The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-06-20

"oh," cried the widow, suddenly ami
mated, "do tell lis it an invite to a
hop at the post? Are the soldiers GO
ing to give another dancer
''Not yitv' exclaimed Healy, throw
ing out a restraining hand as Mrs.
Bell began to tear the envelope. ''Not
yit," he repeatedly tenderly. "Whin
I'm gone, Mrs. Bell. It's-it's-a mat
ther av business, me dear"
Business, corporal|
"I'll be afther an answer tonight
Lit it be the roight wan, swate Mrs.
Bell"
ooh, Mr.. .Healyr' the widow MUIR
INJURED and blushed. Healy caught her
In his arms and gave her a hearty kiss.
ooh! oh! Mr.. Healyw she cried and
olushed again.
"Lit it be the roight wan, swate Mrs.
Bell" the corporal repeated and ran
away, himself a shamefaced red and
fearful to look round to see If any one
had noticed them.
The farrier, being privileged char
acter, was excused from tattoo roll
call. Therefore there was nothing to
hinder him, an hour after retreat, from
locking his room door in the troop sta
bles and speeding away through a
slight fall Of snow on pleasure bent. So
1t happened while Corporal Healy was
standing stiff1y to attention along with
his troop, answering the call Of his
name at tattoo, with the snow gather
ing thickly about them, that Fin Strait
was comfortably seated in the neat lit
tie unprotected house, protecting from
all corners the neat little widow.
"But must be going" he said for
the tenth time. tits getting late, and
the snow gets deeper every minute. II
want to get home at all tonight,
should be going now, Mrs. Bell"
Eyes, Mr.. Strait"
II was thinking you must be very
lonely here since-you know
The widows eyes ceased to twinkle
| and winked away a tear or two.
"It is lonely, Mr.. Strait" she answer
ed him.
Fin shuffled his feet nervously and
looked out beneath the neat red win
dow shades.
tits still snowing," said he, "Mrs.
Bell"
eyes, Mr.. Strait"
tits not lonely up at the post" said
Fin, rubbing the crossed brass sabers
on his hat with sudden fury.
The widow sighed.
"But / can't live at the post, Mr..
Strait" she answered and stood in the
middle of the floor, thoughtfully play
ing with her marriage ring. The far
rier looked at her timidly, tenderly.
"Sit down, Mrs. Bellp' he cried des-
perately. eff you can't find chair, sit
down here"
And he pulled the widow on his knee.
"Oh Mr.. Straitw said Mrs. Bell, but
resisted very gently.
"Will you come and live at the post
as my wife" the farrier whispered,
but the wicked widow, conscious of an
offer from the corporal now in her
pocket, played with the farrier.
"Oh, Mr.. Strait" she said, "you SOL
diers at the post all say the same thing,
and none of you mean it, not onev'
At that there came a modest rap at
the door, and the widow jumped to
open it, 1t is probable that she knew
who it was, for the twinkle of her eyes
betrayed a love of mischief, but she
evinced great surprise at seeing Cor
poral Healy standing in the snow. She
threw the door wide and Hospitality
open.
"Why, Mr.. Healy," said she, ito
think you'd come through all that
snow-for the second time today too
You must like the town. Come right
inv'
eff it had showed baynits an sa.
bers, me darlint," cried Healy, enter
ing. "I'd have come fur the'
He did not finish the sentence He
saw his old friend, Fin, and the cor.
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