The daily silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1903-1907, 1903-08-29
The Capture of the Colonel
MARGUERITE STABLER, in 1.-The Argonau"

AS
ment of the colonel to little Kitty
Flinders was the heaviest bomb that
had ever struck the camp. The Pre-
sidio reverberated from every one,
from the general to the rawest re-
cruit, looked upon the pair with pity
for the colonel and admiration 10
Kitty.
The colonel had been stalked time
out of mind by ambitious daughters
and managing mammas, but had run
the gauntlet so successfully ! had be
gun to think he was safe. And now
Kitty-of all the people in the world.
little Kitty Fiinders-had landed him
securely, and the question on every
tongue was: How did it happen?"
/ had often watched the light skir-
mishing and ambushed attacks of the
charming girls San Francisco Is so full
of, and marveled at his powers of re-
~sistance, and as his old comrade-In-
arms l now felt a keen interest in his
capture.
He had the reputation among the
women of being an excellent listener
which endeared him to their hearts
as nothing else could-and owing to
a chance remark on his part that Mrs.
So-and-So was a delightful talker. the
Inference seemed to be that the. way
to his heart must be through his auric-
ular endurance. Consequently, ne
could always tell whether he was In
a company by following up the center
of the din, for he was sure Il be sur
rounded by a bevy of lovely women.
making themselves hoarse in their eff
forts to entertain him. And how
Kitty, only passably pretty, and with
out wit enough to talk always gram
matically, had brought this invulner-
able old mustache to her feet was a
mystery.
The c%olonel's rawlings were still
more inexplicable. Not that any one
ever trys to explain the alterations
of a man in love, but the tendency of
his wanderings suggested mental de-
cay, for. after going off in a rhapsody
over what he was pleased to call her
remarkable prettiness-even he, fool
as he was, couldn't call the doll baby
type beautiful-he topped off with,
And above all, Miss Flinders is so
delightfully."- clever and entertaining"
This last remark decided me there
had been some sort of black margin
practiced upon him. and that it was
the Office of a true friend to save him
if possible. But first l must hear the
story from Kitty's own lips.
AS she was a woman, all that was
needed, l argued, to get her to talk
and tell me all she knew, was a
chance; SO, on the first occasion, I
decoyed her out to the golf links,
where we might talk uninterrupted
ly AS W. sauntered out on the downs
the wind blew fresh against US, whip
ping loose strands of hair across her
eyes and bringing a dash of wild-rose
color to her cheeks. She tripped
through the tangle Of lupine and sand
pant with the joyous noncha. ance Of
the white-caps that danced In the
distance and punctuated every remark
with a breezy little giggle that ex-
pressed almost as much stability OF
character as the fitful gusts of wind
that swept the hill. Circumstances
favored me for she actually hit her
ball at the first drive, which put her
il good humor with herself.
And so you are going to marry my
old friend, the colonel?" / began,
audaciously.
Yes" she answered with an as
sumption of dignity that sat awkward
ly OF her tip-tilted countenance.
How did it happen?" l asked, com
ing to the point boldly and wonder
ing il she would be discerning enough
to resent my impudenee.
well, you see, it was this way, ;
she answered, falling unsuspectingly
into my trap. She took a long sight.
swung her brassey with all her
strength and struck the tee. I'VE went
down to a dance at the Vendome, five
of us-just fancy! Nette's mother went
with US, of course. We always get
Nette's mother to go with us when
ever we can; she's deaf as a post, you
know. We used to take Aunt Mary
because she's so near sighted, but, on
the whole, we find that it's better to
have a deaf chaperon than a blind one.
Wouldn't the combination be just too
lovely for anything?
l thought of the fastidious colonel,
his ideals of what constituted woman
ly dignity; but as she waited for an
swer / agreed that it would, SO she
continued:
San Jose is an awfully hot place;
ever been there? The gardens are all
SO cool and shady il doesn't look SO.