News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1882-11-16

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 himself in, he passed
swiftly through the court, and came up
with the sentinel inside the great gate,
while the carriage was taking the longer
curve which led up to the front. How
he blessed the chance impulse which
had induced him to take that key.
"The Colonel's there" he said breath
lessly. "Don't be too quick in undoing
the chain. Give me as long as you can.
And 1 say, Dickson" he added anx-
iously, "mum's the word, you know
if you cam"
tinel, as he shuffied slowly along. He
was very partial to the young man, and
not so much so to the Colonel.
The Captain passed hurriedly within.
Just then the bell of the great gate
rang out long, resembling peal.
The sentinel clanked the chain noisily
as he hooked and unlocked it, fumbled
with the key in the lock, and made such
judicious delays as enabled the officer
on guard to compose himself in attend
anee 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 sort of angry expect
ant note of triumph.
"On guard, sir" answered the SOL
der CURLY.
"What p cried the Colonel, in the
shrillest of accents. he was too utterly
taken aback to say another word. The
sentinel, adopting his usual stolid de-
meanor. took no notice 90 -. evident
astonishment. Captain Kendall heard
the inquiry from within, and came for
ward. depressing any inward tremors
he might feel, he resolved to put bold
face on the matter.
"Here, sir !; do you require me ?" he
asked coolly.
The Colonel stared at him. His face,
with its expression of mingled stern
ness and entire bewilderment, would
have been no mean study for a
painter.
He could hardly believe his eyes.
Keenly scrutinizing the young man,
who did not quail before his gaze, he
said stifiy, after a pause of some Sec
onds:
81 certainly thought, sir, saw you
at the ball in D. street, just now T.
Me, sir ?" replied the other, auda-
ciously, "why, [ am on guard, sir"
"It is very singular" resumed the
Colonel, without relaxing his scrutiny,
and slightly raising his voice. "I
could have sworn that l saw you
there p
every singular, indeed, SIR" retorted
the delinquent, regaining boldness from
the very extremity of the strait to which
he found himself reduced; "since a
man can't be in two places at once, and
you have found me here, A case of
mistaken identity, perhaps, SIR"
The two men stood still eye1ng each
other, one keenly eager to detect, the
other as eagerly seeking to avoid detec-
lion. The Colonel was completely baf-
fed. The man was there before him
that was certain but how, having left
him, as he felt sure he had done, among
the guests at the ball, he came to be
there now, was inexplicable. Not hay
ing wings wherewith to fly, how on
earth had the fellow got therep Gould
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 ?" he
asked, very polntediy.
The young officer was worthy of all
condemnation for having forsaken the
post of duty. But though he had acted
inexcusabiy, he was still a gentleman,
and he would not pollute his lips with
a lie. He hesitated for q reply; then
parted the question with another.
"How could 1 be at the ball when
you find me here, sir ?" he asked.
Yes, how; that was the mystery, the
simple solution of which was the furthest |
in the world from presenting itself to
the Colonel's brain. He knew that it
was quite impossible for another car
riage to have arrived before his own.
His coachman had driven quickly |
enough to satisfy even his impotence,
and he could not have failed to notice
if another vehicle had preceded or
followed his through the deserted |
streets. He could not In the least IN
derstand it.
Silent, but wholly unconvinced, he
sat down in the hall to think what it |
might behoove him to say or do next,
while the junior officer hustled about in |
a restless fashion, setting refreshments |
before him, and awkwardly endeavoring |
to turn the conversation into another |
The Colonel answered at |
random, for his thoughts were perplex-
ing.
mystlueu, Suu IlBHOoouSlJ eo1 oA coh-
victing the offender as he doubtless was,
he could not help, nevertheless, feeling |
a perception of the comlcal side of the
question. He felt, TOO, that however
fully persuaded he might be in his own |
mind of Captain Kendal's offence, it
would perhaps be difficult matter to
prove it. At length he cleared his throat
portentously, and returned to the
charge:
Look here, Captain Kendall" he
said, in accents which somehow had |
taken milder sound from the bent of
his cogitations, Sits no use beating
about the bush; 1 could stake my exist
anna that I saru rnn Of tho hnn Rr,k