Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1901-06-18

heard me out. I've seen Mr.. Foster
and had the whole story from his
lips. He's been there every day, too,
TILL he was taken sick"
But Stuyvesant was out of the gate
and at last out of hearing, and with
vicious bang to the door the LADY
OF the r. D. AS, SO recently victim
lied by the astute Sackett, retired to
the sanctity of her own apartment,
marveling at the infatuation OF men.
And yet, though Stuyvesant had
angrily striyen to silence the woman
and had left her in disgust, her words
had not failed Of certain weight.
Again he recalled with jealous pain
the obvious indifference with which
his approaches had been received.
True. no well-bred girl would be mbre
than conventionally civil to a stran-
ger, even under the exceptional cir
eumstances Of their meeting on the
train. True, she was cordial, bright.
winsome and all that when at last
he was formally presented, but so
she was to everybody. True, they
had had many-at least he had had
many-delightful long interviews on
the shaded deck Of the Sacramento;
but, though he would have eagerly
welcomed chance to indulge in SEN
timent, never once did Marion en-
courage suoh move. On the con-
trary. he recalled with something
akin to bitterness that when his
voice or words betrayed tendency
towards such lapse she became in
stantly and palpably most cQnven-
tional.
Now, In the light Of all he had
heard from various sources, what
could he believe but that she was in
terested, to say the least, in that 9TH
er man2 Well and miserably he re-
called the words of Farquhar, who
had served some years at the same
station with the Rays: "She's the
bonniest little army girl know, and
her heads as level as it is pretty-ex-
cept on one point. She's her fathers
daughter and wrapped up in the
army. She's always said she'd marry
only soldier. But Maidie's getting
wisdom with years, fancy. Young
Foster will be rich man in spite of
himself, for he'll have his mothers
fortune, and he's heels over head in
love with her"
But / understand" interposed the
general. with a quick glance at stuy-
vesant, who had risen as though to
get another cigar, that Ray didn't
exactly approve of him."
"Oh, Ray didn't seem to have any
special objection to Foster unless It
was that he neglected his business
to lay siege to her. Fosters a gen
tleman, has no bad habits and is the
very man nine women out of ten
would rejoice in for husband, and
ninety-nine out of ten, If that were
a mathematical possibility, would de-
light in as son-in-law. He isn't bril-
liant-buttons would have supplied
the lack had he been in the cavalry.
I dare say he'll be ass enough to go
in for commission now and sell out
his ranch for song. Then she'd
probably take him."
And then, too, as he strolled
thoughtfully up the street, still dim
ly lighted by the waning moon and
dotted at long intervals by tiny cleo
trio fires, Stuyvesant went over in
mind other little things that had
come to his ears, for many men were
OF mind with regard to Billy Rays
daughter. and the young officer found
himself vaguely weighing the reasons
why he should now cease to play the
moth-why he should be winging his
flight away from the flame and ut
terly ignoring the fact that his feet,
as though from force of habit, were
bearing him steadily towards it. The
snap and ring of bayoneted rifle
coming to the charge, the stern voice
Of sentry at the crossing of the
Gale Faura, brought him to his
senses.
"Haltl Who is there?"
STAFF officer, First DIVISION" was
the prompt reply, as Stuyvesant
looked up in surprise.
Advance, staff officer, and be rec
ognized," came the response from a
tall form in blue, and the even taller
white figure stepped forward and
stood face to face with that of the
guardian of the night.
Il am Lieut.. Stuyvesant, aid-de-
camp to Gen. Vinton," explained the
challenged officer, noticing for the
first time little column of dusky
men in heavy leathern helmets and
belts shutting away towards the Jes-
uit college with an old-fashioned d.
minutive "goose-neck" village engine
trailing at their heels.
Been fire, sentry2" he asked.
Where was it?'
"Up at Col. Brent's, believe. His
house fronts the parade ground. One
moment, please. Lieut.. who, sir?
The officer of the guard orders us to
account for every officer by name"
And Stuyyesant, who in instant alarm
had impulsively started. was again re.
called to himself, and, hastily turning
back, spoke aloud:
"stuyvesant, my name is. I'll give
It at the guardhouse as pass"
Once more he whirled about, his
heart throbbing with anxiety. Once
more he would have HURRIED on his
way to the. Gale San Luis. A fire
there! and She, Marion, still so weakl
exhausted, possibly. by the excite
mentor distress-or whatever it