The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1913-08-01
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"hci hio lOIlutI lull- |
macy with the woman. was not sufh. !
clent excuse for his interference. The I
MAJOR would treat the revelation with l
lnolHerence, even disbelief, and Miss '
molly might even resent his meddling '
IN the affair. Besides he was not al
together convinced that the girl had
hot Deen actually present at, and in
some manner connected with, the at
tack on Gaskins. The memory OF that
race, shrinking behind the corner of
the Darrack wall, remained clear in
MS mlnd. He might be mistaken, but
perhaps it would be best to go slow.
1t was a huge, bare hall, although
the walls were concealed by flags.
while other draperies were festooned
along the rafters. The band was sta
TONED upon a raised platform at the
rear, and a hundred couples occupied |
the moor The men present were large
~ oficers attired in dress-uniforms, al
though there was a considerable
sprinkling of civilians, a few conspic- |
) uous III garments OF the latest cut
!. and style. Evidently invitations had
= been widely spread, and considering
= time and place. literally responded to.
r among the women present the Ser
: geant saw very few he recognized, yet
> 1t was comparatively easy to classify
$ the majority-officers' wives; the
frontier helpmates of the more prom
inent merchants of the town; women
v from the surrounding ranches, who
, had deserted their homes until the In
= dian SnorA nnna1I. --o-1I g..
from %pretentious small cities to the
n eastward, and. here and there. younger
, faces, representing ranchmen's daugh-
tiers, with a school-teacher or two. Al
q together they made rather a brave
show. occasionally exhibiting toilets
b worthy Of admiring ~glances, never
lacking ardent partners, and entering
20 with unall0yed enthusiasm into the
evenings pleasure. The big room pre-
"a sented a scene Of brilliant color, of
ceaselessly moving figures; the air
was resonant with laughter and
trembling to the dashing strains oil
a., the band Primitive as it was in many
respects, to Hamlin, long isolated In
small frontier posts. the scene wal
IA strangely attractive, his Imagination
~ responding to the glow Of color. tn,
merry chime Of voices, the tripping o
feet The smiling faces flashed past
his ears caught whispered words, hi
"a eyes followed the flying figures. Fo
the moment the man forgot himsel
In this new environment Of thought
less pleasure.
From among that merry throng O
10 strangers his eyes soon distinguish
that me in whom he felt special II
terest-Mrs. Dupont, dancing no,
with Mcdonald, the rather ~corpulen
Major exhibiting almost youthful agi
ity under the inspiration of the must,
The lady talked with animation, q
they circled among the others on tn
door. her red lips close to her par
ners ear, but Hamlin, suspicious an
watchful, noted that her eyes wei
busy elsewhere, scanning the face
\ They swept over him. apparently d
J seeing, but as the two circled swift
J by, the hand resting lightly on Il
Majors shoulder vas uplifted sudde
lh ly in a peculiar. suggestive movement
He stared after them until they we
lost in the crowd. feeling confdel
that the motion of those white-glov,
" fingers was meant as a signal
warning. To whom was it conveye,
He glanced aside at the jam of fgur
in the doorway. Both the black-wh
kered man and Connors had disa
peared. II was a signal then, instal
ly understood and obeyed.
The Sergeant had scarcely grasp
this fact when his attention was
verted by the appearance Of Miss N
Donald. She was dancing with a
william. an Immediately dressed In
W. vidual with rudy. boyish face. I
intense admiration Of his partner "
that plainly evident, and the girl. SIM
ms. dressed in white, her cheeks flush
, 40. her dark eyes bright with enjoyme
ans set Hamlin's cool nerves throbbil
ever He could not resist gazing at her, al
No. as their eyes met, she bowed, the I
Inev- red lips parting IN a smile OF recoe
race ton. Tnere was no ieservat,on'
no, restraint in that quick greeting.
held she whirled by; he could not fall
"a n, comprehend its full significance
mis- had not forgotten. had no desire
forget. What he imagined he r.
iend in her lace swept !" e'se irom
milky mind Instantly anu win eager ~
/, the he followed neF s'ish', e"nsn Ae
rank. as they circied the NAH me III
him ceased, n ne se"i "a'cneo as
r his lad led her 10 a seat nlmSe', SIM
ually into a chair pesioe her' Anen Tue ~
n In. ing out OF several men. who desi
even return checks, claimed his attrnt