River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1882-11-16

precautions, and saw and heard moth
hing in each others all engrossing
presencel He followed her to the hall
and folded her shawl carefully around
her graceful form; for another happy
minute yet he stood with her hand
locked in his, meeting all her heart
shining out through her deep,blue eyes.
Then the carriage door closed with
sharp bang which struck cold on his
ear as the rolling wheels bore her away
in the night.
Perhaps his eyes were somewhat
dazzled by the bright parting glance he
had drunk in so eagerly, for all things
around him locked dim. Presently he
turned listlessly to take his hat and de-
part in his turn, still feeling like one
that dreams. Suddenly, however,
something impelled him to look up,
and what was the dismay when he
found himself face to face with-the
Colonel.
There was crowd of departing
guests in the hall, and as they gather
ed and jostled each other the two men
who had been thus unexpectedly
brought together were again borne
apart. The recognition was but in
Simultaneous, therefore, In another moi
ment the junior officer had contriyed
to mingle with and disappear in the
crowd. But by the stern, astonished
gaze which had met his eye for that
brief instant, he knew that he had
been identified, and that the Colonel
fully remembered where he had ought
to have been.
If he still ventured to retain any
hope that the recognition had not
been complete, such hope was prompt
ly dispelled by the order which pres
emily rang out in on1inous tones from
the Colonies weltknown voice of
thunder.
"Drive to the Royal Bank instantly"
it said, with awful distinction. "And
go as fast as you can"
Captain Kendall had managed to slip
unobserved through the doorway, and
he now stood in the street.
What was to be done? The carriages
that were in waiting there were all pri-
vate ones. The hackney coaches were
far down the file, and even had he been
lucky enough to secure one in time,
the rattle Of the wheels at that dead
hour of night, speeding in the same
direction as the Colonies carriage, or
indeed the very fact of vehicle stop
ping before the bank, would have con-
victe1 him at once. There was not 81
moment to be lost.
At this crisis, fortunately, his wits
did not forsake him. A sudden III
spiration presented itself to his mind,
and his decision was taken in twinkl-
ing. Favored by the opportune dark
ness, he crept round to the back of the
Colonels carriage, and, just as it Was
starting, he sprang up nimbly on the
step behind. The coachman whipped
up his horses, and ratified his wheels
through the still streets of the sleeping
city, clearing the distance in double
quick time. Neither master nor man
guessed their hot haste was bearing
back the iruant to his past. Within
the carriage the Colonel sat stiff and
erect, as became worthy disiplinari-
an wholly intent on the conviction of
his peccsnt Junior, in whose impend-
ing discontinue he could not help
feeling grim and righteous satisfac-
ton. At the back the Captain sat
crouching on the step, desperately con-
certing his measures.
'sImpudence stand my friend
through this scrape," he mentally
calculated. Perhaps all is not lost
yet" When the carriage turned into
- street, and the bank appeared in
view, he jumped lightly down, and
under the friendly cover of the night
ran to the small wicket gate in the
lane. Most luckily he had taken the
key with him, and, hurriedly letting
himself in, he passed swiftly through
the court, and came up with the senti-
mel inside the gr at gate while the
carriage was turning the longer curve
which led up to the front. How he
blessed the chance impulse which had
induced him to take the key !
"The Colonel's there" he said,
breathlessly. "Den't be too quick in
undoing the chain. Give me as long
as you can. And I say, Dickson" he
added, anxiously, NUNS the word,
you know--if you can"
cay ay sir" muttered the old
sentinel, as he shufiied slowly along.
He was very partial to the young man,
an. not so much so to the Colonel.
The Captain passed huriedly within.
Just then the bell of the great gate
rang out long, resounding peal.
The sentinel clanked the chain
noisely as he hooked and unlocked
it, fumbled with the key in the lock,
and made such judicious delays as en-
abled the officer on guard to compose
himself in attendance at his post, be-
fore the heavy doors turned on their
hinges to admit the Colonel.
"Look here, Captain Kendall" he
said, in accents which somehow had
taken milder sound from the bent of
his cogitations, "it's no use beating
about the bush; could stake my exist
ence that saw you at the ball. But
how you come to be here now is another
matter, and l don't pretend to under
stand how you managed it. You had
better make clean breast of it, and
though it would be my duty TO take
proceedings against you, yet if you will
explain, it is possible that may, just
for once, considering the peculiar fea-
lures of the case, be induced to take
lenient view of 81 very grave nlisde-
meanor, SIR"
Thus encouraged, the culprit, who
detected q kindly twinkle in the usu-
ally stern gray eye which was fixed up
on him, made full and free confession
of his fault, and of the causes which led
thereto.
The Colonel, though well advanced
in the vale of years, had not outlived
the memory of youthful hopes, and Was
a kindly man, though strict disciplin-
ariaD. The young lady whose fair inn
age had lured the lover from his duty
was rather a fayorite with him, and
considering, as she said, the peculiar
feature of the case, he consented to
overlook the offense, and inflicted no
worse punishment on the delinquent
than reprimand, which was received
in dutlful silence, and with all due con-
triton. Six months later the Colonel
made an eloquent speech at the wedd-
ing of two happy young people, on
which occasion Captain Brereton acted
acted as best man. The two sweet blue
eyes looked playfully into his as the
pretty bride thanked him, in mysteri-
Gus whisper, for the solitary and mem
orable occasion when he had consented,
for once in his life, to overlook and
condone = single breach of discipline.
FAINT U0xygafn's face