The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1902-09-25

mental glances back across those
years of affection and close union he
tween them | often wondered what
had prompted their intimacy in the
first place. Blount was some five
years older than Cousins, being
staid. rather matter-of-fact man of
thirty Mt the time when fate threw the
two friends into the constant society
Of Monica and Maudie Finlay. the col
oners orphaned nieces. Blount, how
ever. was captain and Cousins mere
ly a lieutenant He was extremely
boyish for his age, seldom taking any
thing seriously. The whole world
seemed to be to him 'onc huge joke"
as he himself expressed it, but it was
his hearty laughter his mischievous
pranks and his good-natured tempera-
ment that endeared him to all his fell
low officers But first and foremost in
the young mans heart stood Maurice
Blount. This affection was fully re-
turned, and they were known as the
"Inseparables."
OF course ii was almost foregone
conclusion that the arrival Of Monica
and Maudie on the scene was bound
to make a difference to one or other of
the two officers, although they had
hitherto been known to declare that
neither intended to marry, and that
each found all he could desire in the
close comradeship Of the other. But
II was more than unfortunate that they
should simultaneously lose their hearts
over the younger of the sisters. Maui
die. Monica was, if anything. lovelier
than Maudie, her gray eyes We're full
of a winsome wlstfulness that won the
hearts of every one of us. always eX-
cepting those of the "Inseparables."
1t was apparently to be in their af-
fairs Of the heart as in all things
Cousins followed in his seniors foot
steps, laying his hand and fortune at
the feet of Maudie Finlay.
1t was a puzzle how they came to
pass over the sweeter, gentler, elder
sister to fall victims to the boisterous,
rather tomboyish charms of the
younger
Maude only tossed her head at them,
delighting in their devotion, which
was clearly of the faithful-dog-fe fetch
and-carry order, merely because it
gratified her vanity, she having pre-
viously been well informed that
neither Captain Blount nor Lleuten-
ant Cousins had ever been known to
fell in love before.
1 was on sick leave at the time this
was happening, but l heard it all,
with somewhat exaggerated details,
when | rejoined. and the odd part Of
the business appeared to be that both
apparently saw through the girl they
worshipedl
The elder man had been heard re-
hulling the younger for his foollshness
in allowing himself to be played with
by the heartless coquette, and the
younger man had been seen persuad-
ing Blount not TO 20 near the fascinat-
ing Maudie on various occasions. 1t
was mysterious. TO say the least.
AT dances they We'd with each other
in obtaining the greatest number from
the younger Miss Flnlay At picnics
they outdid each other to the best OF
their abilities in carrying tempting
dishes to Miss Maude, in seeing after
her comfort in every possible way
Neither of them entered for the
Thread and Needle Race" at the
sports because Maudie could not be
partner TO them both
And all this while Monica was prac
tically left TO herself, not that the on
tire regiment behaved ms idiotically az
the "lnseparables" but because Mon
lea. quite early in the game. gave thC
others to understand she did not re
quire their attentions The fellows
chaffed me, saying It was only on nc
count Of my age that she tolerated my
presence so graciously. that no on,
would think If she was seen about Will
a man old enough 10 he her father.
About the time that we received oui
marching orders | noticed that Monicf
had become rather paler than usual
naturally wondered at II and whether
our move to Egypt had anything to dt
with 1t. Then one day | saw Bloun
looking at her; Monicas face was hal
turned from him, and the view he hat
Of 1t was perfect. felt sure. / knew
her profile so well and could fancy am
mans heart being stirred by ID
beauty; for all that was puzzled b,
the look in Blounts eyes ana his lin
were set ina hard straight line acros
his teeth. Then, for one brief mo
ment Monica lifted her sad gray eve
10 his, and-hc sighed. The next-sh
was gone, and Reggie Cousins sllupe,
his arm through that of his friend
pulling him round with jerk. an
they both laughed The laugh
thought nervous one.
Soon after that we sailed.
The campaign Of lSO- was the frs
active service young Cousins had eve
seen, and | was interested in him an,
his impressions more than in those o
our fellow officers. He was wildly ex
cited on the voyage out. and by cor
trast his very excitement appeared I
make the captains manner more stait
reserved and unobtrusive. They wer
not. however. quite so much togethe
as they had been formerly. and II mai
urally became the subject OF commen
"Blount Is jealous. / believe" sal
one.
More likely Cousins has been bite
by the green-eyed monster. If the
are both in love with Maudie TinIa
1 should say that the captain wouI