Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1897-04-24
Anything ! can do for you !
shall be most happy to do"

Briggs is lust out of fever and
hardly able to stand, you know, and
some one has to go up to the agency
and quiet fuss among the bucks
about the beef issue. Whoever goes
has got to go now and get there in
hurry. ] suppose might attempt
it, I suppose ! might; but I'd make
mess of the business. / can't man.
age those bucks. lose my temper
too fast-and then I'm so fat" said
the major, sadly. briggs insists
upon going but you see be shouldn't.
won't allow him to. Don't you
see how it is? There's only you
available"
/ Certainly, SIR
i've got to ask you to do it to
prevent a lot of trouble. / know
you are going to be married tomor-
row, and its the most disagreeable
thing I ever had to do. to send you
away today. But you see how it is?'
he reiterated.
"Ofcourse, | see sir; and I'll go
mot exactly with pleasure-but,
still, I'll go. can get back by
| noon tomorrow-and that'll give me
time to shave and Dress" he added
with grim smile.
They discussed the matter at some
length, and Rowland went to get on
his scouting clothes for the long, hot
ride, through dust as drying and
choking as flour, and to say goodby
to Captain Trowbridge's youngest
daughter.
Like the princess of fairy lore, she
was as good as she was beautiful,
and had light hair and brown eyes,
! and dimples, and cliugiBg, feminine
ways. Rowland was badly in love !;
had been for several years but many
things had happened to prevent his
marriage.
At first he had had mother and
sister to support on second lieuten
ants pay then his sister had mar
ried and his mother had died, so his.
fortune was all his own but at that
time Doris Trowbridge was engaged
to marry another man.
When she found that she cared
more for Rowland than her fiancee
she broke the engagement, and was
meek, and fearful, and ashamed of
herself for a month, until she and
Rowland arranged things satisfac-
torily between them. They were
to have been married six months be-
fore. but Howland was ordered off
IN SCOUT and three months after
that she had been at the point OF
death 7 SO now, though the season
was unpropitious, they had deter
mined to take time by the forelock,
make Tue most OF the chance visit of
q clergyman and be married in the
middle of July.
A. chic ;,,ot,,o uou1ood me, h.
ing sent away, and he grew desper-
ate.
| Nevertheless, he sad goodby to
little Miss Trowbridge with exem-
plary calmness, and was more care
tul than she not to show depression.
you'll come back surely won't
z" she begged.
"Of course | will, goosey. Don t
/ go to the agency on an average of
twice a month nearly all the time ?n
| II know. But some how this
seems different"
Rowland agreed with her, but he
laughed at her for all that.
| "It's like the legend Of Sir OFF,
isn't it? He went away the night
before he was to be married, and an
erl maiden made him die"
"There's nothing so fascinating as
an erl maiden at the agency, more's
the pity he told her.
Then he went and rode OF under
the scorching sun in cloud of dust,
two soldiers behind him and all
| well mounted.
| The girl watched him until she
could no longer see him, and went
back into the tent to sit with white
face and closed lips and dry eyes,
looking at the sands of the parade
ground.