The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1906-1907, 1906-12-24
A Successful Rival


[Originni
liz Is not unusual for either man or
q woman to come between an engaged
couple, but Il Is unusual for the course
Of true love to be turned awry by a
horse The story begins back In the
days when the Indians in the west
were constantly breaking away from
their reservations and Strengthening all
palefaees who came In their way. II
was then that Florence Brooks was
visiting an older sister at Fort r., the
wife Of an officer In the United States
army. And then 1t was that, the gar
rison having marched away. leaving
the women and children to the protec-
ton Of bali company under the com
mand OF a lieutenant, another tribe
consisting of several hundred warriors
came down to take possession OF the
fort
When friendly redskin rode Into
the Enclosure and announced the com
ing OF his fellows. every man being
needed for defense, Florence Brooks
volunteered to ride to the nearest post,
dfty miles distant for succor. Lieu
tenant Howard Whiting, In command,
placed her on his own Kentucky bred
horse, COmanche. ana sent her hyihE
out Of the fort, shouting after her.
'srhaiF lives depend upon your How
the horse enabled her 10 cross the
path u the coming indiana an hour
before they reached, the point OF inter
section, how ten miles farther on she
met squadron ,of cavalry, how when
The Indtane reached tho fort they
found force ample to protect II, need
only be referred to here. From that
day oomanche was beloved By the
whole garrison. and especially by Miss
Brooks. An for Miss Brooks, she was
beloved by the whole garrison, especial.
" Lieutenant whiting.
And now the view Of alkali plains
surrounding Fort r. has changed to
vacant lots on the outskirts OF a city.
Miss Brooks rides in a trolley car in
stead Of on horseback. and Lieutenant
whiting spends the greater part OF the
day In a recruiting Office In one of the
dingiest streets OF the city. But early
in the afternoon he leaves his sergeant
in charge and, mounted on Comanche,
rides past Miss Brooks abode. She IL
watching for him from an upper win.
dow. He raises his hat, and from be-
hind the curtain she throws him a kiss.
But for one thing the lover would be
supremely happy. He Is jealous of
ComAnche.
why" he asked on joining his
flancee after one Of his rides, do YOU
always feast your eyes on my horse
and pay no attention to met This aft.
ernoOn when rode by you didn't even
see when ! raised my hat. You waved
your hand long after l had done SOL
Il love Comanche," she replied.
Miss Brooks left the city for month,
and when she returned her lover in.
formed her that he had sold Comanche.
The reason he gave for doing so was
that he had been ordered to rejoln his
regiment In the west, and, Comanche
having become old. besides gone lame.
the lieutenant would not feel warrant.
cd In transporting him 30 far. especial
" az he would need a serviceablO ami
NAL. Miss Brooks looked astonished
when the news was impaired to her
and argued long and well against the
necessity for the sale. But Whiting
had nothing but his pay, which was
not sufficient to keep 80 expensive
pct. and she was obliged to admit,
which she did reluctantly, that he
could hardly have done otherwise.
They parted with an embrace, warm
enough on the part OF the man, but not
the girl
However, It gradually came over
Miss planning as she was for
the coming weddlng--thAt Comanche
could not have been included In the
calculations. Indeed. IL was very DIFF
aeult for her to hgure out the problem
Of living on Writings pay, even with
out what Comanche would have cost.
She had an income OF $500, which she
must rellnqulsh upon her marriage.
This left only a second lieutenant.s
pay. with Communication for fuel aud
quarters. on which the couple must
live. After all. whiting was right
There ts no doubt that all would have
gone well had Il not been for a certain
inopn0rtune meeting. One mornlnw