Willmar tribune., 1900-03-14
! Mcclellan tree two size. too big for

: Mcclellan tree two sizes too big for
him, lifted his cap and strove to smile;
he had ridden nothing harder than
park back before that day.. "Frank
says talk of nothing else. But where's
Mr.. Gray? Surely thought he would
be with you." This for Armstrong;
benefit in case he were in the least in
terested in either damsel.
"Mr. Gray was detained by some du-
ties in camp" explained Miss Prime,
with just trace of reserve that was lost
upon neither their new companion nor
placid officer was revolving in his mind.
"Pardon US, Mrs. Garrison" he said,
briefly. eve must hurry. Go on,
driver"
"Oh, can keep up," was the indomit-
able answer, ''even on this creature"
And Mrs. Garrison proved her words by
whipping her steed into a lunging can
ter, and, sitting him admirably, rode
gallantly alongside, and just where Mr..
Prime could not but see and admire,
since Col. Armstrong would not look
at all. He had entered into an explana-
tion of the ceremony by that time well
under way, and Miss Lawrence's great
soft brown eyes were fixed upon him
attentively when, perhaps, she should
have been gazing at the manehvers.
Like those latter, possibly, her thoughts
were changing direction.
Not ten minutes later occurred the
collision between the hack and the
heels that resulted in the demolition of
one and Decentralization" of the rider
of the victor. While the latter was led
away by the obedient Mr.. Ellis lest the
sight of him should bring on another
nervous attack, Mrs. Garrison was suf-
fering herself to be comforted. Her
nerves were gone, but she had not lost
her head. Lots of Preside danes and
damsels were up on the heights that
day in such vehicles as the post afford
ed. None appeared in anything so
stylish and elegant as the carriage of
the Prime party. She was new and
comparative stranger there, and it
would vastly enhance her social
prestige, she argued, to be seen in such
"swell' surroundings. With a little
tact and management she might even
arrange matters so that, willy nilly, her
friends would drive her thither instead
of taking Col. Armstrong back to
camp. That would be a stroke worth
playing. She owed Stanley Armstrong
bitter grudge, and had nursed it long.
She had known him ten years and hated
him nine of them. Where they met and
when it really matters not. In the army
people meet and part in a hundred
places when they never expected to
meet again. She had married Frank
Garrison in hand gallop, said the gar
rison chronicles, "before she had known
him two months" said the men, "before
he knew her at ALL" said the women.
She was four years his senior, if the
chaplain could be believed, and five
months his junior if she could. What
ever might have beenfthe discrepancy
in their ages at the time of the cere-
mony no one would suspect the truth
who saw them now. 1t was he who
looked aged and careworn and
harassed, and she who preserved her
youthful bloom and vivacity.
And now, as she reclined as though
still too weak and shaken to leave the
carriage and return to saddle, her quick
wits were planning the scheme that
should result in her retaining, and his
losing, the coveted seat. There was lit
tie time to lose. Most Of the crowd had
scattered, and she well knew that he
was only waiting for her to leave be-
fore he would return. Almost at the
instant her opportunity came. A cov-
cred wagon reined suddenly alongside
and kind and sympathetic voices hailed
her: do let us drive you home, Mrs.
Garrison; you must have been terribly
shaken" She recognized at once the
wife and daughter of prominent off,
Ger of the post.
"Oh, how kind you are" she ecried. *
was hoping some one would come. In
deed, I did get a little wrench" And
then, as she moved, with a sudden gasp
of pain, she clasped Miss Lawrence's
extended hand.
Indeed, you must not move, Mrs.
Garrison" said that young lady. eve
will drive you home at once.'' Miss
Prime and her father were adding their
pleas. She looked up, smiling family.
Il fear I must trouble you," she
faltered. ''Oh, how stupid of me! But
about Stanley Armstrong; haven't
even thanked him. All, well-he knows.
We've been-such good friends for
years-dear old fellow!"
ITO Be Continued