Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1900-03-02


"It's 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 good Joke,
which 1t Is. He has written her the
whole thing. He told me So"
"But is it right of us? Miss Hadley 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 intruders on their tete-a-
tetes." He reminded her Of episodes In
proof of this.
"Has she asked you about him p 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 and she
dropped 1t. Now you be still for day
or two ana let things take their course" :"
ID.
Miss Hadley might have guessed that
one first lieutenant could never have
afforded all the fancy boxes of flowers
and candles that came over for her, In
Proctor's name. by about every boat
But she did not stop to reflect prob
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 at the adju-
tant's office they sent for him to the
Strongs'. And yet, though the week
of her visit was drawing to close, he
was no nearer to love-making than upon
the first day. She grew trife 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. "Mr. Proc
tor Is a desperate firt, don't you
think?" she asked. 1t was meant to be
light, but 1t 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 filrt. "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. "I'm so far in it now
that don't know how to get out" he
said; and they grinned and suggested
that he tell the truth and shame the
devil.
And feel more of a confounded ass
than | do now"
"Conslder-you are avenging 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 1t while you are absent
and can't defend yourself? Any way
you put 1t you will look 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 qualified fiat Of my
self!' said Proctor; 1--WE done 1t. as It
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 Lad left IT, He
had funked again.
And at this point Fate came to his
aid. They sat on the steps OF the
Strongs' quarters, resting. when an or
derby brought telegram for him and Il
box for Miss Eladley. The box contain
ed violets. Proctor was pleased to til nix
what those little attentions were cost.
Ing the other bachelors, but he glanced
at his own card, lying In the purple
fragrance, with loathlng. Then he
opened the telegram, and put 1t hastily
In his pocket.
Miss Hadley asked what II was. He
said that II was from some one he had
to meet at the train tomorrow.
(Which tralnT said Miss Hadley.
THE train from the East" said Proc
tor.
She told him that she, too, was going
to the city on the early boat for u few