Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1920-09-24
THE S 0 S.
By CRAWFORD LUTTRELL.

VouTH III tne mousse OF captain An
struthers, that his sister Helen was
going to have sorry time of it. She
was pretty enough in her way, but that
elusive something that makes or mars
girls success with men held no prom.
Use for the captains uneasy wife.
Anne. What was she going to do with
her sister-in-law for a whole month?
Men came, perfunctorily, ut her bid
ding. They ate her dinners, nibbed
her cakes and drank her tea. but they
returned the courtesies with the air
Of men paying just and honest debts
when they could make far happier use
OF the money. None of them on leav-
ing fingered a little to grasp her hand
and whisper, "She's some little peach,
your visitor! Say good word for
me! How about dinner with me to-
morrow night. and could you squeeze
In horseback ride for the next after
noOn?"
Something had to be done and done
quickly
Anne thought over the list Of pos
sibilities. Her heart gave little con-
vulsive gasp at thought of sending an
&. 0. s. to the colonel and yer she
looked forward happily to the oppor-
tunities that II would offer to exhibit
herself in all her mature loneliness
to the man whom she had refused to
marry Tom Anstruthers. There was
always little glow Of feminine salts
faction when she reflected that he
was bachelor because of her. His
eyes were fnscrutable. unfathomable
They looked at her as If they were
still seeing the pretty, innocent young
girl she had been when, visiting the
post years before, she had chosen a
husband because he was the best
looking officer there. the best dancer
and the most adept at making love.
Well, she had paid for her failure to
discriminate, but nobody knew how
much she had paid. Outwardly she
was the toast Of the officers mess,
beautiful as star and just as cold,
men found who ventured to make up
for Anstruther's obvious lack of at.
tentiOn.
She had never asked a favor of Col.
onel Kent, but the time had come when
she felt that the end justified the
means. She could not have Toms
quiet little sister go back home with
a tale Of unhappiness to tell The girl
had looked forward to the visit for
years. Anne knew. She remembered
how II had been when she was young.
So Anne wrote little perfumed note
and asked the colonel to call at tea
time the next day. She planned to
have few others in so that she could
take the colonel aside and explain just
what was wanted without having
Helen suspect anything.
She longed to wear blue georgette
frock elaborately embroidered in steel
beads, but the colonel had often men,
toned his fondness for her In that col
or In the never-to-be-f forgotten days OF
youth, so she resolutely pushed aside
the alluring little garment and select.
ed drab gray to which only her sap
phires gave color.
VI NouhSC HHu met almost pv-
cry day in the year, but he never went
to Anne's house unless he was invit-
ed there, and Anne only asked him
when there were many other guests.
Lately she had seen little OF him. He
was beginning to plead that middle
aged officers ought to turn over social
affairs to the younger fellows and let
them have their fling.
When the few people whom she had
asked had all been served, Anne left
the gay little tea table and casually
moved over to sit beside the colonel.
I'm so glad that you came" she
said. Il want to ask big favor of
you"
Granted" he answered, smiling in
before you ask, as you must
have known 1t would be-"
Captain Anstruther's little sister is
me for month. For some
reason. not known to me, she is not |
proving very popular. Ny sixth sense
ellis me that"
"WOman's intuition"
"She Is young, as you can see. so |
7oung that her heart and her eyes are
IT'LL filed with dreams. I want her
o be gay and happy while she is here.
she is beginning to feel that
he men are not rushing her as she
lad hoped they would. Can you help
ne? Win you help me to make her
'isit here all that l want 1t to be?"
A little wistful smile played about
lis full lips and etched with a bold
troke the fine lines that were already
at the corners OF his brown
yes. TITS big task to put up to
nan whose own dreams have never
ONE true, but I'll do my best. What.
yer you say goes, you know. told
GU that same thing, fifteen years ago"
Only that once did she let the mask
all. Her face went white as snow.
rop and her hand, idly lingering the
ar of sapphlres on her breast,
-embled visibly. There was the ag.
ny of confession in the eyes she lifted
, his for one brief moment. III II
adn't been for the memory of your
indness, ] couldn't have endured II
i these years."
81 know" His clasp on bor hand |