The Delta independent., 1898-06-10


their Windows yet pressed sssolutely
ON, and presently, clearing the wooden
buildings was swallowed % In the
blacknsss Of the cloud covered night
.t.z r. CHAPTER VI al
Nr.. Raymoad was growing 5ealoas-
For years. despite those occasional tits
and spats with which feminine init
macies are 30 frequently diversified, she
had been Fanny Turner's closest friend.
both when neither had spoken 10 the
other for as much ~ 48 hours. and
when neither believed 1t possible for
her ever to speak to the other again.
In this suspension Of diplomatic and
personal relations however, NO embargo
existed a. to language descriptive Of
each others faults. foibles or falsihca-
tions. What the two ladies' failed 70 ny
to was more than compenEated BY what
they said Of each other. notwithseand-
ing which disturbance Of the atmos-
pheric conditions in the fair sl<y Of their
friendship the intimacy lived and
thrived-was even strengthened II net
purified by the brief nashinss Of ssch
summer liehtnings and reveEbsratious
of vocal thunder. Indeed IL would be
hard to say where In all tho -th either
lady could have found an intimate snve
in the other, for the maids and nsatrons
then composing the social element Of
the regiment had learned wisdom in
their generation, were under the tndu-
enoe and guidance Of such pure spirits
a. Mrs. StAnnard, lFA Barry. Mrs..
Freeman and Mrs.. Ray. % that even
domestic and social tsrross like Mrs..
wilkins bad been tanned into . certain
fealty to the new creed expounded BY
them, and many . man, many . won.
an, had remarked that 1.-THE -th was Q
uishty different regiment from what 1t
used 70 bs in the days Of Lady Pelham
and Arizona" asa!r t. a,t
II was Q better regiment In every
way, much as they had all loved "Old
Catnip, (" - they called the colonel, who
led them in the days Of their exile. but
who, lucklessly, was too often and dis
astrously led by his wife. The nsw
commander, like the modern Tommy
Atkins, was "every inch soldier and
every inch Q man." and though NrA
Athertoo loved cosy chas with her
cronies - much - any woman alive
she had lived and moved and had her
being in wider social circles too loog
not TO have learned the goldea rule Of
silence. Several objectionablss had essa
eliminated in the course Of ysasa. some
by transfer to other Arms Of the sssvtcs
BE- It undssstood. one or two 20 other
spheres. and sill /. Buxton hnssssd
among the men and Nsl Turnes among
the womsa, aad II ever th4s lived .
lady blssssd with unboupdsd euaAAsnes
IN Tie infallibility q be- o1iniens end
The u1sgTins rectitude of her iatanttaos
u was that mme Hrs. Frances xu11es.
0thGR Wonsa thsso wsEs, u ennG1A
| 10 c6ruulate ~ views, bot In bo3a, h.
sDiSisg essginality Il eosssDtfeo there
Was noos 70 eqsal ~. NsA Turnsr
uieht nos b alone - Q disburser a
fsgimsutal gossip. but. - 1deutenant
Blake was beard to my. she could start
noss IN . minute than sould b stopped
IN month.
And now Mra Raymond was actually
disturbed and Jealous because Of . new.
sudden and mysterious intimacy thas
had sprung up bstwean the friend Of bsP
bosom and the hitherto impassivc and
unappeoacbxble Mis- Maynard. From
meeting only formally and ssmioccasion-
ally there bad developed m UNLOCKED
for and apparently unquencbable desire
for each others company, and where
Mra Turner used 10 Be dropping in a
Mrs. Raymond any morning after hes
toilet was completed for the day she had
taken 10 baseling By On route to Mrs.
stannard's, never % much - stopping
q tbs Raymoods' 70 explain the mean
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