The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1898-09-18

should Re surn The chance was not 70
be lost.
ST love to live over those dear old
days when was a girl" she said
Friends seemed SO real then, men so
true, life so buoyant. Sometimes ind
myself wishing there were more Of the
old friends, the old set. here. We seem
so much more to each other, don't you
know, Mr.. Hodge?" And Hodge felt
sure ''we'' did and hitched his chair
foot nearer the fire.
''Of course was younger then, and
knew 30 little of the world, and yet,
knowing it as I do now-I can say this
to you, you know, Mr.. Hodge-I could
not to another soul here, for you were
of us, you served with father column
Hodges service was limited TO play
poker with "those w-etches Gates and
HagadoM" and others of Waite's conn
mand on ore or two memorable coca
sions, and the resultant hole in his
purse was neither as broad as church
nor deep as q well, but 'twould serve-)
"I've often felt here as though would
give anything to see some Of the dear
old crowd; not that people are not very,
very lovely here, but, You know, we
army friends cling so to the old associa-
tions." And now the beautiful eyes
seemed almost suffused, and Hodge
waxed eloquent.
..'I am thrice fortunate" said he, re-
calling the lines of his Maltravers, Gin
that 1 am numbered among them"
And now, like Laura, he looked upon
Worth as cold and dormant as compared
with the k:ndIing friendships of the
distant Platte.
"Indeed you are!" said she. "You
bring back the sweetest days of my life,
and some of the saddest. have no one
to speak to me, you know-of course
until you did a moment ago. Tell me,
isis his life so changed as-they say
it is?''
st never saw man so broke up," he
responded. He never smiled after you
-after-after it was broken off. you
know" Barclays smile was as rare as
a straight flush anyhow, he admitted
to himself, but the assertion sounded
well.
"And - of - late-what have you
heard of him?'' she asked, and Hodge
]
more. He, too, he said, had had let
ter from an intimate friend. Captain
Barclay had declared that the assign
ment to the Twelfth cavalry was irn
possible; Texas was impossible. His
business interests would necessitate his
declining, if indeed there were no other
reasons. General Corliss had rendered
him the position of aid-de-camp and
made Billy Ray of the -th resign to
make way for him, and the moment
Barclay found that out he went to Ray
and told him the whole business was
without his (Barclay's) knowledge and
sooner than displace him he would re-
fuse. Yes" said Hodge, "that's the
way my friend heard it from Ray him
self Now, if Barclay could only get a
detail on McDowell's staff in California
it would have suited him to a tee. Then
he could have looked after his Nevada
interests and his Wyoming pensioner.
too"
"Did Mr.. Hodge know surely about
Mr.. Barclay S wealth? Was it all true?'
he was asked.
"Oh. yes, there wasn't doubt ot
it," said Hodge. 1t was just another oi
those cases where a man had money il
abundance and yet would have giver
it all, he added snntimentally, but here
she uplifted rebukingly her white, slim
hand-or was it warningly, for there
came a quick football on the porch
without? The hall door opened sharply
letting in a gust of cold night wind
and, throwing off his cavalry cape, will
its faded yellow lining, Lieutenan
Winn strobe through the hallway int
his little den at the rear.
"You will come and see me again, ,
she murlnured low while yet the foot
steps resounded; cit has been so-gooC
, to see you-so like old times. Vel
have to talk CT other things now. Mr.
/ Winn doesn't like old times too we'll.
But Mr.. Winn never so much as look
ed in the parlor door until she called t.
him. Then, as he saw his face, tn
young wife arose with anxiety in he
own.
"What is it? Where are you going
: with your revolver, too, Mr. Hodge
! dear?''
"Oh-h, beg pardon, Mr.. Hodgel Gla'
to see you!" was Winn's distraught &C
knowledgment of the presence of tn
| visitor as he extended reluctant hand
> my sergeant can't be found" he wen
ON hurriedly. "They say he's gone t
Fuller's ranch. and it may be all right
but the colonel has ordered ont a patrc
) to fetch him back. Don't worry, Laurie
may have to ride ont with it,
And hurriedly he kissed her an
bounded down the steps.
For moment she stood in the door
way, the light from the hall lamp shir
ing on her dusky hair and proud, beau
tiful face, forgetful of the man wh
stood gazing at her. Then, with a SHY
er, she suddenly turned.
IT'S the second time that Sergear
MarSdeu has bean rniSSad II, inst tbi