One of the most charming writers of our day and generation has declared
that "the truest blessing a girl can have" is "the ingenuous devotion of
a young boy's heart." Nine mothers in ten will probably take issue with
the gifted author on that point, and though no longer a young girl in
years whatever she might be in looks, Margaret Garrison would gladly have
sent the waiting gentlemen to the right about, for, though he was only
twenty, "Gov" Prime, as a junior at Columbia, had been ingenuously
devoted to the little lady from the very first evening he saw her. A boy
of frank, impulsive nature was "Gov"--a boy still in spite of the budding
mustache, the twenty summers and the barely passed "exam" that wound up
the junior year and entitled him to sit with the seniors when the great
university opened its doors in October. Studies he hated, but tennis,
polo, cricket, riding and dancing were things he loved and excelled in.
Much of his boyhood had been spent at one of those healthy, hearty
English schools where all that would cultivate physical and mental
manhood was assiduously practiced, and all that would militate against
them was as rigorously "tabooed."
At the coming of his twentieth birthday that summer his father had handed
him his check for five thousand dollars--the paternal expression of
satisfaction that his boy had never smoked pipe, cigar or cigarette--and
the same week "Gov" had carried off the blue ribbon with the racquet, and
the second prize with the single sculls. It was during the "exams," the
first week in June, when dropping in for five o'clock tea on some girls
whom he had known for years, he was presented to this witching little
creature whose name he didn't even catch. "We met her away out at an army
post in Wyoming when papa took us to California last year," was whispered
to him, "and they entertained us so cordially, and of course we said if
ever you come to New York you must be sure to let us know--and she
did--but--" and there his informant paused, dubious. Other callers came
in and it began to rain--a sudden, drenching shower, and the little
stranger from the far West saw plainly enough that her hostesses, though
presenting their friends after our cheery American fashion, were unable
to show her further attention, and the newly presented--almost all women,
said "so very pleased" but failed to look it, or otherwise to manifest
their pleasure. She _couldn't_ go in the rain. The butler had 'phoned for
a cab. She wouldn't sit there alone and neglected. She deliberately
signaled Mr. Prime. "The ladies are all busy," she said, with a
charmingly appealing smile, "but I know you can tell me. I have to dress
for dinner after I get home, and must be at One Hundred and Tenth Street
at 7:30. How long will it take a carriage to drive me there? Oh, is that
your society pin? Why, are _you_ still in college? Why, I thought----"
That cab was twenty-five minutes coming, and when it came Mr. Prime went
with it and her, whom he had not left an instant from the moment of her
question. Moreover, he discovered she was nervous about taking that
carriage drive all alone away up to One Hundred and Tenth Street, yet
what other way could a girl go in dinner dress. He left her at her door
with a reluctantly given permission to return in an hour and escort her
to the distant home of her friends and entertainers. He drove to the
Waldorf and had a light dinner with a half pint of Hock, devoured her
with his eyes as they drove rapidly northward, went to a Harlem theater
while she dined and forgot him, and was at the carriage door when she
came forth to be driven home. Seven hours or less "had done the
business," so far as Gouverneur Prime was concerned.
It was the boy's first wild infatuation--as mad, unreasoning, absurd, yet
intense as was ever that of Arthur Pendennis for the lovely Fotheringay.
