Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1900-01-19

DEN
on the trunks" .
The colonel turned in saddle and
coolly surveyed him. DO you mean
Mrs. Stockman's name?" he asked, in
quiet tone. How many trunks were
there?"
ooh, some Of them might have had
Mrs. Stoclman's name, sir; but the two
or three that I saw were marked M. g."
This was unlooked-for news. To her
next-door neighbor Mrs. Garrison had
said nothing about going away with
Mrs. Stockman, and Armstrong had
grave need to- see her and to see her at
once. The train for Los Angeles did not
leave until evening. Possibly they were
lunching somewhere = spending the
afternoon with friends in town. He
rode direct to headquarters. Some of
the staff might be able to tell, was his
theory; and. one Of them justified it.
"Did I happen to meet Mrs Garrison?
Yes, I just saw her aboard the China"
"Aboard the Chinai" exclaimed Arm
strong, with a sudden thrill Of excite
ment. "D'you mean she is going?"
Didn't ask her. They were hustling
everybody ashore, and I had only time
to give dispatches to the purser; but
she was on deck with friends when I
came away"
People wondered that day at the
speed with which the tall officer, fol
lowed by his orderly, clattered away
down Market street. In less than ten
minutes Armstrong was at the crowd
ed pier and pushing through the throng
to the China's stage. Too late! AL
ready it was swung aloft, the lines were
cast loose. and the huge black mass
was just beginning to back slowly from
its mornings. The. rail Of the prom
e~nadesdeck swarmed with faces, some
radiant, some fearful. Words Of adieu,
luttering kerchiefs, waving hands,
tossing flowers were there on every
side. Two officers, Honolulu bound,
shouted Armstrong; name, and a
CHEEKY good-by; but he did not seem to
hear. A gentle voice, the voice of all
others he most longed to hear, repeat
ed the name and strove to call atten-
ton to his gesticulating comrades on
the upper deck; but he was deaf to
both. Eagerly, a~nxiously, incredulous-
ly he was searching along that crowded
rail, and all IN a sudden he saw her.
Yes, there she stood, all gayety, grace
and animation, stylishly gowned and
fairly burdened with roses; and it was
right at him she was gazing, nodding,
smiling, all sweetness, all confding,
trusting joy; with just a little of til
umph, too, and a tinge of sentimental
sorrow in the parting. Apparently, it
was all for him; for her blue eyes never
faltered till they fixed his gaze; and
then, kiss after kiss she threw to him
with the daintily gloved little hand,
and, leaning far down over the rail,
lowering it toward him as much as pos.
sible, she finally tossed to him, stand
ing there stern and spellbound, a
bunch of beautiful roses she had torn
from her oorsage. 1t fell almost at his
feet, for in his establishment and ris-
ing wrath he made no effort to catch it.
A man, STOPPING quickly, rescued and
handed it to him. Mechanically he
said: "Thank you," and took it, q
thorn pricking deep into the flesh at
he did SO; and still his eyes were fixed
on that fairy form now surely, swiftly
gliding away, and over him swept the
consciousness Of utter defeat, of exas.
peration, of dismay, even as he strove
to fathom her motives in thus singing
him out for such conspicuous-even af.
acknowledgements. Triumph
and delight he coald have understood,
but not, not this semblance of conf.
Dental relations, not at least until he
felt his arm grasped by a cordial hand,
heard his name spoken by a friendly
voice, and Mr.. Primes pleasant in,
quiry: "Have you nc greeting for other
friends? ?" Then the hot blood rushed
to his face and showed even through
tho bronze as, turning, his troubled
eyes met full the clear, placid gaze OF
Amy Lawrence. Z
ITO be Continued