Arizona republican., 1898-03-09
{Continuec From Yesterday.)
CHAPTER VII.


 The manner in which Mrs. Frances McLane secured her invitation to visit the Graftons reflects credit on her gen. eralship if not on her general char acter. She was deep in widows weeds and woe the lovely summer of '94 so long as she remained in the neighbor hood of the mausoleum of the dear departed, and Mrs. Grafton twice or thrice ran down from the Point to pour out sympathy and consolation, but dear Fanny had sustained too severe a shock. This dreadful, this mysterious this murderous assault upon MT. Me Lane had unnerved her completely, said Mrs. Grafton, on her return to her liege and she does not seem to rally at all. Later, as we have seen, Charlotte took her sister west, and later still the Graftons, en route to Sedgwick at last. stopped five days in Chicago on their way, and Fanny was at the station to meet them on their arrival, and insist ed then, as she had before by letter. upon their being her guests at her own apartments at the Clarendon. She had a lovely little room all ready for them. Now Grafton was provident man, an economical man, and five days hotel bills made certainly big hole in months pay. Something even then whispered to him that this extrava- gance were better than that to which acceptance of the widows invitation would lead. But he banished the thought as unworthy and uncharitable. Fanny welcomed them with infinite tact and taste-made them feel tha. their coming was blessing to her, so sad and lonely was her life now that it was no longer blessed by the coznpan- icnship and devotion of the incompar- able husband whom she had lest. She could not accompany them to the opera or to concerts and theaters, but she had the best seats secured. and Ned and Charlotte were properly attentive; and when it was time for the Graftons to move on the ladies actually parted with tears, Fanny looking so white, so pathetic, so fragile, and protesting that Mrs Grafton was the. one friend t0 whom her heart chung in its bereave- ment and desciation. A hacking lit- tie ecvat lad already set in (this was late in the falD, and the rigors of the Lake Michigan climate seemed telling severely upon the Gotham-born girl. and urgently did Mrs. Grafton press her to leave this clustering shore and 10 come to her in that land where coughs and bronchial and catarrhal troubles are unknown, to bask in the sunshine ard drink in the delicious air Of southern New Mexico; and Fan de- clared that could she but be with Ha-- riet her cough would never worry her. but-it could not belt could not be! There were important legal matters to be settled. She must fight her battle alone. She could not yet go so far from that sacred 6rAst.
 All the sama the Graftons were no' fairly settled aN Sedgwick when Fans legal dificultiels seemed to have beer settled and hef cough grievously aug mented. T1e doctors talked of Bermn- da or Sen Diego, but the idea Of going to BeEmuda. among strangers. was hor 6r, so she wrote; and as for Coronado Dwhere, less than year agone, she had been so happy. so blest?-no! no! itwas impossible. Yet Chicago for the rest of the winter was out of the question, es- pecially since the arrangement that had grown up between her and her rel atives in the east, that had even to some extent. involved Charlotte, her beloved sister. Mrs. Grafton could not help thinking how remarkably Frances had developed since her school days. Then > she had never impressed anyone as be- ing capable of much deep feeling. There had been few months, indeed, whefi Mrs. Grafton was angry and astonishesl at Frances, but those were just afte, she ''broke" with Randy Merriam arc married McLane. but Fan had wheedled her out of this unfavorable mood and convinced her that she had never really cared for Mr. Merriam, who, somehow failed to inspire her with that feeliE 2 of respect, even reverence, which she felt was due the man she married :; whereas MT. McLane was a gentleman of such dignity and force of character that she seemed powerless in his pres ence, and his love was the sweetest flat tery, the most surprising, thrilling joy
 
 did she dream what love really meant and then it was duty, it was justice, it was honor that compelled her to release MT. Merriam. Had she married him she would have gone to the altar with lie on her lips, for she loved another Grafton said nothing, but seemed to be thinking a good deal, and it was plair that he did not thoroughly approve o1 the fickle Frances. When, however, Mer riam surprised everybody at the Poin' by his marriage to Floy Tremaine Grafton concluded it was time to droI the matter.
 All the same he could not suppress hi: surprise when Harriet announced that Fanny had actually almost consented to come to them. q thought you knew l disapproved of that scheme entirely, said he.
 You did, dear, when first spoke o t, and so did I. I didn't think it would do at all, but Fan talked so frankly a hOUt Mir Merriam and ha 1opa1r firr,f