Margaret Garrison had never seen or known the like of it. She had
fascinated others for a time, had kindled love, passion and temporary
devotion, but this--this was worship, and it was something so sweet to
her jaded senses, something so rich and spontaneous that she gave herself
up for a day or two to the delight of studying it. Here was a glorious
young athlete whose eyes followed her every move and gesture, who hung
about her in utter captivation, whose voice trembled and whose eyes
implored, yet whose strong, brown, shapely hand never dared so much as
touch hers, except when she extended it in greeting. He was to accompany
his father and sister to Europe in a week, so what harm was there: He
would forget all about it. He knew now she was married. He was presented
to Nita, but had hardly a word and never a look for her when Margaret was
near. He was dumb and miserable all the day they drove in the park and
later dined at Delmonico's with Colonel Frost. He was sick, even when
mounted on his favorite English thoroughbred and scampering about the
bridle path for peeps at the drives, when she was at the park again with
that gray-haired reprobate, that money shark, Cashton--a Wall Street
broker black-balled at every decent club in New York. Why should she go
with him? He had been most kind, she said, in the advice and aid he had
given her in the investment of her little fortune. She told the lie with
downcast eyes and cheeks that burned, for most of that little fortune was
already frittered away, and Cashton's reports seemed to require many
personal visits that had set tongues wagging at the hotel, so much
frequented of the Army, where she had taken a room until Nita should have
been graduated and they could go to the seashore. She had promised to be
at home to her boy adorer that very evening and to go with him to Daly's,
and he had secured the seats four days ahead. Poor "Gov" had trotted
swiftly home from the park, striving to comfort himself over his bath and
irreproachable evening clothes, that _there_, with her by his side, the
wild jealousy of the day would vanish. Sharply on time he had sent up his
card and listened, incredulous, to the reply: "Mrs. Garrison has not yet
returned." He would wait, he said, and did wait, biting his nails,
treading the floor, fuming in doubt and despair until nearly ten, when a
carriage dashed up to the ladies' entrance and that vile Cashton handed
her out, escorted her in and vanished. She came hurrying to her boy lover
with both little hands outstretched, with a face deeply flushed and words
of pleading and distress rushing from her lips. "Indeed I could not help
it, Gov," she cried. "I told him of my engagement and said we must not go
so far, but away at the north end something happened, I don't know what,
a wheel was bent and the harness wrenched by too short a turn on a stone
post at a corner. Something had to be repaired. They said it wouldn't
take ten minutes, and he led me out and up to the piazza of that big
hotel--you know, we saw it the day I drove with you--" ("He was a
blackguard to take you there!" burst in Prime, the blood boiling in his
veins.) "Then we waited and waited and he went to hurry them, and then he
came back and said they had found more serious damages--that it would
take an hour, and meantime dinner had been ordered and was served. He had
telephoned to you and the butler had answered all right." "He's a
double-dyed liar!" raved "Gov," furiously. "And so what could I do, Gov?
The dinner was delicious, but I couldn't eat a mouthful." (This time it
wasn't Cashton who lied). "I was worrying about you, and--and--about
myself, too, Gov. I had set my heart on going with you. It was to be
almost our last evening. Oh, if you only didn't have to sail Saturday,
and could be here next week, you dear boy, you should have no cause for
complaint! Won't you try to forgive me?"
And, actually, tears stood in her eyes, as again she held out both hands.
They were the only people in the parlor, and in an instant, with quick,
sudden, irresistible action he had clasped and drawn her to his breast,
and though she hid her face and struggled, passionate kisses were printed
on her disheveled hair. It was the first time he had dared.
And then he did not sail Saturday. Prime Senior was held by most
important business. They gave up the Saturday Cunarder and took the
midweek White Star, and those four additional days riveted poor "Gov's"
chains and left her well-nigh breathless with excitement. The strain had
been intense. It was all she could do to make the boy try to behave in a
rational way in the presence of others. When alone with her he raved. A
fearful load was lifted from her spare little shoulders when the Teutonic
sailed. Even Nita had worried and had seen her sister's worry. Then no
sooner did "Gov" reach Europe than he began writing impassioned letters
by every steamer, but that wasn't so bad. She had several masculine
correspondents, some of whom wrote as often as Frank, but none of whom,
to do her justice, got letters as often as he did, which, however, was
saying little, for she hated writing. "Gov" was to have stayed abroad
three months, piloting the pater and sister about the scenes so familiar
to him, but they saw how nervous and unhappy he was. They knew he was
writing constantly to some one. Mildred had long since divined that there
was a girl at the bottom of it all, and longed and strove to find out who
she was. Through the last of June and all through July he resolutely
stood to his promise and did his best to be loving and brotherly to a
loving and devoted sister and dutiful to a most indulgent father. But he
grew white and worn and haggard, he who had been such a picture of rugged
health, and, in her utter innocence and ignorance as to the being on whom
her brother had lavished the wealth of his love, Mildred began to ask
herself should she not urge her father to let "Gov" return to America. At
last, one sweet July evening, late in the month, the brother and sister
were wandering along the lovely shore of Lucerne. He had been unusually
fitful, restless and moody all day. No letter had reached him in over a
fortnight, and he was miserably unhappy. They stopped at a grassy bank
that ran down to the rippling water's edge, and she seated herself on a
stone ledge, while in reckless abandonment he threw himself full length
on the dewy grass. Instantly the last doubt vanished. Bending over him,
her soft hand caressing his hair, she whispered: "Gov, dear boy, is it so
very hard? Would you like to go to her at once?"
