The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1874-03-04
CHAPTER l.

istence, without strong desire, either
for good or evil.
He had talents certainly,--a keen
wit and subtitle analysis-but he used
them only for caricature and burlesque.
His very tone had drawl, and his
face latent sneer. But his friends
(who we're few said he was capable
Of kind and generous acts, and the
GoulricRs (his half-sister's family
seemed absolutely devoted TO him.
Curtis ROLES, my young adjutant,
would have disliked him less but for
this. Like him, he never could, be-
cause there was an Unborn lack of con-
geniality between tho two Leigh,
blase and indifferent, and Curtis, pas
sionate, shy, thoroughly in earnest.
and full of intense vitality. But he
was engaged to Rachel Goulrick,
George Goulrick's youngest sister,)
and her admiration for Leigh Page,
and qualification for his kindness to
her brothers family, almost drove
Curtis wild with jealousy, although he
tried to, and l believe did, conceal it
from her.
But knew a crisis was imminent
when l heard her reprove her lover
Indignantly for uttering rather severe
criticism upon Leigh Pages idle life
in her presence. "No one shall speak
before me against him!" she said, ex
citedly, and the quick tears stood in
her dark. blue eyes, "when he has been
the kindest, truest friend my brother
ever had. We might be beggars now
but for him" tN 1
Curtis ROLES did not reply, but /
saw him bite his lip and clench his
hand as if with sudden pain, and l
knew his passion was at fever heat.
He had offered at the time of
Georges failure to do all which Leigh
had done, and he suspected the latter
Of making capital of his kindness to
the brother in order to influence the
sister.
So when / entered the mess room
that night, and found Leigh Page ex-
hibiting to a crowd of amused com
panions some clever caricatures on
Curtis Rolles,-and they hit fairly
enough, poor fellow, for Curtis was too
earnest not to be vulnerable-I felt
uneasy. ..ll.
At last l said to Leigh Page-"My
good fellow! you had better put these
things aside. Curtis will be here 500 n,
and this sort of thing won't do. One
has a prejudice against joke on ones
self, you know"
Leigh Page gave me defiant stare
out Of his lazy blue eyes, and threw
the drawings down on the table, in full
view of the group now entering the
door. Curtis ROLES was one.
"What's this?" asked Burton An
drews, sauntering up to the table. cts
a mighty clever thing! Why, Curtis,
it is you to the life, my boy!'
Curtis ROLES looked at it in silence,
and his boyish features began to grow
curiously stern; but the very force of
passion kept him outwardly quiet.
"You meant these as insulting to
me, Mr.. Page ?" he asked.
"If you find the truth an insult, Mr..
ROLES, replied Leigh, with a cool,
sneering lrugh. "Your friends recog-
nize the resemblance. 4.
A fierce blow in the face felled him
to the earth; another and another fell
with blind, passionate power, until the
men separated them by force; but
Leigh Page had had no opportunity to
retaliate, and we knew the affair would
not end there. The first stroke half
stunned him, and when he left the
room, bruised, Scared, and bleeding,
not even his mother would have recog-
nized his face.
But in a few days he had recovered
| sufficiently to 60 out, and it was sus'
pected that challenge had been sent.
Thursday evening he was among the
officers on the parade ground, though
there was an ugly red scar on his brow.
Curtis ROLES was also there, OF course,
but no sign of recognition passed be-
tween him and Leigh Page, or his
friends.
There was a large crowd of specta.
tors present, and among them, Rachel
Goulrick. She WAS a light.hearted
impulsive girl, almost as quick with a
Jest as with the flash of temper which
marked her displeasure. This even
she looked pale and downeast | wal
standing near her when two men be
gan discussing the chances of a duel
They seemed to thing there was NJ
doubt of it.
"Oh, dear! aud will no man try t.
stop them?" she exclaimed, in low
passionate tones; and then, before
p quite understood the situation, thu
whole crowd, about to disperse, wer'
arrested by seeing her slight girlisl