The Opelousas courier., 1898-10-08

-o~Nt - AoS ~ ~ AS1A .
Fate. A little tempest of temptation
had ruffled the deep waters Of hi:
conscience for a time. But they were
calm again. He remembered with re
sentiment the haughtily poised head
and the placid smile, and the las
glimpse he had caught of her through
the hop-room windoW-a yellow
gowned figure, swaying to the music
in full enjoyment of life.
Well, she would have gone back tc
Bayard by the time Of his return, and
n could neyor be sure n would not
forget-after Years. He went into the
barracks and gave his orders.
When the brass mouths of the bugles
pcaled their reveille welcome to tl-a
sun, as 1t shown above the mounteins,
far across the prairie, Farland and his
command were trotting toward Mount
Graham, and Miss Cameron, still in
the yellow gown, stood at her win
dow with her hands clasf3d before
her, and watched the line Of the re-
ceding column.
Farland stopped at Bayard two
months later. The scout was over
and he was taking his command back
to Fort Grant. They were to strike
the railroad at Silver City, nine miles
away, upon the following day.
He meant to see Minis Cameron.
There was no longer a reason for 81
lcnce. He waited with impaticnce
while the commandant arranged for
the disposition of the men. Then he
walked with him across the parade.
The primrCses of the evening We're
opening, a great, pale flower bursting
out here and there in the grass, until,
ven as he went, all the ground was
starred with them, and the children
from the officers line and the laun-
dresses row We're running, laughing,
and screaming. and calling out, to
gather the handfuls of fragile bloom
that would be wilted before tattoo.
Upon occasions of necessity the com-
mandant's long. lank body could be-
stir itself; but there was 10 such oc-
casion now, and Major Cameron re-
scented Farland's haste.
Il say, Farland." he protested, "slow
up. What is your hurry. You will
not get dinner before retreat, any
way
Little the lieutenant rocked Of din
ner. But he obliged himself to walk
more reasonably. Major Cameron
of the scout and it's outcome.
tried to listen and to answer.
In his joyful anticipation he forgot
that he was 4 sorry-looking sight to
go a-wooing, that his face was burned,
his nose peeling, and his hair half-cut,
and his clothes ragged and dusty Self
consciousness was not n of his
The major broke off suddenly
In the midst Of a TRADE against In
dian agents, those pet aversions of the
line.
Il suppose you are about worn out"
he said.
no. said Farland; mot in the least.
You appear not to be able to keep
your mind upon anything. You have
notion of what | said last"
"You said Mescaleros' last"
Slut you have no idea whatever
what l said about the Mescaleros."
II am afraid that's so," Farland ad-
"And over there at the coral you
answered three questions that l hadn't
Farland %apologized civilly. But he
lad seen, through the window, Miss
standing with clasped hands
md head thrown back, before the
pen fire. 1t was a favorite pose with
Ter, and it recalled so much. The
major might as well have addressed
lis concluding remarks to the flag
taft.
They went into the hall, and the
opened the door. "There
$ Clare" he said; Il believe you know
ach other. 1 will go and get Mrs.
CAMERON" He went away and closed
door again.
Farland was not demonstrative. But
tllllc was IS JIG W uIldS III SLilly"
ng out a resolve. He took the hand
hat the girl held out to him, and then
vent to the fireplace, and rested his
I'm upon the mantel and looked at
er speculatively.
II am going to be very rash," he
aid, land very precipitate.'
She smiled incredulously. "How
Mike your she said.
perhaps; but it is not unlike me to
straight to the point, l think"
1t is not" was all she answered. She
ad long since determined that he was
n INSCRIPTIONS flirt-worse than that,
ldeed, because he made more preten-
ions than most lei Now, when she
>oked into his keen gray eyes, that
.nsoling fiction vanished. She Won
cred why he did not speak at once of
ne one thing that might reasonably
expected to be Of interest-to her.
elf, at least. But she folded her
ands in front of her again, and stood /
cry erect. {
When l saw you last in the hop-room
Grant" he said, Il was to all in
,nts and purposes upon half-pay. My
lother was alive then, and I was sup
her." !.
She looked at him, puzzled. Why .
lould he tell her this now? While .
lere had yet been time he had been :
lary enough of his condolences. !
Thile there had yet been time. .
he looked at him as he stood there ,