The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1899-08-17
THE PR1N uEToN UNION: THURsDAY AU GUsT ~, 1899

had this ingenious repository Of Bar
clayisms all to herself until Winn
should return. The chance was not to
be lost.
~ love to live over those dear old
days when I was GIRL she said.
Friends seemed SO real then, men SO
true, life SO buoyant. Sometimes I find
myself wishing there were more of the
old friends the old Set here We seem
so much more to each other, don't you
know, Mr.. Hodge?'' And Hodge felt
sure ''we" did and hitched his chair a
foot nearer the fire.
"Of course was younger then, and
knew SO little of the world, and yet,
knowing it as I do now-I can say this
to you, you know, Mr. Hodge-I could
not to another soul here, for you were
of us, you served with fathers column. "
,(Hodge's service was limited to play
poker with "those wretches Gates and
Hagadorn" and others of Waite's COM
mand on one or two memorable occa-
sions, and the resultant hole in his
purse was neither as broad as church
nor deep as we'll, but 'twould serve)
"I've often felt here as though I would
give anything to see some Of the dear
old crowd; not that people are not very,
very lovely here but, you know, we
army friends cling SO to the old associa-
TONS" And now the beautiful eyes
seemed almost suffused, and Hodge
waxed eloquent
II am thrice fortunate,' said he, re-
calling the lines Of his Maltravers, Gin
that I am numbered among them.''
And now, like Laura, he looked upon
Worth as cold and dormant as compared
with the kindling friendships of the
distant Platte.
Indeed you are!'' said she. ''You
bring back the sweetest days of MY life
and some Of the saddest. I have no one
to speak to me, you know-of course
until you did moment ago. Tell me,
isis his life so changed ashley say
it is?''
II never saw a man so broke up," he
responded. "He never smiled after you
-after-after it was broken off, you
know" Barclays smile was as rare as
straight flush anyhow, he admitted
to himself, but the assertion sounded
we'll.
"And - of- late-what have you
heard Of him?" she asked, and Hodge
poured forth his latest news and added
more. He, too, he said, had had let
ter from an intimate friend. Captain
Barclay had declared that the assign
ment to the Twelfth cavalry was i'm
possible; Texas was impossible. His
business interests would necessitate his
declining, if indeed there were no other
reasons. General Corliss had rendered
him the position of abide camp and
made Billy Ray Of the til resign to
make way for him, and the moment
Barclay found that out he went to Ray
and told him the whole business was
without his (Barclay's) knowledge and
sooner than displace him he would re-
fuse. "Yes,' said Hodge, ''that's the
way my friend heard it from Ray him
self. Now, if Barclay could only get
detail on McDowell's staff in California
it would have suited him to tee. Then
he could have looked after his Nevada
interests and his Wyoming pensioners
| too.''
,."Did Mr.. Hodge know surely about
Mr.. Barclay wealth? Was it all true?''
he was asked.
"Oh. yes, there wasn't doubt of
it, said Hodge. It was just another of
those cases where m;Sl had money in
abundance and yet would have given
it all, he added scntimentally, but here
she uplifted rebukingly her white, slim
hand-or was it warning]y. for there
came quick football on the porch
without? The hall door opened sharply,
letting in gust of cold night wind,
and, throwing off his cavalry cape, with
its faded yellow lining. Lieutenant
VIM strobe through the hallway into
his little den at the rear.
"You will come and see me again.
she murmured low while yet the foot
steps resounded; lit has been so-good
to see you-so like old times. Well
have to talk Of other things now. Mr..
VIM doesn't like old times too we'll"
But Mr.. VIM never so much as look
ed in the parlor door until she called to
him. Then, as she saw his face, the
young wife arose with anxiety in her
own.
"What is it? Where are you going
with your revolver, too, Mr.. Hodge,
dear?''
"Oh-h, beg pardon, Mr.. Hodge,! Glad
to see youv' was WINS distraught &C
acknowledgement Of the presence of the
visitor as he extended reluctant hand
my sergeant can't be found,' he went
on hurriedly. ''They say he's gone to
Fuller's ranch, and it may be all right,
but the colonel has ordered out patrol
to fetch him back. Don't worry, Laurie.
may have to ride out with it."~ %-s
And hurriedly he kissed her and
bounded down the steps. Is Is .'$szs
For moment she stood in the door
way, the light from the hall lamp shin
ing on her dusky hair and proud, beau
tiful face, forgetful of the man who
stood gazing at her. Then, with shiv-
| er, she suddenly turned. &j
cts the second time that Sergeant
| Marsden has been missed in Just this