be more imprudcnt than that they should be thrown together as they were being day after day? Had Alice wealth of her own? If not, did the mother know that nothing would tempt Howard Jer- rold into an alliance with q dowcrlcss daughter? These and many moro were questions that Camo up every day. The garrison could talk of little else, and Alice Renwick had been there just three weeks and was the acknowledged queen of hearts at Sibley when the rifle com petitions began again, and great array of officers and men from all over the northwest came to the post by every train, and their canvas tents dotted the broad prairie to the north.
 One lovely evening ill August, just before the practice began, Colonel May nard took his wife to drive out and see the camp. MT. Jerrold and Alice Ken wick followed on horseback. The car riage was surrounded as it halted near the range, and half a score of officers old and young, were chatting with Mrs. Maynard, while others gathered about the lovely girl who sat there in the sad | dle There came marching up from the railway 0 small squad of soldiers, com petitors arriving from the far west Among them-apparently their senior noncommissioned officer - was tall cavalry sergeant. superbly built. and with a bronzed and bearded and swarthy face that seemed to tell of years of cam paigning over mountain and prairie They were all men of perfect physique, all in the neat, soldierly fatigue dress of the regular service, some wearing the spotless white stripes of the infantry, others the less artistic and equally do- structible yellow of the cavalry. Their swinging stride. erect carriage and clear and handsome eyes all spoke of the per lection of health and soldierly develop ment Curious glances were turned to them as they advanced, and Miss Ren- wick, catching sight of the party, ex-' | claimed:
 "Oh, who are these? And what a tall soldier that sergeant isP'