The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1899-02-04

quite problem how to entertain her.
She didn't go to dances or dinners.
! She could, perhaps. ride and pla, ten
mis-. but tennis she did not care fer.
Riding was unpleasant. because there
were no winding wood roads. no elastic
turf. The mesa was pebbIy or sandy
by turns, the canyon narrow. tile roads
dusty. Ladies' lunches. very, very
quiet and informal. she consented to at
tent, but she did not care for lunches.
The women presently declared she did
not care for women.
The men. especially Minturn and
Whitaker. had early become devoted
to her. and there could be no doubt of
her powers of fascination. The gunner
and the trooper grew cold and c,p-
strained in their manner toward each
other, and Whitaker quit going. as go
he used to day and night. to Haynes or
Merrian's. The colonel's wife, dying
to be hospitable. had urged little,
quiet home dinner. Just yourself,
your friends. the Graftons and Merri-
ans. and, say. Mr.. MiEturn." Mrs. Graf
ton assured the kind army woman that
Mrs. McLane would not think of ac
cepting. Mrs. McLane amazed her host
'ess by eventually saying yes.
Since the Tuesday evening of their
call not once had the Merriams held
conversation with the widow. She
called. as has been seen. and Mrs. Mer-
riam had to be excused. Mrs. Merriam
used to love tennis. but quit the game
as soon as Mrs. McLane began coming
to the court. Mrs. Merriam. who used
TO love to ride with Randy. had dscon-
tinued it day or two after that ul-
legged Illness, as though to carry out
the illusion. but by the Thursday she
again appeared in the saddle and gal
ioped out upon the mesa by her hus-
bands side. Returning, they met Mrs.
McLane just starting out with her gun
ner friend. and the ice had to be broken.
The stylishIy habited widow beamed
on both. begged Floy to let her know
at what hour they would ride next day,
as she adored it of all things. and next
day Floy's horse was reported dead
lame" and she would ride no other.
When Mrs. Colonel's invitation came for
that utterly unlooked-for dinner. the
Merriams were cornered. for Fioy,
though looking sallow and heavy-eyed
now,was not really i'll and could urge TO
excuse Garrison dinner bids" must be
answered as promptly as those in city
, life. We've got to so dear" said Mer-
RAM calmly. 80 send our acceptance"
II won't 60" said Floy TO herself, as
! she penned and signed the little note,
, and when Saturday came she was too
} Ill to leave her bed. Mrs. T1ayne came
TO minister to and sit with her. The
Freemans were hidden instead, and
Mrs. Freeman could have stamped
: her pretty foot invocation, for neither
she nor her lord thought it the proper
thing for Mrs. McLane to be going to
dinners so early in her widowhood; be-
I sides. there were other reasons.
/. The dinner came off. however, and
was n dismal feast with dramatic con.
, clusion.
G AS has been shown, only twice had
Mrs. McLane had speech with Merriam
during the seven days. and both times
it was in presence of his wife. The
c Graftons, Haynes and Freenlans were
: delighted with him as consequence
e and rejoced in secret over her. But
0 not a whit did the widow show disap
d pointmcnt or discontinue. She wa:
? amply entertained, apparently, witt
:, the increasing devotions Of MinturI
: and Whitaker, and the latter spen
t two miserable hours this Saturday
!, evening in jealous contemplation of hi!
d own outcast lot and Minturns presum
l. able bliss. Yet the colonel could no
: have both to dinner, so Mrs. Colone
was allowed to decide, and her pref
: erence was for the artilleryman. The
d Graftons went with rather bad grace
g Mrs. Grafton warning her guest tina
" the whole garrison would be talking
l. of her Inconsistency, but, as Ned Parr,
remarked on a previous occasion, Fan
e had had her own way ever since she GU
her first tooth, and did not propose II
). be ruled now.
|
is whispered" said she, Indignantly
d were to implorc me not to waste IN.
< youth in vain lamertation. Life is to-
y short to be spent in tears were hi
very words" and evidently the widow
II was here in full sympathy with tn
d expressed or reported views of tn
dear departed. She went. She looke'
j. uncommonly pretty in gown of deep
S. est. most somber and most cXpensiv
s Grape. She sat at the colonel's right
It and made eyes at him all through din
d ner, leaving Minturn on her right t
If sulk and scowl and seek comfort in tn
rs communicates champagne. Fanny her
Al self partook not too sparingy of thi
s. seductive fluid. and was sparkling wit
j. animation and good spirits when, jus
If before coffee was served-just as tn
If trumpets were sounding tattoo out o.
A. the moonlit parade, servant came ant
It whispered to the master of the house
e "reIl him I'm at dinner and can't sc
h him now"
ID The servant vanished, then REAP
d peared, bent and whispered again.
IS "Tell him I'm at dinner and won