Betty at Fort Blizzard

d, were occupied by another officer, his fighting cocks had disappeared, and Gamechick became a lady's mount. Anita quite gave over riding Pretty Maid, and rode Gamech

Gamechick, although

sons and delighting Neroda by her progress, reading and studying until Mrs. Fortescue took the books away from her, going to all the dances, doing everything that her young companions did, and many things which they did not. She became the chaplain's right hand for work among the soldiers' children, and

she will get over it," said

s, this devoted, obedient little thing, has more mind, more introspection, than

swered Mrs. Fortescue, and the Colonel, recognizing the germ of tr

ll the world that make everything so tense. On these far-off, ice-boun

their history, the story of the natives, "the silent, sullen peoples, half savage and half child," tales of the creeping, crawling, stinging things that make life hideous in the jungles, all these was Anita studying. Mrs. Fortescue said nothing of this to the Colo

and eat here, is not I. It is but m

mmandant's house during the season. When the officers were in the smoking-room a question of the geography of the Philippines came up, and was not settled. Colonel Fortescue called for a

information and Anita leaned over a

an tell you

ng, and turning to his guests, "T

n the table, pointed out the true solution, and produced books to explain it. The officers, all mature men, listened with interest and amusement, complimenting Anit

bed, thinking of Broussard, Colonel Fortescue, in the pride of his heart, w

wonderfully. She sat there, talking with men who had served in

hilippines," replied M

igar into the fireplace and re

made a fool of her. She is actually learning something from it.

een next spring,"

ut Anita that night. But the Colonel yearned over the beloved of his heart, nor did he classify Anita's silent and p

particular faces in the chapel when he preached the simple, soldierly sermons on Sundays, and was annoyed with himself that he always saw, above all others, Anita Fortescue's gaze, and that of Mrs. Lawrence, as she sat far back in the chapel. Anita's eyes were full of questionings, and dark with sadness; but Mrs. Lawrence, in her plain black gown and hat, sometimes with Lawrence by her side, always with the beautiful boy, sittin

see her? You know she isn't like the wives of the oth

ard with her twice, and each time there was an unaccountable familiarity between them. But women seek the

trude into the soldier's houses-he says it's impertinent to force one's self in, but

hom Anita knew, as everybody else did. The girl's heart beat as she entered the narrow passage-way in which she had seen Broussard and Mrs. Lawrence standing together, and it beat more as s

arrassed, but the private soldier's

you," said Anita, standing irresolute,

lso," replied Mrs. Lawrence. Then s

found herself as unable to say this to Mrs. Lawrence as to any of

me finish this for you

tle boy, who needed it. Mrs. Law

, "there is not much

keen, and although apparently concentrated on her work, she saw the strange mixture of plainness and luxury in th

ir. The little boy went quietly out, and Anita sat knitting steadily in the silent room. The setting sun shone u

it to be Broussard. It was evidently a fresh photograph, and a very fine one. Broussard stood in a graceful attitude, his hand on his sword, look

r. Mrs. Lawrence was wide awake, lying back in her chair, h

stantly, she began to knit rapidly. She wished to talk unconcernedly, but the words would not come. Broussard's association with the pallid wom

well, and was in communication with him-a strange thing between an officer and the wife of a private soldier, even if the soldier be of a station unusual in the ranks. Ever in Anita's hear

Anita rose. It required all her generosity

hing for you, ple

awrence. "You have already do

rebellion. Youth was made for joy and she was robbed of

eant McGillicuddy kept the Colonel informed of the happenings at the fort, so Mrs. McGillicuddy, who had great qualifications, and would have made a good scout, kept Mrs. Fortescue informed of all the news at

Fortescue said to her tenderly-one i

g troubling

ce, as the chaplain asked me, and finished a little jacket

t glass and the rugs, as Mr. Broussard give to Lawrence. Them rugs! They're fit for a general's house. It seems to me it oug

nk as a sergeant's wife and believed in kee

aid Mrs. Fortescue. And Mrs. McGillicuddy's kind heart, being touched

shirts, and his striker has to wash one of 'em out every day for Mr. Broussard to wear the next day. McGillicuddy says that Major Harlow says that Mr.

