The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-05-17

CHAPTER XII.

- cheer and welcome. ana turned away
~ffh : shsver o9 eisxust. and then, with
: suonn of pathetic misery. threw herself
80 m armchair and tried 20 think
1Nss should she dor What could she DO,
~ 1--we for Randy was 50 fond. 50 glow
-. that she had gifted him with the quail
- u god. leaning upon him IA every
shane. trusting him Ia everything. relying
.pof, his word a. though " were pledge
e,sm on high: and yes within these few
Sours BE- had. all anasked. given her MS
sreuise not 10 see or speak with that
vomaa again except ne came first to
ssr-hts wsfe--and told her the need. then
- zone secretly. almoss directly, to
~eef his old love In the shadows Of the
,isht long after the hour that usually
- the last light extingulshed along Of
6csSSf row.
II her old friend from baby days, the
eoloeei, had come to her and said that
randy was false; II her Idol. her beloved
lnfher. had added his confirmation OF the
eoloreya views, she would have laughed
then down 30 long As Randy-her hero
1au1y-swore that he was true. Many .
~ouan will stand by her lover against .
ecgfd Ia evidence. yet turn TO stone
aeuta1s him when she sees one apparent
IN az interest In another. Poor girl,
NJ was her first. her only love. He was
Asrs and only hers. and should be only
hers for when that otaer--creature had
scorned and denied him. had he not. been
hrcQeht sore-ssricken 10 her doors? Had
- not won him back 20 life through tho
vsalth and glory of her own unsupported
iovv? From the day OF her wedding un-
III his woman came never had she known
! Vnh that was not his. Day and night
- dreamed. planned and thought
~ him, sought only 10 make
hsesslf worthler his love. dearer to
n eyes sweeter to his caress.
Win was there 10 compare with him In
maniinesx In courtesy. in knightiy bear
inef WHAT officer was the peer Of Ran
dy-what officer even In the dear old
Rsnees with whom had been her homo
frous baby daysf They chided her. some
q M girls, In what they called her de-
fsc4ion. You used TO say there could
y no regiment like the Rlners. Fioy.
You used TO vow you'd never marry out
q ~ old regiment" Aye. hut that
"a before Randy came" was her simple
answer, and then they told her Randy was
her world, and proudly she answered, II
hsIjevs he is'' They warned her-some
II the older and wiser matrons-and God
kaous thsy had much on which to base
tAssr views--tt was never safe to love
eny man too much. even Randy. to which
~ answered with sunshine In her eyes.
~EIow could ono love Randy too much7"
Mind you. she never volunteered these
evMdowings of her heart, but these wo-
nsn had been her friends from her
onriieet days. She was still shy, even
With him. but such weil-meAnt warnings
a1ways seemed 10 put her on the do
6snave, A. IL were. and. poor child. she
believsd It her duty to her husband that
che should never allow him to 60 unde-
fsndsd. even though the attack were In
tangible - woman's sneer. And they
lcoksd 10 well together. and he was
- proud Of her. 80 devoted 70 her. 40
conscious OF her" as some one said.
Nowhere In that garrison was there man
or woman who was abe to say that Randy
had not borne himself AZ an almost ideal
lover and husband ever since that sun
kissed wedding day. Many could even
feel : sense Of what Is called agreeable
disappointment" which always strikes me
= physiological parallel for that other
sumarkahle euphelnism OF so many of our
eountrywomen shes enjoying poor
health" Yet withai. Florence had the
sympAthy, the genuine affection OF all
Port Sedgwick. even in-or rather notwith-
esanding-her enthusiastic estimate or
kandy's qualities as husband and as man.
and her own extreme beatitude as wife.
- she stood watching them stroliing
Anmswarf together after parade ono even
lnE. absorbed In one another. and to OBJ
serve TO her own ssipremely Indifferent
lord. There now, Bux, there's another
girl making fool OF herself over a man.
only she's tho sweetest fool ever knew
b my born days"
Bux himself roared n out for Fioy's ben
eAs not long after. and did II so that half
Port 6edxwick heard II. for tho one valu-
shls quality Bux possessed as a cavalry
ofliaer was hls voice. The volume Of sound
be could produce when believing tnstruc-
uons 10 regimentd skirmish lire was
something prodigious. but OF 80 rasping
ond sxasperattnE timhre that his old
time dersder. Blake. igkened II In force TO
fog-horn and In staying power to boiled
cahhage-iaos a neAk comparison, but one
expressly fitting.
And now. strangely enough. this mad
dest OF nights poor Florence could not get
those words and that tone out Of her head.
ehe had flushed and turned speechiess
away at the time. hurt to her soul and In
Gsnant too. but the training of her
youth was strong. These we're people her
father and mother had taught her 10 re-
srect and though angry. Indignant re-
oons;rance was in her heart. she stified
the words that strovs to spring to her
mrs.
Il expect I've put my foot In II again
today" reported Rux TO his better half.
when he got home.
We'll. Tn sure I'm never surprised
vas the iady's prompt reply.
Il fear I've been rude 10 Col. RuNtbn.
Randy" eaitered tGoy. when that gentle
man came Ia from troop drill al hour
later.
"you couldn't be rude even TO Eux. my
CARING" was hts answer. as he folded
her In his arms.
And these are not types OF the FIRST
year welded and the "auarter-centary
mated" love as seen in the army. 1 hava
Known many and many a couple who
nave risen together through every grade
m the line. loved. loving. and lovers 10
the end.
Al O'clock Florence hal set her lights
N the paTfof window. At 2 with that
coomias. gopE-i,ke sound rvverhcrating
"a her ears, that sncessant repetition OF
anS,on's coarse words. she had sprung
Nem the chair in which she had been
erooding. wr!shirg. shuddcrins for half an
Acar, and then. tearing down the shade.
.4cse looping the curtains. she hurried 70
see hall and hooked and bottled the door.
Another STR making a fool OF herself for
msn-auothrr sirll'' God' how the words
rshg-sesou~1c through her brain. h9xHcd
ND whirrcd Ike angry wasps IN her ears
Kissed ans ratified. aye. stuag like the
senemeua reptiles she had learned 10 shun
t'oFn early childhood, Making a fool OF
herself for a man who would leave her--so
scon-gcr that pai.tesi-yes-ths padded
Yang They'd soon learn that an army
eFed sirl loved. indeed. with all her heart
ahd soaL but could hate. hate. hate as
Nu6-ev5f. with beating heart. she rush
- thrNuga TIE littie dying room 70 the
sAFS kitchra Beyond and raped irnrer-
nsssly AZ door. "Hop Ltngi'' she cried:
up. I need you." No answer. The
efsse." she TlGrnured 70 herself. as she
s.res hersef heavily ygen the door. aad
= Few eFcn ard plunged her in. The China