The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1895-11-06

never until the Twelfth came 10 Settle
in this happy valley and Winifred Ber-
Yien returned from her eastern school.
| Than he went all of sudden. Only one
man did not see it; that was Berrien.
Only one woman couldn't forgive his
devotion, an1 she had no business inter
fering, being herself otherwise dis
posed Of
To his credit be it said, Brewster and
| the lady's husband were about the only
men who appeared unaware of this au-
| tumnal infatuation. Nevertheless. in
those numberless WAYS in which women
can claim and secure the appearance, at
least. of attention from men, the dame
had managed 10 monopolize consider
able of his spare time up to the week of
! Miss Berriens coming, after which it
was not he who rode TO town, but she
who drove ont to the post and sent for
/ him to come and talk to her as she
/ leaned back in her stylish victoria and
/ looked up at him from under her tinted
lashes. She could have found it in her
heart TO strangle the lovely girl so dark
| ". richly beautiful, but her cali upon
.'the ladies" had been returned when
/ she was conspicuously absent from
home, and opportunities for meeting
were not afforded by the damsels par
ents. There were girls at the post who
were quick TO see how "Antinous" had
lost his heart; but these, those at least
who were near enough to Winifred TO
dare allude TO the matter at all. were
content TO archly quote the warning
Change the name and not the letter.
Marry for worse and not fer better
There was one man with whom Brew
! ster was at odds, a sentiment due to an
old difference when both were younger,
| end that was ROlfe. There was one
man the gallant major especially liked
and swors 10y. and that was Rolfe.
| These facts. added TO the coincidence
that the captain had never forgotten the
hot words used by his second lieutenant
long years before. made a combination
most unfortunate for fellow SO much
in love as was Carroll Brewster.
On this particular morning he had
striven to hurry matters through on the
court-to try three or four cases where
the accused were only too ready TO plead
guilty and throw themselves On the
mercy" etc, and then adjourn on the
specious plea Of giving the judge advo-
cate time to write up the proceedings.
But the president of the tribunal had
other views and held him. Brewster
knew that Randolph and Hunt and
Ridgeway, perhaps others, had taken
| advantage of the weather and no drill
| to sin over to Berrien's for blithe
morning hour with the girls. He could
imagine that pretty Parlor. with its pic
lures and piano, its attractive curtains
ami portieres, the group Of bright, sweet
faces, the animated chat, Winifred her
self, in her dark, rich beauty, seated at
the piano, with Ridgeway hanging over
her, eager 10 turn the leaves, eager to
do anything that might keep him at her
side. Confound the fellow. he had
money and handsome old family home
stead. What business had he roughing
IL ~ the cavalry, with no end of chances
Of getting his head Knocked off, when
his doting mother was so eager to have
him come home, marry, settle down and
take up the management of the property
his father had feft him two years be-
fore? Poor Curly be could only gaze
wistfully out across the dripping parade
from his seat in the dark courtroom
and watch the glinting of the freight
90 the Berriens' parlor window. The
major loved 9 broad fireplace and a
| hickory blaze. and here he had them to
his hearts content for the first time in
fuii tgFenty years of army wanderings.
How must that firelight enhance the
coziness and comfort of the scene with
ia! How must it he Pickering about
the dark masses of her lustrous hair al
this very moment! How
How do you vote, Brewster? Are
YOUR wits wool gatherins:'
He pulled himself together as best he
could, but that was morning Of tor
meat.
And aos to think that, after all, he
eould have no iaGmeGt at her side this
day, To Think that FaFqahar should
have ordered Them out for hours Of pot
tering around at saddlebags. nosebags,
side lines, lariats, picket pins and all
that sort Of truck! 1t was simply bar
barous. He curbed his tongue as well
as he knew how, for plainly he saw that
his chums were mischievously exulting
over him, but any one who knew Brew
ster could see his wrath and discOm-
iture. The announcement was made
just before luncheon was over. The ad-
jutant came boiling in with the order,
and shutting his ears 10 the chorus OF
expletives.
What time did you say boots and
saddles would sound:~ fiercely demanded
Randolph.
'.In quarter of an hour; so you've nc
time 30 waste saving swear words CT
asking damn fool questions. And as fCr
you, Curly, you're for guard tomorrow.
Brewster finished his cup of tea III an
nndignified gulp, quitting the table and
the room in three strides. There was
JUS time 70 scITy over 10 Berrien's
and see her for five minutes before he
had to jump back to his quarters ane
into riding boots, etc. ANY pretexi
would answer-ths dance tonight, for
instance.
''Get my field rig ready at once and
bring my horse up here in ten minutes. "
he called 20 his servant. siashed IT his
natty uniform with whisk broom and
bounded out Of the door, only to Ell
counter the man OF all others lie least
cared TO see coming IN.
%Were You just going. Brewster:
There is . matter | want very much Il
ask you about, and ! Thought this the
time TO catch you without fail" The
voice was that OF Captain Rolfe.
II am just going out, captain, and I'm.
hurried, but if you VIII step IN III be
back in ten minutes"
"Wellj, ordinarily, would not de-
tain you. and-d. pardon me, if you were
going TO Major Berrien's, they are all al
luncheon. have just left there"
Brewster flushed in spite of his effort
at control. His first impulse was to say
he was going over anyhow, if only to
leave word, but, since he could not hope
to see her, Whist was the use: II chafed
him. however. 70 note that Rolfe, in that
calmly superior way of his, was pressin.
on into the hall. as much as TO say, III
is my Will that you give mp what You
have in view and attend at once to my
behest, just as thougi Brewster were
still his second lieutenant, instead of
First Lieutenant Brewster, commanding
the BLACK Horse" troop. 1t must be
confessed that there was about Rolfe an
intangible something that ever seemed
10 give that impression TO the Juniors,
1t was one of the things that set their
teeth on edge. as they expressed it, and
| st fhnnl nooinsf him Eeplinr as ha Gid