The Portland daily press., 1898-08-04
lie plo,m that would be wilted before

now, and Major Cameron resenteo faf-
| lands haste.
Il say, Farland,'' he protested, 'slow
I'D. What is your hurry? You will not
| get dinner before retreat anyway"
Little the lieutenant reckoned of din
ncr But he obliged himself to walk moro
reasonably Major Cameron talked of the
scout and its outcome. Farland tried to
listen and to answer. In his joyful antici-
patton he forgot that he was q sorry look
ing sight to goa-wooing; that his face was
burned and his nose peeling, and his hair
half cut and his clothes ragged and dusty.
Self consciousness was not one of his
faults. The major broke off suddenly in
the midst of TRADE against Indian agents,
those pet aversions of the line.
81 suppose you are about worn out, - he
said
NO." said Farland, mot in the least.
Why?''
"You appear not to be able to keep your
mind upon anything. You have no notion
of what said LAST
"You said 'Mescaleros' last"
"But you have no idea whatever what 1
said about the Mescaleros.
81 am afraid that's so, Farland admit
ted
"And over there at the corral you an
swered three questions that hadn't ask
ed"
Farland apologized civtlly, but he had
seen through the window Miss Cameron
standing with clasped hands and head
thrown back before the open fire. It was
a favorite pose with her, and it recalled so
much. The major might as we'll have adj
dressed his concluding remarks to the flag
staff
They went into tho hall, and the COM
mandant opened the door. fThere is
| Claro.' he said. IT believe you know
each other l will go and get Mrs. Cam
eron." He went away and closed the door
| again.
Farland was not demonstrative but
neither was he one to delay in carrying
out resolve. He took the hand that the
| girl held out to him and then went to the
| fireplace and rested his arm upon the
mantel and looked at her speculatively.
81 am going to be very RASH" hs said,
"and very precipitate.
She smiled incredulously "How un-
like you'll" she said
"Perhaps, but it is not unlike me to go
straight to the point, think. ="
| She vouchsafcd no encouragement 1t
is not, was all she answered. She had
long since determined that he was an un-
scrupulous fiirt-worse than that, indeed
because he made more pretensions than
| most men. Now, when she looked into
| his keen gray eyes, that consoling fiction
vanished. She wondered why he did not
speak at once of the one thing that might
reasonably be expected to be of interest
to herself, at least. But she folded her
hands in front of her again and stood very
| erect. s7FF
"When 1 saw you last in the hoproom at
| Grant, he said, 81 was to all intents and
purposes upon half pay. My mother was
! alive then, and was supporting her.
She looked at him, puzzled. Why should
he tell her this now? While there had yet
been time he had been chary enough Of
his condolences While there had yet been
time She looked at him as he stood
there before the fire, young and strong,
with bis pistol belt showing beneath his
faded blouse, the kerchief knotted around
his neck, the dusty boots with their spur
red heels, his face SO absurdly sun and
wind burned, glowing with blond redness
in tho freight. While there had yet been
| time She checked an inclination to
throw out her arms and cry aloud.
"That is why" he went on, II did not
! Ieel JuSUlueO III Telling yOu-tHOuBu YOU
might, I should think, have seen--that I
loved you"
She went up to him and put her hand
upon his shoulder and tried to speak.
"Well, whatP" he asked. He was sub
uniting duly to some blow which he saw
in her hardening eyes was going to fall.
"I'-she was forcing the words from
her throat with harsh, dry sound-"I
married Captain Whitcomb three weeks
ago because did not know"
Farland turned away and drew chair
near to tho fire The movement was quite
natural, quite free from any gesture of
| tragedy. He was too stunned to feel the
| pain at once. That would come afterward
and stay through many years. He sat
down in the chair and watched the fam
ing mesquite root. 1t was a little hard for
him to draw his breath, and the pain was
| beginning now too.
Glare stood upon the other side Of the
hearth and looked duly ahead Of her.
Then she drew her hand slowly across her
! eyes
81 must go home" she said.
Farland die not answer her, and she
went out and closed the door.-Gwendole
| Overton in Argonaut.