And the boy buried his face in her lap, twined his arms about her slender
waist, and almost groaned aloud as he answered. "For pity's sake help me
if you can, Mildred, I'm almost mad."
Early in August the swiftest steamer of the line was splitting the
Atlantic surges and driving hard for home, with "Gov" cursing her for a
canal boat. The day after he reached New York he had traced and followed
the White Sisters to West Point, and Margaret Garrison stared in mingled
delight, triumph and dismay at the card in her hand. Delight that she
could show these exclusive Pointers that the heir to one of the oldest
and best names in Gotham's Four Hundred was a slave to her beck and call.
Dismay to think of the scene that might occur through his jealousy when
he saw the devoted attentions she received from so many men--officers,
civilians and cadets. Old Cashton came up now as regularly as Saturday
night came around--and there were others. Margaret Garrison was more
talked about than any woman in Orange County, yet, who could report
anything of her beyond that she was a universal favorite, and danced,
walked, possibly flirted with a dozen different cavaliers every day of
her life? There were some few among her accusers, demure and most
proper--even prudish--women, of whom, were the truth to be told, so
little could not be said.
"Gov" Prime took the only kind of room to be had in the house, so full
was it--a little seven by ten box on the office floor. He would have
slept in the coal bin rather than leave her. He saw her go off to the hop
looking radiant, glancing back over her shoulder and smiling sweetly at
him. He rushed to his trunk, dragged out his evening clothes, and stood
at the wall looking on until the last note of the last dance--he a noted
German leader in the younger set and the best dancer of his years in
Gotham. Not so much as a single spin had he, and he longed to show those
tight-waisted, button-bestrewed fellows in gray and white how little they
really knew about dancing well as many of them appeared on the floor. His
reward was tendered as the hop broke up. She came gliding to him with
such witchery in her upraised face. "Now, sir, it is your turn. I
couldn't give you a dance, for my card was made out days ago, but Mr.
Latrobe was glad enough to get rid of taking me home. He is daft about
Nita, and of course she _can't_ let him take her to more than one hop a
week. Mr. Stanton is her escort to-night."
Then she placed her little hand on his arm, and drew herself to his side,
and when he would have followed the others, going straight across the
broad plain to the lights at the hotel, turned him to the left. "I'm
going to take you all the way round, sir," she said joyously. "Then we
can be by ourselves at least ten minutes longer."
And so began the second period of Gouverneur Prime's thralldom. A young
civilian at the Point has few opportunities at any time, but when the
lady of his love is a belle in the corps, he would much better take a
long ocean voyage than be where he could hear and see, and live in daily
torment. One comfort came to him when he could not be with Mrs. Garrison
(who naïvely explained that "Gov" was such a dear boy and they were such
stanch friends, real comrades, you know). He had early made the
acquaintance of Pat Latrobe, and there was a bond of sympathy between
them which was none the less strong because, on Prime's side, it could
neither be admitted nor alluded to--that they were desperately in love
with the sisters, and it was not long before it began to dawn on Prime
that pretty little Nita was playing a double game--that even while
assuring her guardian sister that she had only a mild interest in
Latrobe, she was really losing or had lost her heart to him, and in every
way in her power was striving to conceal the fact from Margaret, and yet
meet her lover at hours when she thought it possible to do so without
discovery. As the friendship strengthened between himself and Latrobe
they began using him as Cupid's postman, and many little notes and some
big ones found their way to and from the Fourth Division of cadet
barracks. Mrs. Frank was only moderately kind to her civilian adorer
then, granting him only one dance at each hop, and going much with other
men, but that dance was worth seeing. Prime's was the only black
"claw-hammer" in the room, and therefore conspicuous, and cadets--who
know a good thing when they see it--and many a pretty girl partner, would
draw aside to watch the perfection of their step and the exquisite ease
with which they seemed to float through space, circling and reversing and
winding among the other dancers, he ever alert, watchful, quick as a cat
and lithe and strong as a panther--she all yielding lissome airy grace.
