The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-10

big slice Of his monthly pay 10 20 with that pat
hculat party and occupy the seat opposite Amy
Lawrence and gaze his Ill at her fair face. He
well nigh hated Squeers az he hurried away to
hail his irst sergeant and give the necessary
orders before daring to return 10 the car
Rage and report his failure His bright blue
eyes were clouded and his face flushed with vex-
alton, for he saw that the rearmost regiment was
even now filing into the Preside Reservation
afnr of to the north, and that time was to be
lost II his friends we're TO zee the review
The distant measured boom OF guns told that the
General in whose honor the ceremony was or
dered was already approaching the appointed
spot and away over the rolling upands toward
The Golden Gate cavalry escort rode into view.
Billy ground his teeth. Run and tell them l
cannot get leave" he called TO a fellow sub
Squeers has sent me TO work Strengthening up
camp Turn out the company. sergeant! Brace
the tent cords and align tents" and a mournful
wave OF his forage cap the only greeting he
dared trust himself to give, as after few minutes
OF fruitless waiting, the vacant seat was given
To another officer and the carriage rolled rapidly
away. A second or two II was hidden from his
sight behind the large wall tents along the line
oil fence. then shot into full view again as he stood
at the end OF the company street looking eagerly
Tor Its temperance. And then occurred a little
thing that was destined to live in his memory for
many day. and that thrilled him with new and
strange delight He had never been OF the so
called "spooney" set at the Varsity. Pretty
girls galore there about that famous ins.tu-
tute. and he had danced at many a student party
and romped through many reel, but the nearest
ne had ever come to something more than a mere
Jolly friendship for girl was the regard in which
he held his partner in the MIXED Doubles" but
that was all on account of her exuberant health.
spirits general comeiness Of face and form. and
exquisite skill in tennis
But this day new and eager longing was
eating at his heart: a strange, dull pang seemed
TO seize upon II as he noted in flash that the seat
that was to have been his was occupied by an
officer many years his senior. a man he knew
only by sight and an enviable reputation a man
whose soldery clearcut face never turned an
instant, for his eyes fixed upon lovely
picture on the opposite seat-Amy Lawrence
bending eagerly forward and gazing with her
beautiful eyes alight with sympathy, interest
and frank liking in search Of the sorely disap-
pointed young officer There he isl" she cried
though too far away for him 10 hear and then,
with no more thought OF coquetry than kitten,
with no moro motive in the world than that OF
conveying TO him an idea of her sorrow her sym
pathy, her perhaps pardonable and exaggerated
Indignation at what she deemed an act Of tyranny
on the part of his commander with only an instant
in which TO express 1t all-her sweet face flushed,
her eyes famed with the light OF her girsh en-
thusiasm and in that instant she had kissed her
hand to him. Col. Armstrong. turning sud
denly and sharply to see who could be the object
OF interest so absorbing, caught ono flittering
glimpse Of Billy Gray lifting his cap in quick
acknowledgment and the words that were on the
tip Of Armstrong; tongue the moment before
were withheld for a more suspicious occasion
and 1t did not come too soon.
ing In the Generals tent the foggy evening OF
the girls first visit to camp, but both in town
and on the tented field there had been several
the young ladies' Junior officers had nonopo-
LIKED the time and attention Of tho latter, but
Armstrong was a close observer and man
who loved all that was strong. high minded
and true in his own sex, and that was pure and
sweet and winsome in woman A keen sold Ter
he had spent many years in active service, most
Of them In the hardy, eventful and vigorous life
Of the Indian frontier He had been oonspicu
Gus In more than stirring campaign against
the red warriors OF the plains, had won his medal
OF honor before his first promotion. and his cap
taincy by brevet for daring conduct Of the world,
at home and abroad; had Travelled much read
much, thought much, but these were things of
less concern to many a woman In our much mar
ried army than the question as to whether he had
ever loved much Certain Il was he had never
married, but that didn't settle it. Many a man
loves, said they. without getting married. forget
full OF the other side Of the proposition advanced
by horrid regmental cynics, that many men
marry without getting loved
Armstrong would not have proved an easy man
TO question that, or indeed any other subject
which he considered as personal to himself Even
in his own regiment in the regular service he had
long been looked upon an exclusive sort OF fell
Iowa man who had no intimates and not many
companions, yet officers and soldiers, he held the
respect and esteem OF the entire command even Of
those regiments in which there not one or two
characters who are best seen and studied through
a binocuar Without being sympathetic said
his critics. Armstrong was square but his critics
had scant means Of knowing whether he was
sympathetic or not He was steadfast fellow.
answering, incorporating sort Of man.
man who would never have done for diplomat
and could never have been elected 70 Office. But
| he was truthful Just, and as tho English officer
reluctantly said. Of Lucan, whom he hated. Yes
damn him-he's brave" The men whom he did
| not seem TO like in the army and who disked him
| were obliged TO confess to themselves at
least. that their reasons were comprised
in the above.recorded, regrettable. but unmis,
| taxable fact-he didn't like them. Another I'M
| popular trait. was that he knew when and how 70
| say He smoked too much, perhaps. and talked
too little for those no would use his words wit
nesses against him. He never gambled, he rarely
drank, he never lent nor borrowed. He was a
bachelor. yet would never Join mess but kept
| house himself. and usually had some favored com
| rade living with him. He was forty. and did not
look thirty five. He tall, erect athletic, hardy
and graceful in build, and his face was one OF
the best to be seen in many line Of officers at pa
rade. His eyes were steel gray and clear and
penetrating. his features clear cut almost too
delicately cut, thought some of the best friends
he had among the men. His hair was brown.
| spanked literally with silver his mouth, an ad
mirable mouth in every way, was shaded and
half hidden by long dropping mustache, "a
which some men thought and some women said
his tapering white fingers paid too much attention
but doubt II knowledge Of this criticism would
have led TO the fantest alteration in the habit
Generally the expression Of Armstrong; face
was grave, and on duty, a trihe STERN and moi
ten people in the world aware what humol
could twinkle in the clear, keen eyes or witch about
the corners Of that mobile mouth. There were
not Ave who knew the tenderness that lay in hid
ing there, for Armstrong had few living kindred