The Washington herald., 1914-11-01
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ana when, after the campaign In Cuba,
he elected to make soldering his profess
sion, the seriousness with which he at
tackled his new work surprised no one.
Finding they had lost him forever, his
former intimates were bored, but his coll
oneI was enthusiastic. and the men OF
his troop not only loved. but respected
him
From the start he determined in his
new life women should have no part-a
determination that puzzled no one SO
much as the woman, for to Lee no wom-
an, old or young had found cause to
be unfriendly. But he had read that the
army is a Jealous mistress who brooks
no rival. that ''red lips tarnish the scab-
bard steel" that "he travels the fastest
who travels alone"
So. when white hands beckoned and
pretty eyes signaled, he did not look For
FIVE years, until Just before he sailed
for his three years of duty in the Philip
pines, he succeeded not only IN not look
ing, but in building up for himself such
a fine reputation as a womSn-hater that
all women were crazy about him. Had
he not been ordered 70 Agawansett that
fact would not have affected him. But
at the Officers School he had indnlged in
hard study rather than in hard riding,
had overworlred, had brought back his
Cuban fever, and was in poor shape to
face the tropics. So, for two months be-
fore the transport was to sail, they or
dered him to Cape Cod to I'm his lungs
with the bracing air OF New England
autumn
He selected Agawamsett, because, when
at Harvard. it was there he had spent
his summer vacations, and he knew he
world find saiIboats and tennis and.
through the pine woods back of the little
whaling village, many miles of untrav-
eled roads. He promised himself that
over these he would gaIlop an imaginary
troop in route marches, would man
euver It against possible ambush, and,
in combat patrols, ground scouts. and
cossack outposts, charge with 1t ''as
foragers." But he did none OF these
things. For at Agawamsett he met
Frances Gardner, and his experience with
her was so disastrous that in his de-
termination to avoid all women, he was
convinced he was right.
When later he reached Manila he vowed
no other woman would ever again lind
a place in his thoughts. No other wom-
an did. Not because he had the
strength to keep his vow, but because he
so continually thought Of Frances Gard
ner that no other woman had q chance.
Miss Gardner was a remarkable girl
Her charm appealed to all kinds Of men,
and. unfortunately for Lee. several kinds
of men appealed to her. Her fortune and
her relations were bound up in the per-
son of a rich aunt with whom she lived,
and who, it was understood, some day
would leave her all the money In the
world. But. in spite of her charm, GER
tainly in spite Of the rich aunt, Lee,
true to his determination. might not
have noticed the girl had not she ridden
so extremely well.
It was TO the captain OF cavalry she
first appealed. But even a cavalry cap
tain, whose duty in life Is to instruct
sixty men in the art of taking the life
Of as many other men as possible, may
turn his head in the direction of good
looking girl. And when for weeks a man
rides at the side of one through pine
forests as dim and mysterious as the
aisles of a great cathedral. when he
guides her across the wet marshes when
the sun is setting crimson in the pools
and the wind blows salt from the sea-
when he loses them both by moonlight
in wood-roeds where the hoofs of the
horses sink silently into dusty pine
needles, be thinks more frequently Of
the girl at his side than OF the faithful
troopers waiting for him in San Fran
cisco. The girl at his side thought fire.
quently OF him.
With the Surface indications" of a
young man about to ask her to marry him
she was painfully familiar; but this time
the possibility was the reverse Of painful.
What she meant to do about il she did
not know, but she did know that she
was strangely happy. Between living
on as the dependant of a somewhat ex-
acting relative and becoming the full
partner Of this young stranger, who with
men had proved himself so masterful.
and who with her was so gentle. there
seemed but little choice. But she did
not as yet wish TO make the choice She
preferred to believe she was not certain.
She assured him that before his leave
Of absence was over she would tell him
whether she would remain on duty with
the querulous aunt, who had befriended
her or as his wife accompany him to
the Philippines.
1t was not the answer he wanted; but
in her happiness, which was evident to
every one, he could not help but take
hope, And in the questions she put to
him Of life in the tropics, of the life Of
the Officers ladies' he saw that what
was in her mind was a possible life
with him, and he was content.
She became to him a wonderful, glor-
ious person, and each day she grew In
loveliness. 1t had been five years of SOL
diering in Cuba, China and on the Mex
lean border since he had talked to
woman with interest. and now in all
she said, in all her thoughts and words
ND ali r., NT1r 49, -
stronger reasons for discarding his de-
termination TO remain welded only to
the United States army. He did not need
reasons. He was far too much in love
TO see in any word or act Of hers any
thing that WAS not fine and beautiful
In their rides they had one day
stumbled upon a long-lost and long-for-
gotten road through the woods, which
she had claimed as their own by right of
discovery, and, no matter to what point
they set forth each day. they always re-
turned by it. Their way through the
woods stretched for miles. 1t was con-
cealed in a forest of stunted oaks and
black pines, with no sign of human habi-
tation, save here and there clearing
now long neglected and alive. only with
goldenrod. Trunks OF trees, moss-grown
and crumbling beneath the touch Of the
ponies hoofs, lay in their path, and
above II the branches OF a younger gem
Grafton had clasped hands. At their ap-
proach squirrels raced for shelter. wood
cock and partridge shot deeper into the
network of vines and saplings, and the
click of the steel as the ponies tossed
their bits, and their own whispers, alone
disturbed the silence.
1T is an enchanted road said the
girl; "or maybe we are enchanted"
Not T." cried the young man loyalty.
'T was never so sane. never so sure.
never so happy in knowing Just what
wanted II only you could be as surei"