The evening times., 1897-12-21
TRIAL BY FIRE.

|
| erals, and some old ca plains who mold thll
Isabel Hampdeu was the most attractit,
woman who ever graced the frontier
and in their time most women seemed II
| tractive het ause OF their sea rcity. She Vac
handsome aud accomplished and cieTei
and something mYre than all these which
was inexplicame but very potent. She
had been brought mp in garrisons and
large cities. and ty tSe tim. she was two-
| and-t wenty She knew the world rath her we'll
Moreover, she knew men-not girls and
women, but menr.r
Because size had been allo wed to live in
| posts during II ost 9f what should have been
her bOarding-school days, and becalse he
! was pleasa mt to look upon and 10 converse
with at An age when most girls aie i'm
possible, men had fallen in love with her
pretty muct ever She she could reme IN Der
1t was said that she had refused all the
bachelors in all itka frontier regim N, s.
This was net far 'rSin the truth. A WON III
who had married cpe OF the rejected ones
said that Re fusing was a habit Miss ianp-
den had formed, and that IL began to !oGS
as IL she might never break herself Of ,t.
In the nature OF things this was repea led
to the girl. Her good temper was one Of
her charms. 1T is so much better Ia lit
than accepting them an she argued
sweetly. Nevertheless, she wondered IL
there were not some trut h mingled Wit i he
malice.
But Lieut.. LorinG was the last victim
of her practice. He proposed to her.
unfortunately for himself, just after She
had met young Ardsley.
Il thought this morning that maybe I
would marry you,'' said Miss Hampden;
But I've changed my mind, some way
Loring war accustomed to a great deal
of frankness from her, but it cIashed with
his notions Of feminine moGesty for a
woman to have entertained thoughts of
marriage tefore the offer thereof.
Weren't you just a trifle prompt in
determining my Intentions" lie asked.
HAS the event proved me wrong?" .he
returned.
He lost his temper. you are spofle !, >
he said
III you knew how often I have heard
that! Yet do not think am. 1 am
simply sincere. and you are "a little tup
vain, all Of you, 10 grasp the difference
like YOU awfuly well-no, now, dOut
misunderstand me. don't love YOU
And you are too nice a fellow to he mar.
ricd to girl who only likes you. No,"
she repeated, Il do not think I'm spoil
ed. ] am not agitated and fearful, as
ought to be, perhaps, under the circum-
stances. used to be, but I've passed
that. have been ~ placed that men
were making love to me at an age when
other girls were playing dolls Its
partly because am pretty, and par.Iy,
largely. because there are 70 few women
out here. When have been in the East,
haven't ms de much of q sensation
I've grown q hit hardened, perhaps.
Custom has dulled the edge-which WIS
fearfuliy keen and cutting ut first of
being told that l am breaking a lie lrt.
But, though I am only twenty-five, I'-e
lived to NE dozens of you marry ami be
happy. You'n dp the same.''
"Oh! no, SHALL not" moaned Loring.
"Oh! yes, you will, Jack. And sha'n't
mind. Now I've promised to dance with
the new Mr.. Ardsley, and If We stay out
here any longer everyone will guess what
has happened"
They'll know, when they see me.''
Don't be a goose. Jack. It's only the
heart that ia trying 70 take itself seriously
that exhibits the pain"
Don't discuss . subject you know
nothing about. You have no heart
He left her, with an exaggerated bow,
as young Ardsley came up.
As Miss Hampdep waltzed off with
Ardsiey, sheknew that Loring was wron.:
that this tall boy. fresh from West Point,
as new in experience Of the world the
brass buttons on his blouse, was the man
she was going Iibve. He would love
her, o. course. It Is to be feared that it did
not enter her heaathat he might not. She
liked his strong. Fpngii-cut face, and his
jolly, stoBe-gray eyes, and his drawing,
heavy voice, and his Waiting, Ind the wa v
he held her. After the dance she de-
termined that she liz ed his hands, and when
she looked at them she saw ring.
us that Your class ring?" sue said.
YES he told her.
"MayI sec it?' 1
He gave it o her, and while she examined
it he sat and admired her. On his part, he