's honest, rubicund face, and listened br

warm there in winter, or cool in summer, but there's lots of life to be seen there, and he's a-

hearted as she was hard-handed, looked at Mrs. Fortescue. The mother's eyes were moist; Anita was very unlike her, but Mrs. Fortescue remembered a period in her own young life when she, too, felt that the world was empty because of the absence of the Beloved. And suppose he had never

ntil he absolutely refused to go to sleep. Then, Anita was in such high spirits at dinner that the Colonel told Mrs. Fortescue in their nightly talk

was congratulating himself upon the wonderfully good report he could make of his command. There had not been a

s concerning broken men and

ion field yesterday and his going away was not premeditated, as he did not ask for leav

McGillicuddy, with a pale face, while he

viation orficer was praisin' him for his work. You know, sir, how I likes the machines and studies 'em at odd times. The flyin' was over and

es,' he shouts, like a lunatic, 'that's a fit punishment for a gentleman. You'll see to it, Sergeant, that I get ten days in the guard house, and my wife breakin' her heart with shame, and the other children tauntin' my boy!' With that, sir, he hit me on the side of the head with his fist. I was so unprepared that it knocked me down, but I saw Lawrence ru

mong Lawrence and his wife, and the honest, well-mean

his forehead, be as easy on Lawrence as you can,

Gillicuddy not to repeat what ha

of houses at the railway station. No one had seen Lawrence board the train that passed once a day, but a man, even in uniform, can sometimes slip abo

overcame his unhappy wife. She took to h

, and having struck an officer, Lawrence might well fear to face the punishment. This the Colonel permitted, and the chaplain, sitting by Mrs. Lawrence's bed, told her of it, and of Sergeant McGillicuddy

er sobs. "He was doing his duty well-his own Sergeant s

"The Colonel has forbidden him to speak of it to

ness came from Mrs

on my husband because they thought he had done something wrong," sai

t down on your husban

If any one wished to know the secret bond between Broussard

ad occurred on the aviation field, but he could not conceal from her the fact

el know." McGillicuddy had a way of bracketing the Deity with command

ied Mrs. McGillicuddy, with the fa

" said the poor Sergeant, "but the Co

ll trust you, Patrick, I won't ever ask you the

geant g

g for Mrs. Lawrence,"

Mrs. McGillicuddy, and straightw

one to open the door, and Mrs. McGillicuddy walked unceremoniously into the little sitting-room, where the boy sat, silent and lonely and frightened, by the window. Mrs. McGillicuddy spoke a cheery

wears shoe-leather, but every Sergeant that ever lived has made some sort of a mistake in his life. So Patrick wants me to do all I can for

rring up the fire soon had a comfortable meal ready, and calling to the little boy, gave

he little feller here while you can't lift a hand to do for him, so I'm goin' to take him to my house, with my eight children, because there's luck in odd numbers, and I'll feed him up, pore little soul, and wash him and

cuddy fare. A part of Mrs. McGillicuddy's good will to him was that she instructed Ignatius and Aloysius McGillicuddy, both excellent fist fighters for their age, that they were to lick any boy, no matter what his age or size

nything. She lay in her bed or sat in her chair, silent, pale, and as weak as a child. The blow of her husband's desertion seemed to have stopped all the springs of action. Neither the chaplain, the post-surgeon, n

ess and perfect love, was full of sympathy for Lawrence's unfortunate wife, and would have gone

and I think, mum, she kinder shrinks from the or

er mother and, putting her arms arou

't think she will mind seeing me. You and dadd

er lap, as if the girl were in

you can do some things that women can't, because you