The Iola register., 1898-09-30

cOht uIsb rum yOus Sht Sdlu, Nhdt
may be your way of looking at it, but
it is not mine. l don't care to let you
have anything to reproach me with.
have had enough of that in the past.
1 am a hopeless flirt, you know. go
into the thing for the fun there is in it,
and it is only fair to warn you"
Lancaster laughed rather weakly.
81 accept the terms" he said. 1T is
understood that this is only flirta-
ton"
Which he explained to Dorothy at
much length. but which she would not
understand and was so unreasonable
about as TO break her engagement.
Lancaster was deeply aggrieved and
rather more deeply relieved. But it
made one fact plain to him: that he
was seriously in love with a girl who
frankly told him that he was no more
to her than n score had been. before,
than scores might he thereafter. And
il was all in vain that he tried to
change her.
"T warned you quite fairly" she re-
minded him, bending forward to stroke
the glossy neck of his black mare. 1t
was the mare that. of old, Dorothy had
considered almost her own property.
and on which she had lavished the over
flow of her affection for Lancaster. 81
warned you" Miss Leeds repeated,
"and nobody has suffered but your
self, unless"-she glanced at him with
a quizzical little smile-"unless there
was another girl?"
"rhere was another girl" he an
swered.
She shrugged her shoulders tolerant
ly. THAT was to have been expected.
Most problems of the heart are in the
RUE of three"
Lancaster was biting his lips, and he
was very angry. she is a better wom-
an than YOU" he said.
THAT may he. But still" she
laughed, good naturedly, "do you think
am bad enough for you to be passing
judgment upon me?"
"I do; for you are doing the thing
cold-bloodedly, and IL" he said. de-
spondently, have lost my head"
She smiled into his eyes. "You don't
want ~ w AHh'' II - SuNH d Hduu-
some head. Lose your heart--it is not
worth nearly so much"
lie turned in his saddle and faced
her. II am likely to lose more than
that he burst out, suddenly; ~ am
likely to lose my life"
"Oh. come" she said, "you are not
contemplating falling on the point of
your saDer, or drowning yourself in
the bay, or superinducing galloping
consumption, are you? ! have had
men do number of things for me, but
never quite that"
what I meant was-and what in
tended to tell you when l asked you TO
come to-day, was that l am going to
the war"
That was 10 have been expected, OF
course. is your regiment ordered?"
mot yet; | am especially favored"
When do YOU leave?"
THE day after tomorrow. And now
I am going to ask you to promise me
something"
They had refined in their horses by
the dynamite guns, and sat looking out
over the white-capped blue sea.
$50 that it is not something that l
cannot promise"
Not that. shall leave that until
I come back-if ito come back. III
do not--in short, if | am killed.
she gave little shudder; he saw that
she did, and repeated-"if am killed !
shall leave orders that my most treas
ured possession shall be sent to you"
"Do You mean this mare?"
81 mean the mare. II will make me
as happy as it would seem am meant
10 be, to know that If l die YOU will
have her, and viii ride her, and be kind
TO her. For You are fond of her, too.
Miss Leeds knit her brows and con
sidered. And If l should not?" she
said.
"She shall not 60 to anyone else.
will have Dartmoor shoot her on The
day that he hears my death con
frmed."
Miss Leeds switched at the skirt OF
her habit. rs there no one else who is
fond Of her, also?"
NO he answered.
"But that other girl you told me of?'
There flashed back upon Lancaster
memory how Dorothy had been wont
to stand with her arms around the
arched black neck, and her cheek
against the warm. soft nose; how the
mare had followed her tamely around
the garrison, as he would follow NJ
other but himself. Then Miss Leeds
turned the sun OF her questioning
eyes upon him. They were serious
now, and their gentle light scattered
the mists of memories. She only val.
ued the horse for the masters sake
and the master is no longer anything
to her. "Wil you do as | ask
A little, ironical smile, the smile OF
an easy-going cynicism curled her lips
Unto the victor belong the spoils
Yes, If anything happens TO you, will
take the horse. But you must not be
rash. l believe prefer your safety
TO it,"
Two months afterward. Miss Leeds