Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-07-06
THE VICTOR'S SPOILS

'uiu HtIe were lllEee IDtu WIFI
the girl, and only Lancaster was with
Miss Terrence. However, as he was
all the world to her, Helena-like, she
lacked not words of company. The
six met on the walk in front of Captain
Lansing's quarters.
Lansing was a cynic who observed
his kind and told the result of his OBJ.
servations. Such are deservedly un-
popular, but command appreciative au.
dlence that are the envy of the good
hearted. 1t was to on audience of the
sort that he recounted the meeting the
same afternoon when the band had
stopped playing and the invading hosts
from the town had scattered and left
the post to its rightful owners.
Dorothy Terrence" he began. laying
his saber across his knees and settling
back to the temporary repose which
alone can fall to the lot of the officer
of the day; Dorothy Terrence came up
the walk. She had Lancaster with her,
and she was looking happy. Miss
Leeds-the bankers daughter, you
6now-came down the walk She be-
slowed "A sweet and transitory smile
upon Miss Terrence, but Lancaster is
not the best-looking fellow in the Pre-
sidio for nothing. If any of you hap
pen to share my good fortune of know
ing her. you will understand what, in
the nature of things and of men, hap
pened when she turned her eyes upon
him with trick she has of seeming to
look into ones very soul.
She has the most beautiful voice
outside of the heavenly choir, and she
brought it into play also. Dorothy
stood it as long as she could, and then
she tried to get him away. He never
even heard her. If Miss Leeds had not
gazed soul searchingly at him and told
him that she must be going, but would
see him at the hop, he doubtless would
be standing there still with Dorothy
bnXiouSly watching him. 1t will be
worth going to the hop to see things
happen.
Lancaster stood at the door of the
1ressing-room and watched Miss Leeds
while he waited for Dorothy. He saw
ner throw back her gorgeous cloak and
1rop 1t from her with the careless dis
lain OF a celestial creature discarding
some temporary earthly garment. That
t fell on chair and crushed other less
splendid wrappings beneath it was n
1etail which escaped him. He watched
her as the budding feminine mass
made way for her at the mirror, and
she stood unchallenged, leisurely touch
ng her glimmering brown hair and
pinning great white rose upon her
shoulder.
Dorothy waited at his side for fully
i've minutes before he saw her. Then
she laughed mockingly up into his
face and wished that her laughter
might have been blow.
AS soon as he could leave her he
went running and sliding across the
floor to where Miss Leeds stood at bay
before a besieging group. She was
backed against the wall, and a sun
burst of sables was just above her
head.
"There are only 90 Dances" she kept
repeating, "and | never divide"
Lancaster took two of his fellow of
hcers by the shoulders and put them
out of his way. Miss Leeds looked in
to his eyes and smiled as, 1t seemed to
him, no woman had ever smiled before.
She put her card into his hand.
THE two with the crosses are the
ones ! promised YOU" she said, and as
she had promised and he had asked
nothing his heart beat high with tri-
umph.
Not that 1t was n case of love at first
sight. He was in love with Dorothy.
But the most faithful of men may pay
the court she expects to belle and
and may allow himself to be fattercd
by her marked favors.
He could honestly, then and for sew
aral weeks afterward, give Dorothy
the comfort she sorely needed and say
that he did not even think Miss Leeds
beautiful. "She has style and charm"
he passed judgment. "but not beauty.
And she Is firt." He meant that Miss
Torrance should understand how en-
tirely he abhorred that.
did she try to flirt when you called
upon herT
He had made point of confessing
the call directly 1t was made, and he
thought 1t tactless of Dorothy to insist
upon it, He shrugged his shoulders.
She does that with every man."
1t was truth which he fully ap-
oreciated, but It's feeble light no longer
fell upon the path of duty when the
time came that the sun of Miss Leeds
countenance shed its glow upon the
highway of inclination. And vet she
lid her best to make 1t clear to him.
Nov, listen to something | mean to
down her teacup and leaned toward
him, with her elbows upon her knees
and her chin between her soft. mink
palms. Her eyes were looking straight
nto his, and they filled his heart with
anticipation. Do you think that this
Is risky game we are playing. and
hat we have been playing 1t for all
IT'S worth that last fortnight or SOP"
Lancaster knit his brows.
at Is not worth while to pretend Won
lon't understand. We both know OK.
ictly what | mean. But | want TO be
sure we both know that 1t is only n
game. | am not In earnest, and you
must not be-"
He gazed at her speechless.
81 suppose you nre thinking that the
suggestion Of serious intentions might
.ome first from you" she said "rhat
nay be your way of looking at it, but
is not mine. | don't care to let Won
aave anything to reproach me with. |
1ave had enough of that In the past |