The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1907-11-14
An Unrevealed Mystery


at Fort {. many years ago. a mystery
which has never to this day and doubt
less never VII! be revealed. Those IN
der whose notice IL TOOK place are now
either on the retired list or dead Yet
here and there doing over a newspa-
per at some army or navy club a white
beaded old man may be found who can
give the circumstances
One day away back in the last cen
fury guests were assembling at the
quarters Of Colonel Athern. command
ing Fort c., to celebrate the wedding
Of the colopcrs niece. Miss RoxGna
Bonield, with Lieutenant Reginald Al
len. Allen had secured a leave or had
been sent away on some duty-it was
claimed that he was pu-posely absent
and was TO have returned for a bach
elor farewell dinner be was TO give on
the evening before the wedding. There
We're no mails or telegraphS handy at
that time by which he could send any
word, and when he did not appear for
the dinner 1t was supposed he had
been unavoidably detained. BIT when
the garrison clock struck u the next
day, the hour appointed for the cere-
mony, and he did not appear there was
q hum of surprise.
Allen never did appear again at Fort
c. The lady he was to have married
bore the slight put upon her so well.
never uttering word Of blame. that
she received the sympathy of every
one. Not q person at the fort who
afterward met Lieutenant Allen-he
but gave him a dead cut. He remained
in the army only a year after the day
he was to have been married, when.
finding himself tabooed wherever he
among army people, he re-
signed and disappeared.
Five years after her disappointment
Miss Bonfield engaged herself to Cap
tain Gregg. The engagement occurred
Just before Gregg was ordered to an
other post. Certain young wags with
more love OF saying mean things than
delicacy debated among themselves If
Gregg would behave as Allen had be-
haved. But Gregg. after being en-
gagged for six months, during all Of
which time he was absent from his
fancee, returned in ample time for the
There Is no record that any disagree
ment ever occurred between Captain
and Mrs. Gregg. During the first few
months Of their marriage Gregg ap
peared as a devoted and happy hus
band. Then one day when he went on
duty he gave evidence Of having re-
ceived n shock. To inquiries as to his
health he replied that he was never
better. Nevertheless he had hunted
look and lost flesh till his uniform
hung about bin in deep creases. While
the loving devotion he had shown his
wife did not continue. he was perfect
~ respectful and attentive to her
What surprised every one was that she
did not treat him or appear to worry
about him rs sick man. She seemed
rather Indifferent than otherwise. Then
people whispered to one another that
lost her first love.
Gregg finally got a years leave and
went abroad-WithOuth his wife. At the
end of the year he returned in fair
condition. hut with something of the
hunted look left.
In six months he was sent to a re-
treat, where he died few years later
Mrs. Gregg was now a woman o.
twenty eight. She had no children
and did not look her age. The unfor
tunate enGings Of her love affairs had
not seemed TO cast any cloud over her
She was not at ill depressed. She APP
peared simply as any other young wo-
man whose husband had died and left
her a widow. Her widOwhood was
short Ia eighteen months after Gregg's
death she became the wife of Major
Thurston.
ThurStOn's sister an army woman. |
begged him not to marry Mrs. Gregg. |
But when the brother asked for rea- |
sons he got nothing except what has |
been told thus far in this story-that is. |
hat the woman had been treated /
by her first fiance and that |
her husband had died of some brain I
Or nervous trouble. The major de- |
lined to act the part Of the first and /
saw no reason why be should fear the !,
fate of the second. The sister still /
protested: bCt, without reason. he de- |
lined 10 change his course. He mar (
led Mrs. Gregg and ten weeks later /
committed suicide
Thurston is not the first man who /
has made mistake by not needing a /
von2n's warning because no good or .
sufficient reason accompanied it, .
Women have been known to be right /
q c0ndemninC a man from the shape /
u bis nose H0WeVer there was not |