Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1900-03-02
fI,llEELI
nospess::

10
nosuess:r.
'Other officers, you know, are or
dered home. We have just heard to-
day that Col. Frost comes very soon.
His health seems quite. shattered. /
believe-you knew of them-slightH
that is to say, Miss Prime. did you
not?" But even with her words she
cast an anxious glance along the dim
reach Of the lanai, for the ~pit-a-pat'of
footballs, the swish of feminine. .dra-
peries was distinctly heard. Two
dainty,awhite-robed forms came float
ing into view, and, with changing color,
their hostess suddenly arose and
stepped forward to meet them. Just
one second Of silence INTERVIEWED, then,
all grace and ,gladness, smiles and cor
diality, both her little hands out
stretched, Mrs. Frank Garrison came
dancing into their midst, her sister
more timidly following.
"Dear Mrs. Marsden, how perfectly
kiss, kiss-"delicious! Yes, this is
the baby sister I've raved' to you about.
We go right on with the Doric; but I
had to bring her out with mesthat you
might have just one glance at her.
Why! Mr.. Primel Why, what could
be more charming than to find you
here? And Gov too-you wicked
boy! What won't I do to you for never
telling me you were in Manila? And
Aildred!"-kiss, kiss-despite q pal
pable dodge and heightened color; on
the part 81 the haif-dazed recipient.
"And you, too, Miss Lawrence?" Both
hands, but no Nss-one hand calmly
accepted. "Ah, then [ knowhowh happy
you see, Mr.. Willie Gray!" beaming
arched smiles upon that flushed and
hustered young officer. Then, turning
again to Irvine a jeweledSarm about the
slim waist Of their hostess, to whom
she chung as though defying any e.
fort to dislodge, yet pleading for pro-
lection. "Who On earth could have
foretold that we Of all people should
have met out hereof all places? How
long did you say you had been out here?
A week? And OF course, dear Mrs.
Marsden has done everything to make
1t lovely for you. I should have died
without her" And SO the swift play Of
words went on, the rapid fire Of her
fluent tongue covering the movement
of her allies and drowning all possi-
bility Of reply. It VAS an odd and try
ing,monent. Mrs. Marsden, well know
ing, as who in Honolulu did not, Of Mrs.
FRANKS devotion to the young lieu
tenant, barely six months agone, was
arriving to. welcome the shrinking little
scare-faced thing that blindly and
helplessly had drifted in in the elder
sisters wake, The introductions, that
followed, after the American fashion,
were as perfunctory IS well-bred wom-
en- can permit. The. greetings. were al
most solemn, smileless, and, on part
OF Nita, duttering to the verge Of .
faint; and nothing but Witches
plpcky and persistent support, and the
light flow Of airy chat and laughter,
carried. her through the ordeal. Tho
two. young soldiers stood stifay back.
red-faced aud black-browed; the father,
pallid and cold, could hardly force him
self to unbend, yet his lips mumbled tho
name mrs. Frost" as he bowed at
presentation; Miss Prime stood erect
and trembling. Miss Lawrence, with
brave eyes but heightened color. 10
leave at once was impossible; to res
main was more than embarrassment.
Most gallantly did they. battle. Mrs.
Aarsden AND Ars, Frank, to, lift the
wet blanket from the group and relieve
the strain. Reward came to crown
their efforts in stEunge, unlooked-for
fashion. Hoofs, wheels and flashing
lights were again 1.-THE entrance gate,
even as Mrs Frank, sparkling with
animation, distributing her gay good
humor over the silent sen1icircle, sud-
denly exclaimed: "Oh, if I'donly known
you were here, I could have provided
tho one thing to make our reunion
completed If I were not going on At
dsybreak I should do it yet" Then
hoofs and wheels and lights had come
to a stop at the front of the house,
and in measured, martial tread Q mans
footsteps were heard upon the lanai.
Then, all of a sudden, with cry of joy,
Witchie burst in again: SHOULD do
it'll shall do it! Said I not I was
the fairy queen? Behold me summon
my subjects from the ends of the obedi-
ent earth!" And, waving her parasol
as she would a wand, gayly pirouetting
as she had that night in the tent at
old Camp Merritt, she danced forward:
Sound ye the trumpets, slaves! Hail
to the chief! See the conquering hero
comes! Enter Brevet Brig. Gen. Stan
ley MISUNDERSTANDING his arm is any
thing but strong"
Bowling gravely to the sprite in front
of him, vaguely to the group in the
shaded light at the edge of the lanai,
and joyously to the little hostess. az
almost Historically she sprang forward
and clasped his hands, the colonel of the
Primeval Dudes stood revealed before
them.