Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-08

escorted by that redoubtable woman. Mrs.
Bill Hay, and within the week Of her ar
rival Nanette Flower was the toast of the
bachelors mess, the talk of every house
hold Mt Fort Frayne.
And well she might be. Dark and lus-
trous were her eyes; black. luxuriant and
.lustrous was her hair: dark. rich and lus-
trouS her radiant beauty. In contour her
face was well nigh faultless. 1t might
have been called beautiful indeed but for
the lips, or something about the mouth, that
In repose had not soft or winsome line,
but then 1t was never apparently in repose.
Smiles, sunshine, animation, ripping laugh
ter, flashing. even. white teeth--these were
what. one noted when in talk with Miss
Flower There was something actually
radiant, almost dazzling, about her face.
Her figure, though petite. was exquisite,
and women marked with keen appreciation,
II not envy, the style and finish Of her
varied and various gowns. Six trunks, said
Bill Hays boss teamster, had been trun-
died over the range from Rawlins, not to
mention box containing her little lady
ships beautiful English Side-saddle. Melton
bride and other equine impedimenta. Did
Miss Flower like to ride? She adored it, and
Bill Hay had bay half thoroughbred that
could discount the majors mare, cross
country. All Frayne was out to see her
start for her first ride with Beverly Field,
and all Frayne reluctantly agreed that
sweet Essie Dade could never sit horse
over ditch or hurdle with the superb grace
and unconcern displayed by the daring,
dashing girl who had so suddenly become
the center Of garrison interest. For the
first time in her life Mrs. Bill Hay knew
what 1t was to hold the undivided attention
of army society, for every woman at Fort
Frayne was wild to know all about the
beautiful newcomer, and only one could
tell.
Hay, the trader had prospered in his long
years on the frontier. first as trader among
the Sioux, later as suffer- and finally. when
Congress abolished that title, substituting
therefor the euphem!sm. without material
clog upon the perquisites, as post trader at
Fort Frayne No one knew how much he
was worth, for while apparently q most
open hearted whole-souled fellow, Hay was
reticence itself when his fortunes Of his
family were matters of question or COM
ment He had long been married, and Mrs.
Hay, when at the post, was a social sphinx
-kind-hearted, charitable, lavish to the
soldiers wives and children and devotion
itself to the families of the officers when
sickness and trouble came, as come in the
who took poor Ned Robinsons young Wild
ow and infant all the way to Cheyenne
when the Sioux butchered the luckiess little
hunting party down by Laramie Peak. 1t
was she who nursed Captain Forests wife
and daughter through ten weeks Of typhoid.
and. with her own means. sent them to the
seashore, while the husband and father
was far up on the Yellowstone. cut or from
all communication In the big campaign Of
'76 It was she who built the little chapel
and decked and dressed 1t for Easter and
Christmas. despite the fact that she herself
had been baptized In the Roman Catholic
faith. It was she who went at once to every
ordered out on Ecout or campaign. proner1ng
aid and comfort, despite the fact long
whispered IN the gaxris0ns OF the Platte
country, that in the old, old days she had