Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-10-13
CHAPTER I.
1896. by F. Tennyson NeeIy.I

at Fort Sedgwick. Perhaps that was
why she never mentioned the matter
to her sister, Mrs. Parry, until that lady
surprised her in the midst of the pack
ing.
"Where are you going, Fan ?" was
the query, half-aggrieved, half-aggres-
sive-the tone in which an elder often
addresses a younger sister who has evil
IDENTIFY presumed to contemplate some
journey without previous consultation
and consent.
'I? Why I thought you knew. Go
ing to spend a week or two with the
Graftons.''
''The Graftons! Fanny McLane! You
don't mean you're going to Fort Sedg-
wick?"
"That's their station" answered Mrs.
McLane, with slight access of color.
Mrs. Parry had not yet seated herself.
She was still standing at the opendoor-
way, CHANGING quickly from trunk TO
trunk in the sunshiny but Uttered room.
Now she took step forward, hesitated
one moment as she looked at the maid
servant bending busily over a great
Saratoga, and in dumb show intimated
to her sister that she wished that open
eyed, open-eared domestic elsewhere.
But Mrs. McLane was blind to any
signals. Indeed she seemed at the mo-
ment to find it necessary to supervise
some of Annette's work, noting which
symptom Mrs. Parry's scruples van
ished.
Fanny, you know perfectly well
that's the1ast place on earth you should
go to now, and Mr.. McLane not a year
in his gravel"
A redder spot burns in each fair
cheek. as the young widow turns quick
ly and faces her accuser.
"And why not, pray?i The Graftons
are the Oldest, dearest friends have
at least she is
"And Randy Merriam-isn't there. I
suppose-nor his plain wife?'
''Mr. Merriam whereabouts is a mat
ter of entire indifference to me, as you
ought to have the decency to know,
Charlotte"
Sought to be matters of indifference,
I concede, but 1 have grave doubts as
to whether they are, as you say"
9sThen keep your doubts and suspi-
cions to yourself. Charlotte" said Mrs.
McLane, with trimming eyes and burn
ing cheeks. "This is no place to speak
of such matters" and the brimming
eyes-which their owner tried hard
70 induce to blaze instead of brim-
turn significantly toward Annette,
busily packing and assiduously feign-
ing Inconsistencies, and then almost
defiantly turn back to her sister.
ST know perfectly well what you
mean, Frances" responds the elder, and
adopted instead of "Lot'' and ''Fan" it
more than strained.
ST gave you every signal ingenuity
could suggest, but you wouldn't see.
You didn't want to see, because you
thought that and here Mrs. Parry in
dicates the kneeling Annette with a
nod of her very stylishly coifed head
''that would keep me from speaking.
But this is a case where duty cannot be
neglected. Fanny, are you in your right
senses?"
'In every one of the seven, Charlotte,
and 1 don't mean to listen to abuse.
You know perfectly we'll DIR. Mellon
said needed change"
swell, then, go to New Orleans, go to
Bermuda, go to ST. Augustine-go to
st. Petersburg, Fan-anywhere on
earth rather than Fort Sedgwick-any-
where under heaven except where Ran
dolph Merriam happens to be-unless
you would have me believe you lost
to-"
But here, with solemn mien, enters
the male biped who officiates as butler,
hall boy and major domo at the Clar-
endon fiats-a card upon the salver in
his pudgy hand, and Mrs. Parry nearly
chokes in the necessity for sudden stop.
TASK Mr.. Swinburne up" says Mrs
McLane, promptly, barely glancing at
the black-bordered card and evidently
glad of the interruption. "Now. Char
lotte, not another word, unless you wish
me to show how indignant am to every
visitor who comes in" and Mrs. McLane
is busy bathing her flushed cheeks al
ready. s'How does my hair look?'' she
adds, turning inquiringly toward the
defeated elder, sure that whatever cause
of quarrel there may be. that, at least, is
subject for truce.
.Your hair is all right" responds hel
sister, with marked emphasis and as
marked a sense of baffled purpose. IS
wish the rest of your head were as wei
balanced. You don't expect me to se'
Mr.. Swinburne, 1 suppose?"
HMr. Swinburne certainly doesn't ex
pect to see you. He is coming mainl,
on business"
"You might far better listen to hi
business. as you call it, even this soon
than go near Randy Merriam"
.sCharlotte, will not listen to you. ]
YOU cannot stay here without insulting
me with every other word you woul
much better go home and stay home un
til you can sensibly." And wit
this Mrs. McLanc darts past her siste
into the passageway. and so on to tn