The Florence daily tribune., 1898-03-14

OF Importance
"'rnr Walkers, from stoneman ?" sug-
gosted Randy.
'No. indeed, Nobody from that way.
lps from thc east"
Mrs. ard Mss Pollard, from Marcy -
"Noi a bi ot IL No army people Mt
all, hut sannebn'ly YOU know very well
and like very lweh"
Then haadA began to look queer. hut
sii'' con'dn'i hrgin % guess. I'm sure
I'm ~ loss" he faltered.
WAY, Fanny Mcl.ane, OF course,
Shes heea IN nisctahle health stnce her
husband died. and they've practically
ordered her tu try this climate: so
Shes een'usg to me She'll be here sat
ur'lay, but ~ course YOU know she's in
deep mourning yet and can't go any
whereH
For moment Merriam vas too
amazed--top.star trust himself
~ speak. ard SHE saw il. and with the
quick Intuition Of her sex. saw. too.
ihot Something must be done to relieve
The eRihaT rassment that would fall
upon the party.
''she was one of my bridesmaids
Fanny Hayward she hurriedly cx-
r,ained 20 The surrounding group-"and
the loyeliest girl sou ever saw: and.
inst think of H. MIR Minturn. now she's
disconsasfte wiGcw with don't know
how mueh money M her own" and then
pervolS,y She cast anxious glanccs at
Merriam, ard again addressed him. us
though IN self-detense. "You know we
Visited with her on our way west.
aud She told me OF her charming meet.
ing with you aud Mrs Merriam on your
wedding i9urrey, and the lovely times
you had before they had to go to San
Frnnrisco.N ard now her voice had be-
come tnlid and appealing for she saw
that something was very. very much
aniss. Merriam's face had flushed,
even through lis coat of tan, but was
NOW a ycllaw-brown, all its happy,
hcalthrul glow vanished, and Billy
Nhitahrr, looking uneaslly at him.
bad 'iNhea an arm-in his aud seemed
about TO urge him 10 come away; yet
Merriam had to say something. and
this in e1idfnt constraint, is what he
said
Yes Nc 'lia meet--Mrs McLnne--
I'm very. sorry TO hear she's been i'll,
and am iaach surprised TO hear she's
cpming here. Excuse me, Mrs. Grafton,
! mpst hurry on"
That evening Floy and her husband
failed to attend the formal hop which
was held each werl; aud their absence
was noted, for She loved 10 dance, and
had promised waitaes aud two steps
without pumber to her old friends Of
tho IRf4lere ~ ..,.-., Co...
/ one propos cd going after them. Mrs
Wayne did can on her way home, for
She left early, and inquired anxiously
for Florence. .'She has severe head
I ache said Randy. who came to the
door with gloom in his ewes. "and She
felt too good-for-noihing TO attempt It,
50 | persuaded her TO go TO her room. -
he asked them in, but did not invite.
Both liayne and his wife noted that,
and both felt they knew tile cause of all
the uouhle when they met Whitaker
| ten minutes later and learned from him
that the Graffons expected a guest
from the east on Saturday-Mrs. Nc
Lane.
And Saturday evening She carse, al
most at the same hour at which she
FIRST set eyes on that dreary landscape,
| and wondered what was the name of
those far, blue hills. aud who those off
Gers and ladies could be. But this time
il was the train from the northeast
that bore her in. and tscompanion from
the Sunset Route" was not there:
neither was there swarm of officers
and ladies. There was only one of each
IA grave, dignified, soldierly man in
unnreas uniform-a young, pretty. sty-
lishly attired dame at his side. The
Pullman came to q stop at the platform,
the porter sprang ont laden with bags
and bundles; the conductor stepped Off
and raised his cap and offered his hand
TO a vision of female charms, a fair,
sweet smiling face framed in dainty
little cap. The heavy Grape veil was
thrown back, and the slender, rounded
form was declSed in somber weeds, yet
bow gracefully, effectively was it
araped. Even Grafton could not fail to
note it, No sign of dust and Crime of
travel was there. The sArouding. pro-
tecting veil and dnster had been dis
cnrded only just before they reached
the slatiou: Annette had slowed them
carefully in the shawl-strap. while
her bereaved mistress carefully and
skillfully arraycd herself in veil and
bonnet that had been boxed through
out the journey. She stepped forth
into Harriet's welcoming arms as trim
as though she herself had just issued
from a bandboX, her JOY at being once
more with such fond friends decorously
tempered by the sense Of her ever-pres-
eut. aH-pervading sorrow, and the con-
sciousness Of her delicate and uncertain
health. Only moment did she allow
herself in Harriet's embrace. No time
must be lost in precipitating herself
fnpon the massive and not too eloquently
welcoming captain, who held out hand
in his untutored army way. as hands
had been ezfclded for the score of years
he had been in service, and not at the
height Of the shoulder, as hers. after
the alien mode of the 9G's Into his