Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1900-05-17
CHAPTER IX.-CoNTINUED.


And so began the second period of
Gouverneur Primes thralldom. A
young civilian at the Point has few
opportunities at any time, but when
the lady of his love is a belle in the
corps, he would much better take a
long ocean. voyage than be where he
could hear and see, and live in daily
torment. One comfort came to him
when he could not be with Mrs. Gar
Cison (who naively explained that
@Gov" was such a dear boy and they
were such stanch friends, real com
rades, you know. He had early made
The acquaintance of Pat Latrobe, and
there was a bond of sympathy between
them which was none the less strong
because, on Primes side, it could neith-
er be admitted nor alluded to-that
they were desperately in love with the
sisters, and it was not long before it
began to dawn on Prime that pretty
Nita was playing a double game-that
even while assuring her guardian sister
that she had only a mild interest in
Aatrobe, she was really losing or had
Gost her heart to him, and in every way
III her power was striving to conceal
the fact from Margaret, and yet meet
her lover at hours when she thought it
possible to do so without discovery.
AS the friendship strengthened be-
tween himself and Latrobe they began
using him as Cupid's postman, and
many little notes and some big ones
found their way to and from the Fourth
CiEVision of cadet barracks. Mrs. Frank
NwaS only moderately kind to her civil
;Iau adorer then, granting him only one
dance 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
rGhereforc conspicuous, and cadets-who
Know a good thing when they see it
and many a pretty girl partner would
draw aside to watch the perfection of
their step and the exquisite ease with
which they seemed to float through
space, circling and reversing and wind
ang among the other dancers, he ever
alert, watchful, quick as a cat and
1.-THE and strong as panther-she all
yielding, lissome, airy grace. That dance
was "Gov" Primes reward, and almost
only reward. for hours of impatient
waiting. Other women, charming and
pretty and better women, would glad
w have been his partners. Some two
or three whom he met at the hotel even
antimated as much. But not until Lady
Garrison told him he must-to protect
her from scandal-did he ask another
TO dance. At last came the end of the
summers encampment. the return of
the corps to barracks and studies, one
kolissful week in which he was enabled
TO spend several uninterrupted hours
each day at her side. and then a
cataclysm. letter intended only for
Nita's hands fell into those of her sis
ter. 1t was bulky. 1t was from La
trobe. She hesitated only a moment,
then, with determination in her eyes,
opened and read-all. Two days after
Kita was whisked away to New York,
and within another week, leaving two
most disconsolate swains on the Hud-
son. the sisters, one of them bathed in
tears, went spinning away to the west,
where Frank Garrison was on duty at
department headquarters. Prime was
permitted to write once a fortnight Che
sent a volume). and Latrobe forbidden
but already the poor boy owned a thick
packet of precious missives, all breath
ing fond love and promising utter con-
stancy though she had to wait for him
for years. For a month Nita would
hardly speak to her sister, but in Oc-
tober there were lovely drives, picnics
and gayeties of all kinds. There were
attractive young officers and assidu-
Gus old ones, and among these latter
was Frost. with his handsome gray
mustache and distinguished bearing,
and that air of conscious success and
possession which some men know so
well how to assume even when their
chances are Simmer than my lady s
hand. "'he sistcrly breach was healed
before that beautiful month was over.
Frost dined at the Garrisons' four
times week and drove Miss Nita be-
mind his handsome bays every day or
two. In November he asked a ques-
Gion. In December there was an an
nouncement that called forth a score
of congratulations around headquar-
Gers, and in January the wedding cards
went all over the union--some to West
Point, but to Latrobe who had been
looking i'll and anxious for six weeks.
said his classmates, and falling off fear
fully in his studies. said his professors
only a brief note inclosing his letters
and begging for hers. At reveille next
morning there was no captain to re-