The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-03-22
AN ARMY WIFE.
NJ CAr1AN cAA&xxs xuo o. az

ana even the Indian ponies would take
such obstacles In their stride and hardly
rise to the leap at ALL Asked to Illustrate.
she put her bay AZ the hurdles. clearing
them like . bird: then. turning to Mss
De Ruyser. she said. You noticed even
this horse hardly had 10 spring. Now II
Mr. Dtckei VIII let me have the bar q foot
higher can show you where he has to
exert himself a bit" and she ala. and no
other one Of the girls dared attempt It
Then she asked 20 have her saddle re-
moved and rode her horse over the hurdles
bareback. and when he was going at an
easy cAntsr about the ring amased the
eaass by Ieaping Lightly OF and on again,
her slim. strong young hands grasping the
name. yet never dragging upon the rein
This made her envied. but hardly enviabie
Tor the erstwhle champions Of the school
gave IL out that she had bean child
wonder" In some far Western circus. II
wasn't until Fio,s second year y st.
Anne's that she began TO ind ether
friends or appreciation there When she
left ~ the close OF that second year there
was one set At least among whose
members she was weil-ni9h wor-
shipped She had not finished the
course. She needed at least one more
year. said the teachers. but " could
not be- Tremaine had listened to the
fempter. invested his scant savings in q
Colorado mine that for one year gave divi-
dsnds galore. and then-gave out There
could be no separate establishment MAIN
fatnsc on the pay Of . captain Of infantry,
who was keeping up a heavy life insur-
ance. Florence and her mother were re-
called TO the E4fiers. and. to still further
promote the economy demanded by their
misfortune, Capt. Tremaine begged to be
allowed to 70 to the cantonrnent on the
CAtamount. relieving with his company a
like force that had been there in exile
over year. People at regmental head
quarters thought IL absolutely heartiess
IN him 10 take Mrs. Tremaine and dear
Florence to such q desert. 10 near the
Navajos to the north. and so exposed to
danger from predatory bands of Apaches
from across the Arizona line. But neither
Mrs. Tremaine nor Florence shared their
Views. Floy was TO have her books her
birds, her horse: her mother could direct
her reading. and, as for companionship,
there was Mrs Lee. the wife Of their first
lieutenant. she was barely 2s. and q charm
Ing young matron; and Jimmy Croft On,
their junior sub. was engaged and would
soon bring his bride out to join. She
didn't doubt that they would have a per-
fectly lovely time. hunting, fishing. explor-
ing in the mountains. and riding races
down the Catamount. Fiorence's face would
glow with enthusiasm: II would become
transfigured. radant-yes almost pretty.
seem to feel At sharing her fathers lot.
80. though few agreed that Florence was
Z beauty. all decreed that she was q trump,
. fond and dufiful daughter, q sweet, sun
ny-nAtured child, who would make . love-
~ woman and wife, one OF these days.
Only" said Mrs. Hayne with q world OF
tenderness In her tone. "Oniy I hope 1t
may be the right man. Girls with those
big brown eyes love 30 deeply"
The cartOpmeut turned ont To he aamo.
thing of an Eden a. an army post. Four
companies had once been stationed there.
so there was lots of room. but after the
last lot OF Apache marauders had been
transported to the shores Of the Atlantic
matters aboriginal auieted down In Ari-
IONA and Western New Mextco. The cav
airy were needed elsewhere. and could not
easily be supplied at so isolated a post: so
the two troops were marched back to the
valley OF the Bravo. and then. soon after
Tremaine moved thither II was decided to
recall one of the two infantry commands
maintained there: that sent Capt Thomp-
son back to headquarters. and left only the
Tremaines. the Lees and DR.. Wells. for
Jimmy Croftons fiancee's father had got
him away on detached service: and this
was the commissioned society left at Gaia
mount when Randy Merriam. borne In q
litter. de!irious and wearing the willow for
Fanny McLane. was brought in to be
nursed and coddled hack to health again.
and Tremaine made ready for him q big.
airy room under his own roof
Not for six weeks was Randy able 10 ride
again. and states have been lost and won
in less There II little need Of dwelling on
the progressive stages OF the unpremedi-
tated Siege. Billy Whitaker got there
comparatively early IN the game. when
convalescencs had Just begun 10 be as
sured-when Florence. shy and soft Of
-. ~ IAttx a
ings aloud TO her patient-readings which.
as SUCH beSan soon TO shorten. though
reader and audience remained long and
longer in each others presence BY and by
the book was but a superfuity. IL lay un-
opened in her lap. as she sat. with down.
east eyes and flushing checks. beside tho
hammock wherein her hero patient lay.
and the anxious mother noted how. htue
by little the girls soft, silvery tones would
become hushed: how his voice. deer and
strong again. vet tender and subdued
would take up the thread of some old. old
story; and one dav In alarm she fed 10 her
husbands study. for Florence was weeping
In her room.
DO not interiors by hook or word" said
that wise man. HE will be well enough
90 re,oin his fellows IN the Geld next week.
and they'll soon get over 1t. II they don't
they can get married. That will put an
end to it
"Rnt think" persisted his better half:
ITS Florence I'm troubled about TIA
she who may not soon get over II. Hers
Is a deep
But here the captain arose and amazed
his wife by taking her In his arms and
speaking with a choking sob In his voice.
Don't talk Of 70. Dot.' he said I'm
the one TO blame. | never thought OF
Brownie as anything but a child until
three DAYS ago. I've been praying you
vouidn', see it--that there'd be nothing
more TO see, but and here the gray
s,uhhle about the captains mouth began
10 twftch and work convulsivsly, and he
had to stop.
..You know he was ensaged-to some
boay-East. and II was broken on said
Mrs Tremalne. and hadn'; thought OF
danger until Just n day or two ago Now
If he's gntng next week. ss he says--end
che has learned to care for him. what can
we do1"
We IL going next week" said Trennaine.
He told ne yesterday he ought 20 80 now.
and wished % go now. II was Wells who
forbade. But Grafton always liked Mer-
rfarn and Hsyue believes In him Our
FLORENCE nigh, DO worse. Dot
But 30 you untsrstsn8>s' she said. DO
you realize that. tust from proximity par
saps. Florence NAV have learned 20 care
for him. while he = still thinking o. his
lost love-
You mean ;sat-ycu think n all Flor
ence ard no; Merriam" ne asked starting
back. and holding her from him. and look
ing With amaze and incrrdritty into her
.v~s-st~aighs into her anxious. fearful
face WAY lot. Il isn't possible, Shs-
Ae-he must have learned 20 care for her
I, couldn't he otherwise. Only hadn 4,
thought az Fioy except as a child. and I
wasn't prepared"
Like many another father - whom 8
daughter Is as tire sr7,s O. the eve. TrA-
maine coal3 see no fault. no falling in his