The Sentinel. [volume] (Trenton, N.J.) 1880-1882, 1882-11-11

J Neither master no man guessed that
| their hot haste Was bearing back the
| truant to his post. Within the carriage
| the Colonel sat stiff and erect as became
worthy disciplina-ian, wholly intent
on the conviction OF his peccant junior,
/ in whose impending discontinue he
could not help feeling grim and
righteous satisfaction At the back
the Captain sat crouching on the step
desperately concerning his measures
"Impudence! stand my friend
through this scrape, he mentally eiac-
ulated. Perhaps all is not lost yet. y
When the carriage turned into
street and the bank appeared in view,
he jumped lightly down and under
the friendly cover of night. ran to
the small wicket gate in the lane.
Most luckily .he had taken the key
with him, and hurriedly letting him.
self in, he passed swiftly through the
court, and came up with the sentinel
inside the great gate, while the car
riage was taking the longer curve
which led up to the front. How he
blessed he chance impulse which
mad induced him to take that key
THE Colonies there" he said
breathlessly. "Don't be too quick in
undoing the chain. Give me as long
as you can. And 1 say, Dickson"
be added anxiously. ''mum's the
word, you know-if you can"
SAY! ay! SIR" muttered the old
sentinel as he shuff1ed slowly along.
He was very partial to the young
man, and not SO much 50 to the Col
onel.
The Captain passed hurriedly with
in.
Just then the bell Of the great gate
Gang out long, resounding peal.
The sentinel clanked the chain
noisily as he hooked and unlocked II,
fumbled the key In the lock, and
made such judicious delays as enabled
the officer or EIard to compose MIN
self in attendance at his post, before
the heavy doors turned on their
hinges to admit the Colonel.
where is Captain Kendall?" he
asked, as he alighted, in stentorian
tones which vibrated strangely
through the silence, with q sort of
angry expectant note of triumph.
ION guard, sir ~ ans wered the SOL
der CURLY.
"What!" cried the Colonel, in the
shriliest of accents. He was too utterly
taken aback to sey another word.
The sentinel adopting his usual stolid
demeanor, took no notice OF his evil
dent establishment. Captain Kendall
heard the inquiry from within, and
came forward. Expressing any liz
ward treinors he might feel, he re-
solved to put bold face on the mat
ter.
"Here, sir; do you require me?'
he asked coolly.
The Colonel stared at him. His
face, with it's expression OF mingled
sternness and entire bewilderment,
would have been no mean study for a
painter.
He could hardly believe his eyes.
Keenly scrutinizing the younger man,
who did not quail before his gaze, he
said stiff1y, after pause of some sec.
onds.
II certainly thought, sir, saw you
at the ball in D street Just now ~
"Me, sir ?" replied the other auda-
ciously. why, am on guard, SIR"
at is very singular" resumed the
Colonel, without relaxing his scrutiny
and slightly raising his voice. "I
could have sworn that l saw you
there!"
Every singular indeed, sir" retort-
ed the delinquent, gaining boldness
from the very extremity of the strait
to which he found himself reduced
since man can't be in two places at
once, and you have found me here,
case of mistaken identity perhaps,
sir.n
The two men stood still cycling each
other, one keenly eager to detect, the
other as eagerly seeking to avoid de-
lection. The Colonel was completely
baffled. The man was there before
him-that was certain; but how, hav-
ing left him, as he felt sure he had
done, among the guests at the ball, he
came to be there now, was inexplica-
bic. Not having wings wherewith to
fly, how on earth had the fellow got
there? Could he have been mistaken,
he wondered for moment. But no,
he knew he had not.
He shifted the form OF his interroga-
ton:
"Then you were not at the ball Pr
he asked very peintedly.
The young officer was worthy of
all condemnation for having forsaken
tho most ~ dutv Rut fhopob he bod