Arizona republican., 1899-03-22
]. THE VI6TOR'S SPOILS. s A Story of Army Life.
  BY oWENDoLEN OVERTON.

MI 1SS IERRENCE, gong dOWu the WI line, watched the girl who was coming toward her. There'were three men with the girl. and only Lancaster was with Miss Terrence. However, as he was all the world to her, Helena like, she lacked not worlds of conn pany. The six men met on the walk in front of Capt. Lansing's quarters.
 Lansing was a cynic who observed his kind and told the result ot hls oD- servations. Such are deservedly un- popular, but command appreciative au- diences that are the envy of the good hearted. It was to an 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 it's rightful owners.
 Dorothy Terrence"-he began. lay ing his saber across his knees and set ting 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 know-came down the walk. She
 
 son with her. and she was looking like a celestial being. They were both dressed in white-but there was diff ference. Mrs. Lansing says it lay in q silk foundation. Be that as it may, there was a fearfully and wonderful ly-made hat. all drifts, and mists, and sprays of white, atop of Miss Leeds, and a huffy-all-round sort of parasol atop of that. Dorothy saw Miss Leeds from afar, but the latter did not see Dorothy. They came together in front Cf my quarters-'and I with my harp vas there Dorothy moved to one s.de. It was her instant attitude, and. l fear, prophetic. The woman who steps aside can always stay there. But all might have gone well. and this story might never have been told, il Kant had not indulged his vulgar pro- pensity for introductions. Miss Leeds bestowed a sweet and transitory smile upon Miss Terrence; but Lancaster is not the best-looking fellow in the Presidio for nothing. If any of you happen to share my good fortune of knowing her, you will understand what-in the nature of things and
 
 eyes upon him with a trick she has Cf seeming to look into ones very soul She has the most beautiful voice out side of the heavenly choir, and she drought it into play also. Dorothy stood it as long as she could, and then she tried to get him away. He never even heard Ter. If Miss Leeds had not gazed soul-searchingly at him and told him that she must be going, but would see him IL the hop, he doubtless would be standing there still, with Dorothy anxiously watching him. It will be worth going to the hop to see things Lappcn"
 Lancaster stood at the door of the dressing-room and watched Miss Leeds while he waited for Dorothy. He saw her throw back her gorgeous cloak and drop it from her with the careless djsdain of celestial creature discard ing some temporary earthly garment.
 Dorothy waited at his side for fully five minutes before he saw her. Then she laughed mockngly 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 l besieging group. She was backed against the wall, and a sunburst of sabers was just above her head.
 There are only 20 dances" she kept repeating, land I never divide" Lancaster took two of his fellow ,, officers by the shoulders and put them out of his way. Miss Leeds looked into | his eyes and smiled as, it seemed 10 him, no woman had ever smiled before. i She put her card into his hand
 ''The two with the crosses are the | ones I promised you.'' she said. And | as she had promised and he had asked | nothing, his heart beat high with, tri- | umph.
 Not that it was a 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 a belle, and may allow himself to be fattered by her marked favors.
 He could honestly then and for sev- eral 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 tiirt." He meant that Miss Terrence should understand how en- tirely he abhorred that.
 Did she try to dirt when you called upon hcr?"
 He had made a point of confessing the call directly it was made, and he thought it tactless of Dorothy to insist 1IDOo if TJo cbruCOaJ I,;c cbouIJo-e She does that with every man.
 It was truth which he fully appre- ciated, but it's feeble light no longer fell upon the path of duty when the time came. that the sun of Miss Leeds coun- ienance shed it's glow upon the high way of inclination. And yet she did her best to make it clear to him.
 Now, listen to something I mean to