The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1900-10-13

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Greville was dark, but she had no
fixed prejudices regarding that. She
had often said So Also. both were
as much in love with her as even
she could have wished, and were more
than willing that all the world should
see it-than which nothing is more
pleasant and soothing to right-mind-
ed woman.
The rife contest lasted ten days
during which time the air hummed with
the ping and sing of bullets over on the
range, and with the call Of the mark
ers in the rifie-pits. Only scores and
records and bets were thought and
talked about.
Miss Mivart herself had bet, with all
the daring wicledness of a kitten teas
ling a beetle. She even went SO far
as to bet on both Burton and Greville
at once. The adjutant undertook to
explain to her that that was called
hedging" and was not looked upon as
altogether sporty. Miss Mivart was
hurt. Was it really dishonest, she
wanted to know, The adiutant felt
that he had been unlind He hastened
/ to assure her that it was not-not
dishonest in the least; only that it took
away from the excitement of the thing
| to certain extent. Miss Mivart smiled
and shook her head. No, she didn't
think that it did, because, of course.
she knew herself which one she wanted
to have win. The adjutant admitted
that that might possibly be Just as
interesting for herself and the fortu-
nate man. And which was he. if he
might ask. Miss Mivart shook her
head and smiled again. No, she didn't
think he might ask. As the man him
self didn't know, she could hardly tell
anyone else just yet, could She? She
had her own ideas about fair play.
Il can shoot carbrne myself" she
told the adjutant, with her left chin
proudly raised; "and my shoulder Is
all. black and blue. Mr.. Burton is teach
ing me"
"Ohl" said the adjutant, "and what
does Greville think about tbat?' The
adjutant was married, so he was out of
the running.
''Mr. Grsville ia teaching me. too,
said Georgia; "and here he comes Tor
me now
Burton was sa4e on the target range,
over behind the barracks, Miss 1Iivart
and GrYille went fl the other direo-
ton, the back 81 the officers row.
over g the foothlia cras the esl
ana Miss Vart ht once out 81 l6
Time when She was aiming at the
head Of q prairie dog at least 20 feet
away to the right. The other 15 shots
were scattered among the foothills
Then her shoulder hurt her so that
she was ready to cry. Greville would
have ikedotO have her cry upon his
own shoulder, but, as she didn't, he did
some fancy shooting to distract her
He found mushroom-can, and threw
IL into the air and filled it full of holes.
She had seen Burton do the same thing
that morning with tomato-can. In
fact, from where she sat now on
liGhen-covered rock, she could see the
mutilated can glittering in the sun,
over beyond the arroyo. So she thirst
ed for fresher sensations.
"I'll tell you7 . she said to GreviIle, as
he held up the mushroom-can for her
to inspect the eight holes he had made
with five shots, "let;me toss up your
hat, and you make a hole through the
trade mark in the crown"
1t was a nice, new straw hat. Gre
Vile had sent east for il and it had come
ny stage the day before 1t had cost
him, express paid, $4.75. This, too, at
time when anything he had left after
settling his mess and sutleP's and tai
ioT's bills, went into stick-pins and
candy and books and music and riding4
whips for Miss Mivart. But he took off
the hat and gave it to her without even
6 lingering glance at that high-priced
trademark within. And felt that it
WHs worth four times S4.75 when she
picked up the tattered remains, at last,
sEd asked that she might have them to
hang in her room.
Then she looked down at her grimy
hand and considered the first finger,
crooking it open and shut. 81 think it's
going to SWELL" she pouted. "That is
a perfectly awful trigger 10 pull"
Greville did what any man might
nave been expected to do. He caught
She hand and kissed it. Miss Mivart
uooked absolutely unconscious of it.
iShe might have been ten miles away
herself. Greville, therefore, thought
that she was angry, and his heart was
aIled with contrition. Yet he was old
mad wise enough to be first lieuten-
ant. He walked beside her back to the
pnst in a state Of humble detection she
could not understRhd-
The next morning it was Burton's
.rrn. GreviIle was over on the range
now, vainly trying to bring his record
up to where Burtop's was. This time
Miss Mivart fired at a white pasteboard-
box cover, ard hit it three times out Of
twenty. She was jubilant, and SO was
Burton, because she was making such
progress under his tuition.
That's an easy cREbine to shoot,
isu't it?" she asked, as they wandered
home; "it isn't at all hard to pull the
trigger"
Burton glanced az her, and she net
his eyes inpocently. Its just like anJ.
other trigger" he told her.
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