, 1897-09-25
trips, it was Olga this" and Olga

Had Horton been anything but a good
fellow land a wealthy mani he nigh.
have been called down" scores Of times
by the bored ones. AS Il was, however,
we listened TO him with what was in
tended to be an interested expression,
drank his wines, borrowed his money,
and hoped we might never behold Olga
in the flesh.
But when, after his third visit east,
Horton returned to Silver City, bring
ing with him his mother and the little
Norwegian Apache" what a change OF
heart and a surrender CT hearts! Instead
c. an angular. awkward young person.
possessed CT poin'!s that might make her,
when developed. a beauty OF the "Hly'
type. behold a petite young woman,
with a wealth Of pale-golden hair, beau
tiful eyes and teeth, complexion OF roses
and cream. and a decidedly vigorous
constitution which called for lots OF
horseback riding and other outdoor ex,
ercises.
OF oulse Horton was persona grata
az The post. having been stationed there
duG.nIs the major portion Of his bries
Germ OK service as a lieutenant; where
fore the wives and daughters Of the gar
rison strove to outvie each other in
.heir attentions to his beautiful little
pro;ege. suffering themselves, on her
account, TO Listen to his mothers long
dissertations on pedigrees, especially
that Of the Horizons. AS a general thing.
:he female contingent of garrison So
cieiy Ices its best to discourage "out-
siders." as being likely t prevent the
capture, in due form, o. what it con.
siders its own legitimate prey. But in
this instance it was different-for was
MT it possible that this merry young
stranger might captivate and marry
some penniless s,lbaftern, thereby leav-
ing the field open for some spinster sis
ter to ensnare the very eligible and de-
cidedly wealthy Horton?
Decidedly SO; and upon this basis the
campaign went on, much to the vident
amusement Of Olga, who. with womanly
Intuition and a knowledge of the ways
OF m FAR beyond her years. put two
and two together and told Horton it
was all very funny. Fancy those army
trumps. Jack, being jealous O: me-poor
me! Jack" (thfs with mock solemnity),
:" are YOU in love wtsh me?"
olga. l wish you would not talk in
that frivolous manner. 1t isn't like you
and you should have enough consid-
Grafton for me to believe those people
sincere in their attentions" And Hor-
ven turned away with a panied look, but
Olgas arms were around his neck. and
her lace was close to his, as, with wet
eyes, she whispered:
Jack, dear, have hurt your"
Never before had John Horton been
so tempted. Should he now tell her
what for two years had been in his heart
Of hearts. unknown to any one. despite
hrs lnquacious enthusiasm concerning
her? Or should he take advantage Of
her dependent position and her IS years.
or ~thereabouts, and confess hlmseE?
II was a momen.ary struggle. then
Horton was himself again-a mute wor-
shipper OF 'ghe goddess he himself had
created-or found and developed.
Yes, you have. dear. Please don't
speak OF my friends again in that way"
he said. disengaging Aer arms.
O.ga's mouth dropped, and there was
a piteous look in her ayes as she re-
piled:
81 won't, John" Then, with a sud-
den kiss. she walked away as though
she intended to go 10 her room for a
big. feminine cry: but she didn't. A
half hour later found her at the piano
trying to warb.e a Mexican song while
she fondled the cat with one hand and
picked on, The accompaniment with the
other.
Horton stood in the gallery for some
seconds. her parting kiss burning upon
his cheek. her pathetic face as she LETT
him sill before his minds eye.
I'm a brute!" he told himself. "A
man Of my age" Che was 2S)) talking
70 a buoyant, irrepressib.e child in that
manner. merely because I an supposed
70 be her guardian! Jack, You old
%scoundrel. you ought to Re ashamed Of
yourself!'
II there was a male person In south
western New Mexico who did not fall
down and worship that little Norweg-
ian-Apache, The failed. probably through
fear. to declare himself; but. OF all the
love-stricken young Idols that ever COM
manded a first platoon with crediO in
times of peace and in times Of war, and
fell ignobly before The initial onslaught
o. the Little fellow with the arrows Of
love, Mr.. Dandy, OF the Ntl, was the
bell-mule.
With him O!ga's affair was serious
to the young lieutenant. He all but
neglected his duties to be at her side
when she and Mrs. Horton were stop
ping at The post: and. wen in his in
| fatuation, almost compromised her by
falling in with one Of her mad fancies,
one day when he had obtained leave
OF absence, and riding with her unchap-
eroned to Lordsburg and back, return
ing at dead Of night.
For this Horton took both Of them
seriously to task. as 500 as he learned
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