The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1899-09-14


had his trouble so weighed upon him
that he really welcomed the possible
coming of the end? Brayton's was a
hard lot just now. Assiduously he was
hiding from his own captain all indica-
tions of the forthcoming meeting.
Somehow he felt that Barclay would
not hesitate to disclose the project to
the post commander, and then every
cad in Texas would jeer and crow and
say it was VIM and he who crawfshed.
Barclay had noted that VIM seemed
avoiding him again and spoke OF it to
Brayton, who answered that VIM was
avoiding everybody. He was blue and
depressed about his affairs.
"Yet I understood that he had re-
ceived more than enough to settle those
commissary accounts, said the captain.
sob, yes" answered Brayton, "but
there are other Matters How could
he tell Barclay that he thought Winn's
love and faith in his wife were dead
and gone? How could he tell him that
Vim would touch no dollar of the
money until he had first met and salts
fed another claim? Barclays suspicious
would have been aroused at once.
But VIM was having another trou-
BILE now Laura had set her heart on
going to the picnic, and for no other
reason, she declared, than that she
must show the women there was moth
ing amiss. If he and she, either or both,
should fail to attend the Fraziers' en-
tertainment, every one would say he
still believed her guilty Of having a
rendezvous with Barclay at that un-
earthly hour and that she was unfor-
given.
AS he had done many time before,
VIM yielded. What mattered it? There
might be only that day for him. He
could accomplish nothing by absenting
himself. He could aid in brushing away
any cloud upon her name by going and
being devoted to her. So go they did,
and women who watched with wary
and suspicious eyes long remembered
how fond and loverlike were VIM S
attentions to his beautiful wife; how
often on the way he rode to the side Of
that ambulance to say some little word
to her; how anxiously he seemed ia
scan that lowering westward sky, for
by the time they reached the Blanca
gorge the cloud banks were climbing to
the zenith and the westward heavens
were black as the cinder patches along
the heights about them, where fir and
spruce and stunted pine had strewn the
slopes with dry, resinous carpet, too
easily ignited by the sparks from hunt.
er's pipe or campfire. At O'Clock
Blythe, Brooks and Frazier, Chamber.
ing rocky ridge to the southeast of
the lovely picnic cove, looked gravely
at the blackening sky, then gravely in.
to one another's faces. IT think We
ought to start at once, - said the colo
mel. "That't, no place to be caught in q
storm" And he pointed downward az
he spoke.
At their feet was the deep, grassy
valley, hemmed by precipitous bluffs
The greensward at the base Of the bar
rier ridge was soft and velvety. A rich
Or soil nourished the roots of the bunch
grass, and all men knew that more thar
once in bygone days the sudden swell
ing Of the brawling waters that came
foaming and swirling down the ravin'
from the depths Of the crested heights
within had turned that beautiful littl,
sheltered nook into a deep lake tina
slowly emptied itself through the mar
row, twisting, rocky gorge that ended
at the White Gate. On the level tur
the dancers were merrily footing i
even now to the music Of an inspiring
quadrille, the pretty gowns of the wo
men, the uniforms Of the men, adding
brightness to the picture. Below tn
camp the mules and horses were placid
~ grazing close by the inner opening o
:, the gorge, the white covers Of the wag
, ons and the snowy canvas of the two O.
three tents adding to the picturesque
ness Of the scene All at the feet of tn
watching group was life, laughter ant
!