The Florence daily tribune., 1898-03-07

nigh worshiped. She had no, finished
the course. She needed at least one
more year, said the teachers, but Il
couldn't be. Tremaine had listened to
the tempter, invested his scant savings
in Colorado mine thut for ohe wear
gave dividends galore, ard thcn-gave
out. There could be no separate cs-
tablishment maintained on the pay of
captain of infantry, who was keeping
up heavy life Insurance. Florence aud
her mother were recalled to the Riilers,
and, TO stiI further promete the ccon-
omy demanded by their misfortune,
Capt. Tremninc begged to be allowed
to go to the cantonment on the Cata-
mount, relieving with his company
like force that had been there in exile
over year, People al reglmcntal head
quarters thought ii absolutely heart
less in him to take Mrs. Tremaine and
dear Florence 10 such desert, so near
the Nayajos TO the north, ard so ex-
posed 10 danger from predatory bands
of Apaches from across the Arizona line.
But neither Mrs. Tremaine nor Florence
shared their views. Floy was to have
her books. her birds. her horse; her
mother could direct her reading. and,
as for eompanlonship. there was Mrs.
Lee. the wife of their first lieutenant;
she was barely %, ard charming young
matron; and Jimmy Crofton, their
Junior sub, wns engaged and would
soon bring his bride out to join. She
didn't doubt that they would have a
perfectly lovely time. hunting. fishing.
a>n M nrip in, hn tat, Il
ing races down the Catamount. Flor
ence's face would glow with cnthusi-
asm; it would become transfigured,
radiant-yes. almost pretty. said some
of the ladies-so proud did che seem
to feel at sharing her fathers lot. So,
though few ngreeG that Florence was
beauty. all decrted that she was
trump n fond and l6utiful daughter. a
sweet, sunny-natured child who would
make lovely woman and wife one of
these days "only." said Mrs. Uayne.
with world of tenderness in her tone
-"only hope 1t may be the right man
Girls with those big brown eyes love SO
deeply"
The cantonment turned out to be
something OF an Eden as an army post.
Four companies had once been sta-
toned there, so there was lots Of room,
but after the last lot of Apache ma
rauders had been translated to the
shores Of the Atlantic. matters aborig-
inal quieted down in Arizona and west.
crn New Mexico. The cavalry were
needed elsewhere, and could not easily
be supplied at so isolated post: so the
two troops were marched back TO the
valley of the Bravo and then, soon after
Tremaine moved thither. it was decided
to recall one of the two infantry COM
ipunds maintained there; that sent
Capt. Thompson back to headquarters,
and left only the Tremaines, the Lees
and DR.. Wells, for Jimmy Croftons
fiancce's father had got him away on
detached service; and this was the
commissioned society left at Catamount
when Randy Merriam, borne in litter,
dclirious and wearing the willow for
Fanny McLnnc, was brought in to be
nursed and coddled back to health
again, and Tremnine made ready for
him big, airy room under his own
roof.
Not for six weeks was Randy able to
ride again, and states have been lost
end won in less. There is little need of
dwelling on the progressive stages of
the unpremeditated siege. Billy Whit
taker got there comparatively early in
the game, when convalescencc had just
begun to be assured-when Florence,
shy and soft of voice, was just begin
ming >ilc daily readings aloud to her pa
.,.l. \,
soon to shorten, though reader and au-
dience remained long and longer in
each others presence. By and by the
book was but superfluity. 1t lay un-
opened in her lap, as she sat, with
downcast eyes and flushing checks, be-
side the hammock wherein her hero pa
tient lay, and the anxious mother noted
how, little by little, the girls soft, sill
very tones would become hushcd-how
his voice, deep and strong again, yet
tender and subdued. would take up the
thread of some old, old story; and one
day in alarm she fed to her husbands
study, for Florence was weeping in her
room.
"Do not interfere by look or word, :"
said that wise man. He will be well
enough to rejoin his fellows In the heid
next week, and they'll soon get over it.
If they don't-they can get married.
That will put an end to it,
But think, persisted his Better half,
"it's Florence I'm troubled about It's
she who may not soon get over it. Hers
is deep"
But here the captain arose and
amazed his wife by taking her in his
arms and speaking with choking sob
in his voice:
Don't talk of it, Dot!" he said. I'm
the one to blame. / never thought of
brownie as anything but child until
three days ago. I've been praying you
wouldn't see it-that there'l be nothing
more to see, but and here the gray
stubble about the captains mouth be-