Daily camera., 1901-08-01
soidiefis hae.losting certainly, but d
man few heartily liked, while few thor

s0ldiefiG hat'1ooking certainly, but d
man few heartily fixed, while few thor
oughly knew him. He had been wild,
|extravagant, and, some said, dissirated
the first two or three years after his
graduation. He was known to be frank
and truthful, and as giver and lender
had been decidedly too generous. He
was conscientious officer in many
ways, except when he was serving un-
der Buxton. He couldn't bear ''Bux,"
and Bux not infrequently spoke dis
paragipgly of Merriam's ability, a thing
that might have hurt him in the eyes
of his. superiors but for the fact that
they knew Bux far better than he knew
them. Among officers of his own grade
there were none whose opinion was
worth having who really dislilsed Mer-
sufficiently intimate with him to active
ly like. They had nothing against him
except certain Indifference Of manner,
and nothing that called for enthusiastic
praise. His conduct in returning to lis
regiment from an expensive eastern sta
tIoli anu 'G'tlIIS IIhio'il ti lttiu uu-
til his debts should be lifted and his
duns appeased met with general com
mendation. His course in taking the
Mescalero detail off brother officers
hands was held to be Enthusiastically
generous.y He had lots of good points,
had MerrfSsp, they all conceded, but
there were not four people, officers or
ladies, in either the cavalry or the
Riflers who thought him good enough
for Florence Tremaine.
wish her joy? Aye, with all my
heart" said the old colonel, when the
news Of the engagement was brought
to him, but can we hope it?" Even
Capt. Hayne was not sure, though he
tried to be, and found comfort and in
spiration in the enthusiasm of his de-
voted wife and in the stanch opinions
of Billy Whitaker. These two were
the two at Sedgwick to whom that en-
gagemcnt brought gladness without al
10y, and since there were not four peo-
pie in the combined commands who
could thoroughly approve the match,
ii follows that al most, therefore, there
could be only one more, but that one
was the most confident, the most en-
thusiastic, the happiest, the gladdest.
the proudcst, the fondest girl that ever
liyed-Florence, her own sweet self. In
a passion of tears, one exquisite, moon
lit evening late in June, she had thrown
herself upon her knees by her mothers
side and sobbed out the news that Mer-
riam had told her he loved her dearly
and had asked her 10 be his wife, and
when the mother drew her to her bosom
and held her there. and mingled her
tears with those of her beloved child,
her hear, went up in prayer TO Heaven,
for she knew that which Tremaine
could not understand, that so deep. so
fond, so all-possessing was the love
with which Florence would love, prob
ably did love, that there could be no
listening to reason. She had pinned
her faith on Randolph Merriam and it
could not be shaken.
But neither wife nor daughter knew
that night that, earlier in the evening.
Merriam had sought the husband and
father and opened his heart TO him.
told him his whole story, and begged
Of him his consent and blessing. Il
did love Miss Hayward" he said; Il was
fascinated beyond expression and was
stunned by the abrupt end of our en-
gagement, but all that passion was
killed by the details that have reached
me, and in its place have grown up an
admiration and love for your daughter
that fsr exceed anything have known
before. l have had hard lessons, sir;
am not worthy TIE love of one so pure
and true as she, but ii shall be my con-
slant endeavor TO make her happy"
Tremaine could not answer for mo.
ment. What have you told her thus
far?" he asked, though not unkindly.
q told her before was summoned
hack to the detachment, after that
shooting scrape up in the mountains.
about Miss Hayward and my broken
engagement, and her prospective mar
yiage. / do not think / had any busi-
ness to do even that-to tell her any.
thing that might seem TO single her out
as confidanie, but the impulse was
stronger than l was"
WAS that-the day before the courier
came down with the news of the fight?"
asked the captain, with uplifted brows
He was thinking of how Florence had
been found by her mother in tears that
very afternoon.
Very possibly, sir, though I cannot
recall the day"
Then, after pause: Answer me
this question. Merriam" said the older
officer IF Miss Hayward were to
treat this man as she did you; if she
were again to come into your life and
say: Come back TO me- I do not ask
you what your answer would be- ask,
what would your heart say?"
Nothing. Even if she were not his
wife, l could not think of her again
without aversion"
Yet she is accomplished and
beauty, you say; which my Florence.
they tell me, though cannot see it, is
not"
"She is accomplished too much so.
She is a beautiful woman, but look in
your daughters eyes, sir, and see her
as you see her. God knows ! marvel
that anyone can fail to see her except as
you do and as l do"
And Tremaine held out his hand,
gripped hard the lean, brown fingers
that clasped in his, essayed TO say some
thing that was still weighing on his
heart, but gave it up.
'She is all have to give, Merriam"
he presently said, "but she is all the
world to me-"
And so when Merriam returned to
Sedgwicll 10 face the volleys Of congrat-
ulation and the occasional shakes of the
head with which his seniors said to
him: She's heap too good for you,
man." he could not but be aware of the
trend of public sentiment, and though
time and again he had said as much to
her, to her parents, to himself, it must