, 1897-09-13
were not that I have already promised

TO go with some one else"
The betrayed captain manifested his
establishment and resentment at having
been subjected to refusal. He had a
high opinion OF his dignity, had the cap
tain.
why, who on earth can have asked
You already?' he cried.
Miss Bradford had a cool little north
ern air, when she liked. She consider
ed the captains question in bad taste.
So she raised her eyebrows and smiled
most sweetly. 81 shall hope TO have a
dance with you. Captain Soutter." she
said.
And she had. not one. but three. The
captain forgot his wrath at the sight OF
her. When she came from the Dress
ing-room into the hallway to join young
Milford, the captain was by the door.
He locked at her.
Might hope to be accorded the Sec
ond and fifth and ninth, Miss Brad
sord?" he asked.
"On! thank you" said Bessie. She
was grateful. and he was quite appeas-
ed.
Now Miss Bradford was a success.
She had what is known as a beautiful
time fer three whole months. No girl
was remembered ever to have received
altogether so much attention. She al
ways had l0vers-and the two don's
always go together. Captain Soltter
loved her. so did Lieutenant Paxton,
and SO did young Milford. Bessie low
ed young Milford. A girl who prefers
cit" clothes to a uniform is peculiar,
TO say the least. Bessie didn't say or
show whom she loved, except 10 Mil
ford. She had told him. She had re-
fused Paxton. and she was warding the
captain off. But the last she could not
do much longer. The chap had a
good opinion OF himself.
He also had a dignity which was not
10 be trifed with. Mrs. Gallatin was
by no means sure of Miss Bradford. So
one day she spoke to her. The process
OF being spoken to can arouse the worst
in a girl. But Bessie vas in a broken
and ccntriet frame OF mind. She and
young Milford had quarreled, and she
didn't care what became Of her. She
might as well marry any old man and
sacrifice herself for her family. She
made a most affecting picture OF herself
as an Offering on the altar OF matrimony
and flial duty. She would pine away
picturesquely in a year or so. and Will
Miltord-well, perhaps he would go TO
the devil. She hoped sc. 1t was under
this pressure that she so,emnly promis-
ed and swore to Mrs. Gallatin to marry
Captain Sou;ter If he asked her. What
Miss Bradford promised and swore she
never broke
So as soon as she and young Milford
made it up, she set about wondering
how Captain Soutter was to be kept from
asking her. Yet she could not arrive
at any plan. The captain was an i'm
petuous southerner, and he was neither
Eel well-bred nor nicely discriminate
ing. Bessie was worried. II it had been
that she had promised and sworn any
thing to young Milford and had had to
choose which VOW t o break. she would
not have hesitated. But she had teas
ed him, and had only answered may
be-" For which she now suffered.
But Fate came to her aid-as it al
ways should, and always don't in the
case of a very pretty girl.
She was going to another hop, and
she was going with Captain Soutter. He
had invited her at the time hat she
was practicing for the martyr role. As
she couldn't, therefore, 60 with Milford,
she would wear the gown he liked,
which was pure white silk. For it she
had 0 have white gloves: and her white
gloves were soiled. Therefore they must
be cleaned. Miss Bradford was an adept
at cleaning gloves. She prepared a spe-
and powders. This mixture had to be
whipped up-as II il had been the white
OF eggs-very light and frothy. 1t had
a most unpleasant odor. but it was pref
ty to look upon. Because the odor was
so unpleasant, Miss Bradford opened the
door into the hallway and stood just
within it, beating.
There was air in the hallway. and
there vase none in the Gallatins' quar-
ters, as the baby had a cold. Captain
SoNtter had a cold. tod frightful one.
If he had not had, he would have no.
ticed the smell Of Miss Bradford's mix
ture. He came through the hall on his
way to his W quarters or the floor
above. Colonel Milford vas with him.
The captain didn't like the colonel par
ticularly. on account Of his being his
sons father.
"Ah! Miss Bessie! What a pretty,
housewifely picture we make" said the
captain.
Bessie smiled encouragingly.
What are we doing? Whipping
cream? How good it looks. II Hebe
would only feed us with ambrosia."
The colonel smelled the ambrosia but
he held his peace.
"Ill give you a taste, captain, if you
want 1t very, very much. Open your
mouth Wilde. Shut your eyes"
She put a heaping forkful in his
mouth. The horrible taste made him