The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-06-26
TWO PROMOTIONS.

been made Lieutenant and assigned TO
/ crack artillery regiment, and he could
scarcely realize his good fortune.
Overcome by joy and love he extended
+ his arms as if to embrace the lovely sirl
who IN a few short hours wiuld be clasp
! cd TO his breast as his affianced bride,
/ for the day OF his promotion was also TO
be the day Of his betrothal. He and his far
cousin had agreed. with much iteration.
! that his first act as a lieutenant should re
! TO make a formal demand for her hand.
/ and that they should he married within
three months OF his promotion And now
the great day had come.
Since Kurts first bo5ish appropriation
of her she had not again laughed at his
suit but had returned his love and APP
| parently taken their future union for
granted.
Now. however. she laughed at his in
sane jealousy He asked her TO decline all
invitations or. 1T least, to coniine her con-
versation with young men 70 the oarest
civiIities. She laughed at him.. and then
she took his rueful. almost fearful face in
her soft little hands and whispered. I
love you. Kurt, only you. You know that,
! dear" And she did not strive To escape
when he jealousy clasped her in his arms
and showered kisses on her lips
Yet a time came when she learned that
what she had taken for love was only
miture Of sisterly affection and good fel-
loWship Three months before Kurt s pro-
motion she had met. at a ball. young
officer of dragons. She had never seen
him before or even heard Of him but when
she saw his clear blue eyes fixed on her
face in undissuised admiration and heard
his low and musical voice, as ~ almost
submissively begged her for dance.
feeling of happiness hitherto unknown
suddenly possessed her. Half conscious, as
in a blissful dream. she fioated away on
his arm. From that hour she knew what
real love is, and when Kurt came, radiant
from his successful examination. and ask
ed: Rita. do YOU love me as much as
ever?'' she stood before him overwhelmed
with a feeling of guilt but too timid to
make confession To avoid the necessity
of replying she laid her head on Kurt
shoulder and did not shrink from his ca
resses. The comedy was repeated ar each
of Kurts visits. but through all her act
ing and despite her great happiness-tor
she knew that the young Dragon loved
her-Rita's prepOssessing thought was:
What will Kurt say? What will he doE
Oh, if he should kill himseifi'
All. if Kurt had known that in that hour
in which he had stood, attired in his lieu
tenants uniform, before his mirror, Rita
had pIighted her troth to the tall blond
officer of dragons.
The lovers were still together when Kurt
was announced. Rita sprang to her feet
in CONSERVATION, but, quickly recovering
her self-cOmmand, said calmly: Please
go in and talk to papa and mama awhile
I have told you how it stands between
Kurt and me; must now tell him now
it stands between you and me-
Pale and trembling, with the new lover
parting kiss fresh on her lips. Rita ad-
vanced to meet the old one. But Kurt
face was whittier than hers and the 1amll-
lar JOYOUS. self confident look was gone
from il.
For Heavens sake Kurt. what's hap
pened?" Rita exclaimed. He pressed her
hand in silence and without raising ms
eyes to hers. Then, with the heavy, un-
certain step Of an old man. he walked
slowly TO a, chair. sank into It. ana buried
his face in his hands.
Sneak to me, Kurt, Tell me what has
4appened." cried the terrified girl, Kurt
raised his head little and stared vacaatiy
at the carpet for several seconds Then
he said:
Rita. I had intended TO break this TO
YOU gently I had prepared my speech
and / knew it. word for word. when l
entered this house: but now, in your pres
ence-I have forgotten it. So l will be
brief cruelty 90 I know you viii despise
me YOU must despise me, for saying TO
you what l have TO say or this that was
to have been our day of betrothai-hIIta'
1 cannot marry you!
Kurt
It was n cry of joy. She sprang toward
her cousin and in another moment would
have been hugging and kissing him in de-
lfrious thankfulness But he mistook her
tone and her action. er exclamation ap-
neared to him n bitter, though well de
served reproach, and he waved her Dack
before she could cling to him in an ecstacy
of grief and love, and so, perhaps, weaken
his resolution.
"Rita. hear me before you condemn me,
% continued. ''You know how dearly L
love Won and that my only wish has been
TO make you happy Even tins morning
I thought only of you, and was glad lot
your sake when I put on my lieutenant
uniform and saw how we'll I looked in IT,
do look wen in it. don't /. Rita!
Very we'll"
She smoke almost inaudibly, but not be-
cause Of suppressed mirth- or sense Of
burnor was temporarily in allegiance.
Kurt. with eyes stiu averted continued;
..T2ita 7 know how hard it is fer YOU 20
Give me llp. but t.iere is no help for It, l
have lust come from my colonel, whom 1
Told Of my intended betrothal --
You did?'
cor course I ID not mention your name.
and what did your colonel say
Kurts pale face suddenly became very
IT can't tell you al he said He treat
81 mo ae If he thought me a silly. igno-
rant hov and he said things-oh dldn
know there were such things IN the
world
.'Things that frightened YOU, perhaps
she suggested --,,,,,l,.
..T9o Won know me SO little! 1 am a SOL
dier-an officer Rita; am not n co"'iIo-
..Thon / really do not understand l'o-
"Tiste1, At first the colonel SPOKE -
nv commanding officer and ne mace ii'.
r,,,,,.,,el, angry. but afterwards h. spoSe
- ei,or conrade. and / must confess
+bo+ bie friendly. cordial manner toUched
- snor,ad me lie told me that I was
IN, voup-. both IS q man and rs an ON
oa~ 10 t4k.. q step that should ceftalH.s
--.,-vet- that ought not 10 bind myseH ih
fetfcr- which would soon gall NJ spieiS
fbot instead e darkeniug my youth bF an
- -,,arrfae.o. I ought 70 devote Il %
s-oi,g and enjoying Ife ana letting my
v-f-rs ~ro7v-that in short, / ousnt 10 ~
fo- some wears man % t1e "oi5--
d.ebtDr artillery officer. not a tame a.9-
s+ryod married man ne ttiN-' ~ -
for flaIf an hour. and made ne promise
reflect on what he safe htf- it'
ptt. ana Z have become convinced tt'.t1
- colonel IS right. I love you % dearly
Isl ever Rita 7 know too fnat or ~
no better than an the world BESIDE NiF+
me the hest proof u your love 5y Ter. .-l.
ing me. and I shall never cease 70 tA-"H
Won. LVin YOU go this. Sita
she sat stiu. with covered face not oar
s-- ~ lok IN as he had sat isaac otlgte-
..y-tu va,lg- he repeated. From behind