The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1898-03-11
TRIAL BY FIRE.
BY eWEnpoLEn ovER1oM.
THERE are colonies and majors ana 1

hold that Isabel Hampden wSs the most
attractive woman who ever graced the
frontier: and in their time most women
seemed attractive because OF their
scarcity. She was handsome, and ac'
complished, and clever, and something
more than all these which@wns mex
plicable but very potent. She had been
brought up in garrisons and large citles'
and by the time she was two-and-twenty
she knew the world rather well. More
over. she knew men-not girls and WON
en-, but men.
Recause she had been allowed to live
in posts during most of what sho'hd
have been her boardiDg-school days.
and because she was pleasant to look
upon and to converse with at an age
when most girls are impossible, men
had fallen in love with her pretty much
ever since she could remember. 1t was
xaid that she had refused all the bache-
!ors in all the frontier regiments. IhlS
vas not far from the truth. A woman
who had married one of the rejected
ones said that refusing was habit
Miss Hampden had formed, and that
if began to look as if she might never
break herself of it. In the nature OF
things, this was repeated to the girl.
Her good temper was one OF her charms.
1T is so much better habit than &C.
cepting them ALL" she argued, sweetly.
Nevertheless, she wondered if there was
not some truth mingled with the malice.
But Lieut.. Loring was the last VIC
tim Of her practice. He proposed to
her. unfortunately for himself, just
after she had met young Ardsley.
81 thought this morning that maybe
l would marry you." said Miss Hamp-
den. But I've changed my mind, some
way"
Loring was accustomed to a great
deal of frankness from her, but it
dashed with his notions of feminine
modesty for a woman to have enter
tanned thoughts of marriage before the
offer thereof.
weren't You just trifle prompt in
determining my intentions?" he asked.
HAS the event proved me wrong?''
she returned.
He lost his temper. "You are spoiled
he said.
'If you knew how often have heard
that! Yet I do not think am. I am
simply sincere, and you are little too
vain, all of you, to grasp the differ
ence. like you awfully well-no, now,
don't misunderstood me. I don't love
fol
to be married to a girl who only likes
you. No." she repeated, II do not think
I'm spoiled. I am not agitated and
fearful, as 1 ought to be, perhaps, un-
der the circumstances. l used to be,
but I've passed that. 1 have been so
placed that men were making love to
me at an age when other girls were
playing dolls. It's partly because I'm
pretty, and partly, largely, because
there are so few women out here. When
l have been in the east, haven't made
much of sensation. I've grown bit
hardened, perhaps. Custom has dulletl
the edge-which was fearfully keen and
cutting, at first-of being told that l
am breaking heart. But, though am
only %, I've lived to see dozens of you
marry and be happy. You'll do the
same"
"Oh! no, 1 shall not" moaned Lor-
ing.
"Oh! yes, you will, Jack. And /
sha'n't mind. Now I've promised to
dance this with the new Mr.. Ardsley,
and if we stay out here any longer
everyone will guess what has hap
pened."
They'll know, when they see me-"
Don't be goose, Jack. It's only the
heart that is trying to take itself seri-
ously that exhibits the pain"
Don't discuss subject you know
nothing about. You have no heart"
He left her, with an exaggerated bow,
as young Ardsley came up.
AS Miss Hampden waltzed off with
Ardsley, she knew that Loring was
wrong; that this tall boy, fresh from
west Point, as new in experience of
the world as the brass buttons on his
blouse, was the man she was going to
love. He would love her, of course,
1t is to be feared that it did not enter
her head that he might not. She liked
ms strong, rough-cut face, and his
jolly, stone-gray eyes, and his drawl-
ing, heavy voice, and his Waiting, and
the way he held her. After the dance
she determined that she liked his hands.
and when she looked at them, she saw
q ring.
rs that your class ring?" she said.
YES" he told her.
MAY see it?''
lie gave it to her, and while she ex-
ahmed it he sat and admired her. On
his part, he liked the women who car
RED themselves haughtily, he liked tall
women, he liked straight. black hair
and olive skin and dark eyes and large
features and neck of statuesque pro-
portions. In short, he liked exactly the
things he had never fancied up to then.
Miss Hampden raised her eyes and met
his. She smiled, but it was like no smile
she had ever bestowed on man before.
He looked at her very gravely, and her
hand closed tightly over the ring. In a
moment she was studying it again.
II like this. It's unusual" she said.
II am glad you think so, as con-
ceived the design" He expected to be
told that he was clever.
Indeed" was all she said, and that
indifferently.
"How cool! 1 rather thought you'd
express surprise and give me some cred
it. You are not addicted to flattery, it
would SEEM"