Arizona republican., 1898-02-24
CHAPTER I.

J Fanny McLane should not have accepted the Graftons' invitation to visit them 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 dently presumed to contemplate some journey without previous consultation and consent.
 .I? Why I thought you knew. Co., 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? 9"
 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 open. door way. glancing quickly from trunk to trunk in the sunshiny but filtered room. Now she took step forward, hesitated one moment as she looked at the maid servant bending busily over 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 the last place on earth you should go to now, and MT. 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? The Graftons are the oldest, dearest friends have at least she is"
 And Randy Merriam-isn't there, suppose-nor his plain wife?"
 ''Mr Merriam's whereabouts is mat ter of entire indifference to me, as you ought to have the decency to know, Charlotte
 fought to be. matters of indifference, I concede, but I have grave doubts as to whether they are, as you say"
 ''Then keep your doubts and suspi- cions to yourself, Charlotte" said Mrs. McLane, with brimming eyes and burn ing cheeks. "This is no place to speak of such matters" and the brimming eyes-which their owner tried hard TO induce to blaze instead of brim- turn significantly toward Annette, busily packing and assiduous,y feign- ing inconsistencies. and then almost defiaDtly yIurn back to her sister.
 'I know perfectly we'll what you mean. Frances" responds the elder, and when "Charlotte" and Frances" were adopted instead of Lot" and Fan" it meant that the sororal relations were more than strained.
 ''I 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 nod Of her very stylishly coifed head ''that would keep me from speaking. But this is case where duty cannot be neglected. Fanny, are you in your right sensesV
 every one Of the seven, Charlotte, and I don't mean to listen to abuse. You know perfectly well Dr. Mellon said l needed change"
 Well, 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 delph 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 fats-a card upon the salver in his pudgy hand, and Mrs. Parry nearly chokes in the necessity for sudden stop.
 Ask MT. 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. "How does my hair look?" she adds, turning inquiringly toward the U6Ieateu elutT, sure that NHdttNti tduSe of quarrel there may be, that, at least, is subject for truce.
 Your hair is all right responds her sister, with marked emphasis and as marked a sense of baffied purpose. T wish the rest of your head were as well balanced. You don't expect me to see MT. Swinburne, I suppose?"
 '.Mr Swinburne certainly doesn't eX- pect to see you. He is coming mainly on business"
 ''Ycu might far better listen to his business, as you call it, even this soon, than go near Randy Merriam"
 Charlotte, will not listen to you. If you cannot stay here without insulting me with every other word you would much better go home and stay home un til you can sensibly." And with this Mrs. McLane darts past her sister