That dance was "Gov" Prime's reward, and almost only reward for hours of
impatient waiting. Other women, charming and pretty and better women,
would gladly have been his partners. Some two or three whom he met at the
hotel even intimated as much. But not until Lady Garrison told him he
must--to protect her from scandal--did he ask another to dance. At last
came the end of the summer's encampment, the return of the corps to
barracks and studies, one blissful week in which he was enabled to spend
several uninterrupted hours each day at her side, and then a cataclysm. A
letter intended only for Nita's hands fell into those of her sister. It
was bulky. It was from Latrobe. She hesitated only a moment, then, with
determination in her eyes, opened and read--all. Two days after Nita was
whisked away to New York, and within another week, leaving two most
disconsolate swains on the Hudson, the sisters, one of them bathed in
tears, went spinning away to the West, where Frank Garrison was on duty
at department headquarters. Prime was permitted to write once a fortnight
(he sent a volume), and Latrobe forbidden, but already the poor boy owned
a thick packet of precious missives, all breathing fond love and
promising utter constancy though she had to wait for him for years. For a
month Nita would hardly speak to her sister, but in October there were
lovely drives, picnics and gayeties of all kinds. There were attractive
young officers and assiduous old ones, and among these latter was Frost,
with his handsome gray mustache and distinguished bearing, and that air
of conscious success and possession which some men know so well how to
assume even when their chances are slimmer than my lady's hand. The
sisterly breach was healed before that beautiful month was over. Frost
dined at the Garrison's four times a week and drove Miss Nita behind his
handsome bays every day or two. In November he asked a question. In
December there was an announcement that called forth a score of
congratulations around headquarters, and in January the wedding cards
went all over the Union--some to West Point--but to Latrobe, who had been
looking ill and anxious for six weeks, said his classmates, and falling
off fearfully in his studies, said his professors, only a brief note
inclosing his letters and begging for hers. At reveille next morning
there was no captain to receive the report of roll call from the first
sergeant of Company "B." "Where's Latrobe?" sleepily asked the officer of
the day of the cadet first lieutenant. "I don' know," was the answer, and
to the amaze of Latrobe's roommate, who had gone to bed and to sleep
right after taps the night before, they found evidence that "Pat" had
left the post. He had not even made down his bedding. His cadet uniforms
were all there, but a suit of civilian clothes, usually in a snug package
up the chimney, that had been used several times "running it" to the
hotel after taps in August, was now, like its owner, missing. After three
days' waiting and fruitless search, the superintendent wired Latrobe's
uncle and best friend, old General Drayton, and that was the last seen or
heard of "Pat." In the spring and ahead of time his class was graduated
without him, for the war with Spain was on. In the spring an irate and
long-tried father was upbraiding another only son for persistent failures
at college. "Gov Prime will get the sack, not the sheepskin," prophesied
his fellows. And then somehow, somewhere the father heard it was a
married woman with whom his boy was so deeply in love, and there were
bitter, bitter words on both sides--so bitter that when at last he flung
himself out of his father's study Gov Prime went straight to Mildred's
room, silently kissed her and walked out of the house. This was in April.
The next heard of him he had enlisted for the war and was gone to San
Francisco with his regiment with the prospect of service in the
Philippines ahead of him, but that was full four months after his
disappearance. Thither, late in July the father followed, bringing
Mildred with him and--the reader knows the rest.