The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1898-10-05
CHAPTER I.


There was more than one reason why
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-
siqe-the tone in which an elder often
addresses a younger sister who has evil
deUtly presumed to contemplate some
Tourney without previous consultation
and consent.
~E2 Why I thought you knew. Go
fug 30 spend week or two with the
GraFtons"
"The Graftons! Fanny McLane! You
don't mean you're going to Fort sedg-
wick?"
@Tdat's their station" answered Mrs.
AIcLane, with slight access of color.
Mrs. Parry had not yet seated herself.
She was still standing at the open door
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 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
come of Annette's work, noting which
symptom Mrs. Parry's scruples van
ished.
"Eanny, you know perfectly well
that's the last place on earth you should
GO 20 now, and Mr.. McLane not year
In his gravel"
A redder spot burns in each fair
cheek, as the young widow turns quick
Ey and faces her accuser.
sand why not, pray? The Graftons
arr. the oldest, dearest friends have
at. least she is."
Sand Randy Merriam-isn't there, I
SuYpose-nor his plain wife?"
"Afr. Merriam's whereabouts is mat
ter of entire indifference to me, as you
ought to have the decency to know,
Charlotte"
'N0ught to be matters of indifference,
I csncede. but 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
Tag cheeks. "This is no place to speak
OF such matters" and the brimming
eyss-which their owner tried hard
10 induce TO blaze instead of brim-
turn significantly toward Annette,
hussly packing and assiduously feign-
ing Inconsistencies, and then almost
,deiantly turn back to her sister.
"'L know perfectly well what you
rnean, 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.
~ 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
dictates the lIneeling Annette with a
nod of her very stylishly coifed head
." "<that would keep me from speaking.
But this is case where duty cannot be
~eglected. Fanny, are you in your right
.eeuses?"
-~In every one Of the seven, Charlotte,
and I don't mean 10 listen to abuse.
You know perfectly well DR.. Mellon
said 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
dolph Merriam happens to be-unless
you would have me believe you lost
to-"
But here, with solemn men, enters
the male biped who officiates as butler,
hall boy and major domo at the Clar-
srdon fats-a card upon the salver in
mis- pudgy hand, and Mrs. Parry nearly
chokes in the necessity for sudden stop.
ASK Mr.. Swinburne up says Mrs.
McLane, promptly, barely glancing at
the black bordered card and evidently
yssd of the interruption. Now, Char
Zotte, not another word, unless you wish
xne 20 show how indignant am to every
visitor who comes il" and Mrs. McLane
Hs busy bathing her flushed cheeks al
ready. Glow does my hair look?' she
aia4. turning inquiringly toward the
defeated elder, sure that whatever cause
d OF quarrel there may be, that, at least, is
sube for truce.
~your hair is all right" responds her
SIster, with marked emphasis and as
married a sense of baffled purpose. u
wisa Che rest Of your head were as wei
balanced You don't expect me TO see
.Mr. Swinburne. | suppose?"
~Mr. Swinburne certainly doesn't ex
pect 70 see you, He is coming mainly
or business"
.'You might far better listen to hi
business, as you call it, even this soon
than 60 near Randy Merriam"
charlotte, will not listen to you. /
you cannot stay here without insulting
Tne with every other word you woul'
Eaueh better go home and stay home un
til you can speak-sensibly." And will
this Mrs. McLanc darts past her siste
fntO the passageway, and so on to tn
Esarlor front of her suite Of apartments
iust as the little electric indicator tell
chat the elevator has stopped and tina
nsore one is at the entrance door. 1t l
swinburDe. well-preserved. mutton