Trethaway shook it slowly. "It is she."
Corliss let go, and misgiving shot into his face. "But St. Vincent?"
"Is your problem, not mine."
"Then Lucile--?"
"Certainly not. She played a quixotic little game of her own and
botched it beautifully."
"I--I do not understand." Corliss brushed his brows in a dazed sort of
way.
Trethaway parted his lips in a superior smile. "It is not necessary
that you should. The question is, Will you stand up with me?"
"Surely. But what a confoundedly long way around you took. It is not
your usual method."
"Nor was it with her," the colonel declared, twisting his moustache
proudly.
A captain of the North-West Mounted Police, by virtue of his
magisterial office, may perform marriages in time of stress as well as
execute exemplary justice. So Captain Alexander received a call from
Colonel Trethaway, and after he left jotted down an engagement for the
next morning. Then the impending groom went to see Frona. Lucile did
not make the request, he hastened to explain, but--well, the fact was
she did not know any women, and, furthermore, he (the colonel) knew
whom Lucile would like to ask, did she dare. So he did it upon his own
responsibility. And coming as a surprise, he knew it would be a great
joy to her.
Frona was taken aback by the suddenness of it. Only the other day, it
was, that Lucile had made a plea to her for St.
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