The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1894-10-12

"Why didn't you tell me Miss Beoubien
aOGS out here last ntghtP
but some things are pretty clear to my
eyes, and-don't you be falling in love
with Nina Beaubien. That is no match
for you. ;"
"I'm sure you never had word to
say against her father The old colonel
was perfect type of the French gentle
man, from all hear
eyes, and her mother is as perfect a
type of Chippewa squaw, if she is
only half breed and claims to be only
o sixteenth. Rollins, there's Indian
blood enough in Nina Beaubien's little
finger to make me afraid Of her. She is
strong as death in love or hate, and you
must have seen how she hung on Jer-
rold's every word all last winter. You
must know she is not tho girl to be
lightly dropped now"
"She told me only day or two ago
they were the best Of friends and had
never been anything else, said Rollins
holly.
Has it gone that far, my boy? he'd
not thought it so bad by any means.
It's no use talking with man who has
lost his heart. His reason goes with it, "
And Chester turned away.
"You don't know anything about it, "
was all poor Rollins could think of as a
suitable thing to shout after him, and
it made no more impression than it de-
served
AS has been said, Captain Chester had
decided before 2 o'clock that but one
course lay open to him in the matter as
now developed. Had Armitage been
there he would have had an adviser, but
there was no other man whose counsel
he cared to seek. Old Captain Gray was
as bitter against Jerrold as Chester him
self and with even better reason, for he
knew we'll the cause of his little daugh-
ter's listless manner and fearful eyes.
She had been all radiance and joy at the
idea of coming to Sibley and being near
the great cities, but not one happy look
had he seen in her sweet and wistful
face since the day of her arrival. Will
ton, too, was another captain who dis
liked Jerrold, and Chester's rugged
sense of fair play told him that it was
not among the enemies of the young
officer that he should now seek advice,
but that if he had friend among the
older and wiser heads in the regiment it
was due to him that that older and wis
er head be given chance to think a lit
tie for Jerrold's sake. And there was
not one among the seniors whom he
could call upon. AS he ran over their
names Chester for the first time realized
that his ex-subaltern had not friend
among the captains and senior officers
now on duty at tho fort His indiffer-
ence to duties, his airy foppishness, his
conceit and self sufficiency, had all serv-
ed to create q feeling against him, and
this had been intensified by his conduct
since coming to Sibley. The youngsters
still kept up jovial relations with and
protested to like him, but among the
had only nod for him on meeting.
| Wilton had epitomized the situation by
saying he chad no use for masher, !"
| and poor old Gray had ono day scowl-
| ingly referred to him as "the profes
sional beauty"
In view Of all this feeling, Chester
4
would gladly have found some man to
counsel further delay, but there was
none. He felt that he must inform the
colonel at once of the fact that Mr.. Jer-
rold was absent from his quarters at
the time of the firing, of his belief that
it was Jerrold who struck him and sped
past the sentry in the dark, and of his
conviction that the sooner the young
officer was called TO account for hi!
strange conduct the better. AS to the
episodes of the ladder, the lights and thu
form at the dornfer window, he meant
for the present at least, to lock them IL
his heart.
But he forgot that others, too, mus
have heard those shots, and that others
too would be making inquiries.
| rro pr, I