Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1900-03-03

/ be very much battered, and Proctor be
| lieyed that he was the sort of fellow
who could be interesting for eighteen
hours at a stretch.
ITS not fair" Mrs. Strong protested
to her husband.
You'd have thought it so, If it had
been me instead of La Roche" he sug-
gested
But it's not fair to Ella" she insist
ed weakly.
ELLA will think it's a good joke,
which it is. He has written her the
whole thing. He told me so"
but is it right of us? Miss Hadey is
our guest"
"Oh, no, she's not; that's a mistake
We are here on sufferance. You are
useful to order the meals and to guard
her against ntruders on their tete-a-
tetes.' He reminded her of episodes in
proof of this.
HAS she asked you about him." Mrs.
Strong wanted to know.
He said that she had. "And | told her
that he was brevet-bachelor Proctor
himself came in at the moment aud she
dropped 1t. Now you be still for day
or two and let things take their course"
And they took it, at hand -gallop.
Miss Hadley might have guessed that
one first lieutenant could never have
afforded all the fancy boxes of flowers
and candies that came over for her, in
Proctors name, by about every boat.
Rnt eli 10
ably; and she was nightly pleased,
both with herself and him. Where
upon she was still more disagreeable to
every one else.
But tiny cloud began to float across
her blue sky. The flowers and sweets
were many and arrived regularly, and
when they wanted Proctor al the adiu-
tants office they sent for him to the
Strongs. And yet, though the week
of her visit was drawing to a close, he
was no nearer to love making than upon
the first day. She grew a tritle uneasy
1t was not that she wanted Proctor, but
that she wanted to know she could have
him. So she cOndescended, in the di-
lemma, to speak to her host. MIR. Proc
tor is a desperate f1irt, don't you
think?" she asked. 1t was meant to be
light, but it was a shade anxious.
That would have been Strong's chance
to have put an end to joke that was
going too far. 1t had gotten away from
them, and the man to stop 1t refused to
arise. Strong funked. He looked mean,
and said that he had never known Proc
tor to flirt. "He is swathed in red tape,
as general thing, has notions of duty
and the rest of it," Then he went off
and swore at Proctor in his own breast.
Which Is human nature.
Proctor for his part swore at every
body else openly. Pm so far In it now
that | don't know how to get out" he
said; and they grnned and suggested
that he tell the truth and shame the
devil.
And feel more of a COMPOUNDED ass
than | do now"
"Consider-you are ayenging u.s."
cooed the bachelors.
He said rude things about them. They
asked what he would like them to do.
Shall we come in body the next
time you are en- tete-a-tete and explain,
or shall we do it while you are absent
and can't defend yourself? Any way
you put it you will look a good deal Of
a cad you know" They chuckled.
Proctor sulked. Mrs. Strong has got
, to do it," he announced.
Mrs. Strong won't. She feels about
as small as you do. She goes around
with the look of stage conspirator.
You might draw off gradually" they
advised.
Il might make a qualified fiat of my
SELF said Proctor; I've done it, as 1t
is He departed to keep an engage
ment To walk around the island with
Miss Hadley.
When they started he made the sol
emn resolve that before they got TO
quarantine station she should know all.
But she swung into the post as bliss
fully ignorant as She had left it. He
/ had funked again.
! And at this point Fate came to his
aid. They sat on the steps Of the
Str0ngs quarters resting. when an or
derby brought telegram for him and
box for Miss Hadley. The box contain
ed violets, Proctor was pleased to think
what those little attentions were cost
ing the other bachelors, but he glanced
at his own card, lying in the purple
fragrance, with loathing. Then he
opened the telegram, and put 1t hastily
in his pocket.
Miss Hadley asked what 1t was. He
said that 1t was from some one he had