Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-22
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PART I


/
talk of-the Dragon did that with emen-
datfons of her own-neither was Miss Hoyt
| in the least degree confidential or COM
municative on the subject of that alleged
! engagement to Senator Belts, more than
| twice her years. etc, but by no means an
easy winner. Baskets of delicious fruit
boxes of Maillard's dainties and stacks
| OF superb roses came to her by almost
| every trip of the Mary Powell. but only
once over Sunday, had the munificeut
donor appeared at the Point and speedily
left, supremely disguised with a hotel that
| sold nothing stronger than small beer. and
had not room with bath. Moreover it
had rained all day. Miss Hoyt had insisted
| on going TO morning church at the cadet
| chapel, also to afternoon service brother
| Jim sang in the choir-he could sing) and
| during the dripping evening both parlors
| and piazzds Swarmed with cadets until tat
| too, and were infested with STRIPPING Off
| GERS later. Belts. in spite of the wet. spent
| the dryest night of his life, and hlasphenled
| the Point, the corps and the army until all
| was blue. For d successful wooer he looked
| the most Disguised of men as he drove
away in the early bus. Many girl was
| up to him off. but not the either
! he they expected. That visit really re-
| vealed nothing, and Miss Hoyt was as I'M
| satisfactory as the visit. Peaches. prallnes,
marrons glaces, even roses she would
| share with some of the girls. but conf
| dences with none. AT the end of the tenth
| day Cadet Jim Hoyt's lovely sister was. still
! a mystery a sphinx to the other girls.
| belle among her brothers comrades. and
| an object of the undivided attentions of
Lieut.. Ronald Fame, -th Cavalry, instruc-
| tor in tactics and horsemanship a soldier
| of good reDute. and a son of soldier but
| without a surplus cent to his name.
Together had they danced at every hop,
| together had they ridden every day since
| the Sunday of Belts unhappy visit She had
| sent for her habit and horse at Fanes re-
| quest and now this exquisite Friday even
| ing they had dared to come home late for
| parade. so to speak. keeping dozen dam
md hungry long
! waiting.
| Now, every woman at the Point could
| that Mr.. Fame was deeply smitten with
| Ethel Hoyt. Every woman could see that
! she liked him well. He had not been too
| assiduous society man before her coming.
| He gave much time TO exercise. He had
wherry and rowed well for soldier. He
/ had capital horse, and spent hours in the
| saddle. He and classmate of the en-
! gineers had taken many lesson from ex-
/ pert hands and were accustomed to put on
| the gloves and pummel each other every
morning as preliminary to bath and break
| fast. Fame did not read much. He was
| no ma ch for his Sparring partner In books
| or brains; he was rather a lightweight IN
| science; he was moreover. rather below the
standard in stature, but he was quick as a
| cat, supple, sinewy, trim built and soldierly,
| a wholesome fellow in every sense, clean in
! thought square in act and word, and chiefly
| too quick in temper. Indeed, 1t was be-
cause of this frailty he gave 50 much time
| to the gloves. Thomas Hughes and other
shining lights of his Schoolboy days had
! said there was no such training for hand
| and eye, wind and temper, and life with
| Fame had much of self training, self watch
| funess.
| And this exquisite evening in mid-July he
! had galloped back to camp: inspected. while
/ still in riding dress. the tents of his cadet
| company; hurried through his tub and toilet
/ with heart alive with thrilling sense OF
| hope and eXultation. He was late, and
| but few people were still in the dining
room when he reached the hotel, then the
| summer mess room OF the bachelor officers.
All of the girls and most of the matrons.
apparently, had already gone to the hop.
| His name was on her card for the seventh
| and twelfth dances. There was therefore
| ample time. He had glanced. the moment
| he entered, toward the seats assigned Mrs.
| and Miss Hoyt-it had become an uncon
| scious habt-but they were vacant. He had
| passed two or three groups OF middle-aged
| and elderly civilians, prosperous looking
| men of affairs. and exchanged civil greet
| ings with few among their number whom
| he knew. He had noted that as one of the
| party called him by name another in ex
| pansive white waistcoat, gray whiskers and
| tweeds turned quickly and looked upon
| him with obvious curiosity or interest.
| unusual symptom among these money mag
| mates of the world.
| He found the officers table deserted ex-
! cept for one man, Furlong of the artillery,
| who nodded with the exaggerated indiffer-
| ence of manner acquired as the result of
| six weeks study in England. Fame was
! too glad-hearted to be captious, and so
spoke cheerily, it being the theory in the
mess that the better Furiong like1 man
| the less he showed it. Presently Furlong
| arose, thrust his thumbs beneath the skirts
| of the siRgle-breasted frock, the uniform of
| the time, and sauntered over.
| .Dahncing tnight2" he asked.
| Fame nodded over his iced tea.
''Rahtha wahm, FIR xcise, don't you
| thiuk2"
Don't mind it, answered the trooper,
I nltro
| Does depend a lot on who's the girl"
admitted Mr. Furlong tentatively.
| Fame thought so too, but said nothing
| confirmatory.
| Furlong refiectively, isn't going"
| She was, when l left her hour ago"
| and now Fame, with interest, was study
| ing his comrades face.
| 'Fact, I believe. Papas up from town
| in pet about something. Heard old
Scrooge there say Western Union and
others had gone against him to the tune
! of two hundred thousand. Fancy having
| two hundred thousand to lose!'
| Still I'm unable to why Miss Hoyt
| shouldn't go to the hop pursued Fame,
| intent the main issue.
'Oh, well. as to that l understood there
| was row of some kind. Miss Hoyt seems
| to have gone to her ROOM.
| They generally do, don't they getting
| ready for hop|
| Furlong allowed that might be SO, but
| had other facts in reserve
| Il ran cross them on the back piazza
| looked like family jar; papa in temper;
daughter in tears" Then, suddenly drop
ping the airy tone he so much affected.
| Furong came down to himself, and from
| that positive plane spoke to the point. And.
| Fame, old fellow, don't take ii amiss. You
| know I'm your friend. l think it's about
/ you, and you ought to know it. l reckon
| old Belts has been babbing.
why should hep asked Fame, toying
| with a teaspoon.
| Because they say she's engaged to him
that big cit that was here Sunday-old
| enough to be her father. It's something
! l ought to have told you before, / think"
| Fame sat looking beyond his friend and
| informant, his eyes fixed on the doorway
| to the hall. He was crumbng some bread
| in his nervous fingers. He seemed waiting
| to hear more, but no more came. His face
| had lost much of the radiance that was
| there when he entered Presently. without
| looking up he said. sit down here a
ment, and Furlong obeyed. Now, tell
! me-who told you?"
! Mrs. Hegeman. to begin with.
| Fame smiled. The Dragon? Yes, she'd
be apt to-
Three or four girls, and Mrs. Warren"
/ pursued Furlong.