Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1899-12-13
the colonel. It settled matter the
placid rfficer was revolving in his mind.

pldclu rlncor WIS REMOVING III dis mlnu.
pardon us, Mrs. Garrison" he said.
briefly. 1--WE must hurry. Go on,
driver"
"oh, 1 can keep up" was the indomit-
able answer, ''even on this creature"
And Mrs. Garrison proved her words by
whipping her steed into a lunging can
ter, and, sitting him admirably, rode
CALAMITY alongside, and just where Mr..
Prime could not but see and admire,
since Col. Armstrong would not look
at all. He had entered into an explana-
ton Of the ceremony by that time well
under way, and Miss Lawrence's great
soft brown eyes were fixed upon him
attentively when, perhaps, she should
have been gazing at the maneuvers.
Like those latter, possibly, her thoughts
were changing direction.
Not ten minutes later occurred the
collision between the hack and the
heels that resulted in the demolition of
one and Decentralization" of the rider
of the victor. While the latter was led
away by the obedient Mr.. Ellis lest the
sight of him should bring on another
nervous attack, Mrs. Garrison was suf-
fering herself to be comforted. Her
nerves were gone, but she had not lost
her head. Lots Of Preside danes and
damsels were up on the heights that
day in such vehicles as the post afford
ed. None appeared in anything 30
stylish and elegant as the carriage of
the Prime party. She was new and
comparative stranger there, and it
would vastly enhance. her social
prestige, she argued, to be seen in such
swell" surroundings. With little
tact and management she might even
arrange matters SO that, willy nilly, her
friends would drive her thither instead
Of taking Col. Armstrong back to
camp. That would be stroke worth
playing. She owed Stanley Armstrong
q bitter grudge, and had nursed it long.
She had known him ten years and hated
him nine of them. Where they met and
when it really matters not. In the army
people meet and part in hundred
places when they never expected to
meet again. She had married Frank
Garrison in hand gallop, said the gar.
rison chronicles, 'before she had known
him two months" said the men, "before
be knew her at ALL" said the women
She was four years his senior. II the
chaplain could be believed, and fiv,
months his junior If she could. What
ever might have been the discrepancy
In their ages at the time of the cere
mony no one would suspect the truth
who saw them now. It was he who
looked aged and careworn ant
harassed, and she who preserved hel
youthful bloom and vivacity.
II And now, as she reclined as though
still too weak and shaken to leave thu
carriage and return to saddle, her quicl
wits were planning the scheme tina
should result in her retaining, and hi!
losing, the coveted seat. There was lit
tie time to lose. Most of the crowd hat
scattered, and she we'll knew that HI
i was only waiting for her to leave be
fore he would return. Almost at tn
instant her opportunity came. A GOV
cred wagon refined suddenly alongside
and kind and sympathetic voices hailet
her: "Do let us drive you home, Mr..
Garrison; you must have been terribl.
shaken" She recognized at once tn
: wife and daughter of q prominent Off
) GER of the post.
' "Oh, how kind you are, J" she cried. Is
was hoping some one would come. In
!, deed, l did get a little wrench" An,
I then, as she moved, with sudden gas
] of pain, she clasped Miss Lawrence
E extended hand.
. Indeed, you must not move, Mri
3 Garrison" said that young lady. "W