Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1882-11-10

another whenever lhey detected the
dreaded form of the Colonel approach
ing. After time he settled down
quietly at a whist-table in the distance,
and they gave themselves up with
reckless CAVITY to the enjoyment of the
evening. Another hour passed, and
supper time came, and still they dane
ed or fingered in quiet hooks, and man.
aged succ essfully to elude those eyes
whose recognition was SO carefully to
be avoided.
"Wbat comfort it is that he is such
a maypole, and may be observed from
ATARI laughed the girl, who had caught
the infection of her lovers CAVITY.
At length the dreaded time for part
ing was at hand. The morning train
was to bear away the lady to her faith
er's summer residence, and thus to
separate for while the newly plighted
pair. What wonder that in those last
few precious moments they forgot ali
precautions, and saw and heard moth
thing in each others all engrossing
presence 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 deeplblue eyes,
Then the carriage door closed with a
sharp bang which struck cold on his
ear as the rolling wheels bore her away
in the night.
Perhaps his eyes were somew hat
dazzled by the bright parting glance he
had drunk in 80 eagerly, for all things
around him looked 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 tine 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 mos
ment the junior officer had contrived
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 op1inous tones from
the Colonel's wellknown voice of
thunder.
''Drive to the Royal Bank Instantly"
it said, with awful distinction. "And
go rs 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 a vehicle stop
ping before the bank, would have CON
victed him at once. There was not a
moment to be lost.
AT this crisis, fortunately, his wits
did not forsake him. A sudden in
SEPARATION 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
ColonePs 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 truant to his past. Within
the carriage the Colonel sat stiff and
erect, rs became q worthy disiplinari-
an wholly intent on the conviction of
his peccant 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.
'Impudence 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 Colonels there" he said,
breathlessly. Don't be too quick in
undoing the chain. Give me as long
as you can. And l say, Dickson" he
added, anxiously, "mum's the word,
you kuow--if you can"
GAY ay SIR" muttered the old
sentinel, rs he shuthed slowly along.
He was very partial to the young man,
AMI rot 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 rs he hooked and unlocked
it, fumbled with the key in the lock,
and made such judicious delays as en-
| apASA thV SAAiSSA Oh SoaAN W SOupOSt
himself in attendance ut 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; 1 could stake my exist
ence that saw you at the bali. 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 q 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