The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1900-05-17
CHAPTER Iy.-CoxrlSrrp.

CHAPTER IN.-CoNTINuED.
Aud so began the second period OF
iou,crncur Primes ihralldom. \
yOung civilian at the Point has few
opportunities at any time. but when
hc lady Of his love Is q belle IN the
'orps. he would much better take u
ong ocean voyage than bc where he
could hear and see, and live in daily
torment. One comfort came to him
when he could not he with Mrs. Gar
rison twho nniycly explained that
Gov" was such "a dear boy and they
were such stanch friends. real com.
rndcs. you know. lie had early made
the acquaintance of Fat Lnirobc. and
here was bond of sympathy between
them which was none the less strong
because. on Primes side. II could neith-
or be admitted nor alluded to--that
they were desperately in love with the
sisters. and IL was not long before IL
began to dawn on Prime that pretty
Niia was playing Il double gnmc--thnt
even while assuring her guardian sister
that she had only mild interest IN
Lnirobc. she was really losing or had
lost her heart 10 him. and In every way
in her power was striving To conceal
the fact from Margaret. and vet meet
her lover nj hours when she thought il
possible 10 do so without discovery.
AS the friendship strengthened be-
tween himself and Iairobe they began
using him as Cupid's postman, and
many little notes and some big ones
found their way To aud from the Fourth
division of cadet barracks. Mrs. Frank
was only moderately kind to her civil
ian adorcr then. granting him only one
lance at each hop. and going much
with other men. but that dance WAS
worth seeing. Primes was the only
black "claw hammer" in the room. and
therefore conspicuous. and cadcts-who
know good thing when they see it
aud many II pretty girl partner would
draw aside 10 watch the perfection Of
their step and the exquisite ease with
which they seemed To float through
space. circling and reversing and wind
ing among the other dancers. he ever
alert. watchful. quick ~ eat and
1.-THE and strong H. "a panther she all
yielding. lissomc. airy grace. That dance
was "Goy" Primes reward. and almost
only reward. for hours OF impatient
waiting. Other women. charming and
pretty and better women. would glad
ly have been his partners. Some two
or three whom he met at the hotel even
intimatcd as much. I!uf not until Lady
Garrison told Him he miist--to protect
her from scandal-d did he ask another
To dance. At last came the end of the
summers cncampmcnt. the return Of
the corps to barracks and studies. one
blissfu! week in which he was enabled
tn spend several uninterrupted hours
each day nt her side. and then "a
cntnclysin. \ letter intended only for
Nita'S hands fell into those of her sis
ter II was bulky. II was from La
trobe. She hcsitatcd only moment,
then. with determination in her eyes.
opened ard rcad--all. Two days after
Mia was whiskcd away To New York.
aud within another week. leaving two
most disconsolatc swains on the Ilud-
son, the sisters. one of them bathpd in
tears. went spinning away to the west.
where Frank Garrison was on duty at
department headquarters. Prime was
permitted to write once fortnight the
sent n ,olnmc), and Latrobc forbidden.
hut already the poor boy owned n thick
packet Of precious missiycS. all breath
ing fond love AMI promising utter con
stnncy though she had To wnit for him
for years. For u month Mia would
hardly speak Ia her sister. but in de-
tubcr there were lovely drives. picLics
and gayctics Of all kinds. There were
attractive young officers and nssidu-
OF, old ones. aud among these latter
was Frost. with his handsome gray
miisinchc and distinguished bearing.
and that air of conscious success and
possession which some men know go
well how TO assume even when their
chances are slimirTr than my lady's
hand. The sistcrly breach was healed
Frost dincd at the Garrisons' four
times II week and drove Miss Niin be.
hind his handsome bays every day e..
two. In November he asked n qucs-
tion. ln December there was an AN
nouncrmrnt that called forth u score
nf cor gratulaiions around hcadquar-
tiers. and IN January the wedding cards
went all over the uniGn-somc TO West
Point. but TO I.atrobc. who had been
lacking IN and anxious for six weeks.
said his class mates. and falling off fear
fully In his studies. said his professors.
only n brief note inclosing his letters
aud brgcing for hers. AZ rcycille next
morning there was no captain To re-
rcivc the report OF roll call from the
first sergeant of company u. where's
Lutrobe:" slcepily asked the officer Of
the day uf the cadet first lieutenant.
II dn' know" was the answer, and
To the amaze of Latrobe's roommate,
who had gone To bed and 10 sleep right
after taps the night before, they found
evidence that Pat" had left the post.
lie had not even made down his bed
ding. His cadet uniforms were all
there. but suit OF civilian clothes.
usually In u snug package mp the chim-
ncy. that had been used several times
"running II" To the hotel after taps In
! August. was row. like It's owner, miss
ing. After three days waiting and
fruitless search, the superintendent
wired Latrobe's uncle and best friend,
old Gen. Drayton. and that was the last
! seen or heard of "l'at." In the spring
and ahead OF time his class was grad
uated without him, for the war with
Spain was on. In the spring nm iraie
and long-tried father was upbraiding