Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1920-07-22
The
Majors Sacrifice
B, HARRY ST. JOHNS
Copyright

- ooht Dut hC was q StrduSeT III Tue
camp, and excited my curiosity at the
outset.
/ was staying with Loo Kingston
her father was a retired colonel, and
Loo reigned mistress of his house.
1t was only recently that her en-
gagement to Major Whitaker had been
announced, and l found the tale diff
cult to credit. he was a genial, kind
hearted man, but old enough to be her
father, and somehow his pompous, au
toeratic ways seemed ill-ftted to one
OF Loo's shrinking temperament. True,
ne was rolling in money, but Loo was
not mercenary, and the moment I saw
her again her pale, changed face show
ed me she was giving her hand where
her heart could never follow.
AS / followed her into the ballroom
1 noticed the strangers eyes fixed up
on her with a curious, intent gaze.
do you know him, LOOP / whis-
pered.
But she only turned startled eyes
upon me and raised her hand in warn
ang. I had time for no further speech ;
the first extra had begun, and my part
ner claimed me, though l would fain
have stayed and questioned Loo.
Presently she passed us on the stran-
gers arm and scraps of their CONVEX
;sation f1oated to my ear.
"YOu might have forgotten me-"
"And yet" he said, lit was a long
time ago you were a child. But you
have the mark still, / see?" And his
gaze rested on a little scar on the girls
white brow-the mark of a cut, almost,
but not quite obliterated.
"Yes. / have it still. l think l shall
carry 1t always"
six years." he said softly. "It is
a long time. But you were not Miss
Kingston then-you were only Loo"
"Shall we rest a little? I am tired"
Her face was white, and there was a
sorrowful appeal in the wistful, dark
eyes.
l watched them, disappear down a
corridor decorated with greenery and
fairy lamps, until 1t looked like a piece
of some enchanted palace, then the
final crash of the music broke my
dreamings.
Surely I had been dreaming! Loo,
quiet, houselike Loo, couldn't have
such a a in her life This hand
some soldier couldn't have cherished
her image all that time? Six years!
Why, she was not sixteen! That was
when she had first become one of us
at Nine. Ollendorf's; her fathers regi-
ment had been ordered abroad, and the
child, who had hitherto been his COM
paniOn, was placed in madame's care
during his absence. She was a child
1t was not possible.
""This is ours, Miss Nam"
Major Whitaker stood before me,
large, pompous and good-natured. AS
/ placed my fingers on his arm-the
major always liked to go ION parade
before he began his ~gyrations-I men
tally compared the two me1, and won
dered again how Loo's engagement had
come about.
II see Brevet is back again." he re-
marked. "Clever fellow, and a rafting
good soldier. Deserves all the honors
he has got, pom my soul, he does!"
"Yes| / a~cquiesced, readily, seeing
that he alluded to the stranger. "You
know him, then?"
"Oh, yes he was at n time in my
regiment. l know his people well. Now
that he's home safe and sound / sup
pose he'll be taking a wife, but I doubt
whether he'll fall in with the arrange
ments very readily" The major
chuckled.
arrangements" I queried. "He is
engaged|
Ellis wife vas chosen for himelong
ago" returned the major "she was his
mothers ward, but the lad suddenly
developed a will of his own and an
nounced his intention Of choosing his
own bride.
1T must have been six years ago, I
should think-perhaps more" contin-
ued the major. "His mother was anx-
ious for the engagement to be brought
about, and there al a scene, / remem-
Der. The lad came to me afterwards.
"Look here, major he said, holly,
I'm not a boy, and I can choose my
own wife. In fact'-ald he colored like
a girl-Tve chosen her already. l
don't mind telling you I've seen the
only girl I'll ever marry, and she isn't
my mothers choice!"
Alright you are, my lad said /.
Choose your girl and stick to her.
Where did you meet herY
'sThen 1t came out that he hadn't
even been introduced to her. He'd
saved her from something-Tm sure III
forgot what-he knew she was small
and dark, and had a pair of honest
eyes that had gone straight to his
heart, but her name-well, he only
knew her Christian name, and he did
MT tell me thatl But" concluded the
major, triumphantly, "he's stuck to his
guns, and he's in love with his dark
eyed Mystery still. There's a twentieth
century romance for you'll Let me get
you some refreshments"
/ let him go in silence. / had lis
tened to his story in GREATNESS excite
ment. OF course, Loo was the heroine,
and he had found his "dark-eyed Mys-
.. ~ ~ - - 49,