Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1900-01-12

and conclusion when the Maine was
blown to a mass Of wreckage. They
were in Washington when the congress
demanded full satisfaction Of Spain,
and Col. Frost was told his leave was
cut short-that he must return to his
station at once Going first to the Ar
lington and '~hurrfedly entering the
room, he almost stumbled over the
body Of his wife, lying close ito the
door In. a swoon from which It took
SssoafhkatfmeA and the eForts,o6 the house
physician and the maids to restore her.
Questioned later AZ to the she
wept Historically and wrung her hands.
She didn't know. She had gone to the
door to answer, q knock, and got, dizzy
and remembered nothing ore What
became of the knocker? She didn't
know. Frost inquired III, the Office. A
bellboy was found who said he had
taken up a cardsin> an envelope given
him by 9 young Teller who seemed
kind 9lpkhfcck:: Mrs. Frost took it and
Aopped's' ann chambermaid ran in to
her, and then hurried for the doctor.
"What became of the letter or note or
card?'" asked Frost, with suspicion of
jealousy in his heart. Two women,
mistress and maid, and the bellboy
swore they didn't know, but the maid
did know. With the quick intuition of
her sex and class she had seen that
there was or had been a young lover,
and sympathy for Nita and a dislike for
Frost, who gave no tips, prompted her
to hide it until she could slip it safely
into Nita's hand, Nita who read, shud-'
dered, tore it into minute scraps, and
wept more, face downward, on the bed.
They had reached their winter station
before the cable flashed the stirring
tidings of Dewey's great victory in Ma
Mia bay, and within half a week came
telegraphic orders for Col. Frost to pro-
coed at once to San Francisco, there to
await instructions. The. first expedi-
ton was organizing when he arrived,
his pallid little wife by his side, and
there were his instructions to proceed
to Manila as chief of his department.
an independent position, and, yet it was
a horrid blow. But there was no re-
course. Nita begged that she might
stay with her sister. She could not
bear the idea of going. Frost knew that
no women could accompany the expedi-
ton, and, shipping his chest and desks
by the transport, he had secured passage
for himself and wife to Hong-Kong on
one of the splendid steamers of the
English line from Vancouver, and so in
formed her. 1t dashed Nita's last hope.
They were occupying fine rooms at the
Palace hotel. The city was thronged
with officers and rapidly arriving
troops. Other army women, eager to
accompany their husbands, were rail-
ing at the fate that separated them, and
Nita had been forced to conceal the joy
with which she heard their lamenta-
tions. But she had yet to learn how ex-
acting Frost could be. 1t had never oc-
CURED to her that he could obtain per-
mission to go except by transport. It
had not seemed possible that he would
! take her with him. "You should have
known" said he, shat even if I had had
to 60 by transport. you would have
goneby the Empress of India. It is only
80 hours from Manila to Hong-Kong,
and I could have joined you soon after
your arrival. AS it is 1 shall see you
safely established there-I lave letters
to certain prominent English people
then shall go over to join the fleet when
it arrives in Manila bay"
That night she wrote long and des-
perately to Margaret. "He swore he
would follow me wherever we went un-
til I granted him the interview. You
know how he logged me in Washington,
followed me to Denver, and any mo
ment he may address me here. F. will
not let me return to you. He insists on
my going to Hong-Kong, where he can
occasionally join me. But Rollin holds
those letters over mt like a whip, and
declares that he will give them into
Frost's hands unless l see him when
ever he presents himself. You made
me swear to Frost I never cared a straw
for my darling that was. o God, how
I loved him! and If these letters ever
reach the man to whom you have sold
me, he would treat me as he would a
dog, even if he doesn't kill me. Meg
Meg-you must help me, for I live in
terror"
And that she lived in terror was true,
some women were quick to see. Never
would she go anywhere, even along the
corridor, alone. If the colonel could
not come to luncheon she was served
in their rooms. If she had to go calling
or shopping it was in a carriage and
always with some army woman whom
she could persuade to go with her.
One day, just before their intended
departure, she drove out paying part
ing calls. 1t was quite late when the
carriage drew up at the Market street
entrance, the nearest to their elevator.
The door boy sprang across the side
walk to open the carriage, and as she
stepped YEARLY out a tall young man,
erect and slender, dressed in a dark
travelling suit, fairly confronted her,
raised his derby and said: You can
give me ten minutes now, Mrs. Frost.
Be good enough to take my arm"
Bowling her head she strove to dodge