Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1898-08-17


verandas of the various quarters as she
passed, yet walking eagerly so as to be
at the gate, as was her habit, when her
captain returned from stables; seeing
which, some of the younger officers
tried to detain her or impede her way.
'The captain has stopped to take a
drink at Buxton's, Mrs. Grafton. I
wouldn't hurry'if I were you," said one
mendacious, mischievous sub. "J'u
leave it to Merriam if he hasn't" there
by OBTAINING Merriam, who was just as
eager, apparently, to reach his Owl
gate and receive the fond welcome in
Floy's deep, dark brown eyes. Others,
too, joined the laughing conspiracy, and
gazing beyond them and seeing moth
ing of her lord among the groups still
farther to the rear, she as laughingly
surrendered and entered into joyous
chat with her captors-the sight of one
of the youngest, brightest aud fairest
of their number surrounded by half
dozen gallants being naturally a COM
fort to the lookers-on along the quar-
ters-and when Randy, lifting his cap,
would have deserted them and gone his
way she was just coquette enough to
care to hold the exhibition-and her at
tendants-a moment longer.
"Oh, Mr.. Merriam! Don't 20 yet.
I've really important news for you.
Who do you think is coming to visit
us?"
Randy had no idea. He smiled po-
itely, even pleasantly, and said he
couldn't imagine.
'Well, but guess" persisted Mrs.
Grafton, her very pretty face very full
of Importance.
"The Walkers, from Stoneman ?" sug-
gested Randy.
''No, indeed! Nobody from that way.
It's from the east.''
"Mrs. and Miss Pollard, from Marcy? %
''Not bit of it. No army people at
all, but somebody you know very well
and like very much.''
Then Randy began to look queer, but
still couldn't begin to guess. I'm sure
I'm at a loss," he faltered.
''Why, Fanny McLane, of course!
She's been in miserable health since her
husband died, and they've practically
ordered her to try this climate; so
she's coming to me. She'll be here Sat-
urday, but of course you know she's in
deep mourning yet and can't go any
where"
For a moment Merriam was too
amazed-too startled-to trust himself
to speak, and she saw it, and with the
quick intuition of her sex, saw, too,
that something must be done to relieve
the embarrassment that would fall
upon the party.
''She was one of my bridesmaids
Fanny Hayward" she hurriedly ex-
planned to the surrounding group-"and
the loveliest girl you ever saw; and,
just think of it, Mr.. Minturn, now she's
a disconsolate widow with I don't know
how much money all her own,' and then
nervously she cast anxious glances at
Merriam, and again addressed him, as
though in self-defense. "You know we
visited with her on our way west,
and she told me of her charming meet
ing with you and Mrs. Merriam on your
wedding journey, and the lovely times
you had before they had to go to San
Francisco" and now her voice had be-,
come timid and appealing, for she saw
that something was very, very much
amiss. Merriam's face had flushed,
even through it's coat of tan, but was
now a yellow-brown, all it's happy,
healthful glow vanished, and Billy
Whitaker, looking uneasily at him,
had linked an arm in his and seemed
about to urge him to come away; yet
Merriam had to say something, and
this, in evident constraint, is what he
said:
"Yes-we-did meet-Afrs. McLane-
I'm very sorry to hear she's been i'll,
and am much surprised to hear she's
coming here. Excuse me, Mrs. Grafton,
I must hurry on"
That evening Floy and her husband
failed to attend the formal hop which
was held each week, and their absence
was noted, for she loved to dance, and
had promised waltzes and two steps
without number to her old friends of
the Rifers and the cavalry both. Some
one proposed going after them. Mrs.
Hayne did call on her way home, for
she left early, and inquired anxiously
for Florence. "She has severe head
ACHE" said Randy, who came to the
door with gloom in his eyes, land she
felt too good-for-nothing to attempt it,
so persuaded her to go to her ROOM"
He asked them in, but did not invite.
Both Hayne and his wife noted that,
and both felt they knew the cause of all
the trouble when they met Whitaker
ten minutes later and learned from him
that the Graftons expected guest
from the east on Saturday-Mrs.M Nc
Lane.
And Saturday evening she came, 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, and who those Off
GERS and ladies could be. But this time
it was the train from the northeast
that bore her in, and itscompanionf from
the "Sunset Route" was not there;
neither was there swarm of officers
and ladies. There was only one of each