Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1882-11-17
At this crisis fortunately bi3 wits did

slnge, ana Just as III WIS StnrNhg, nc
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 doube-quick time, in order to fore
stall the return of the delinquent officer.
Neither master nor man guessed tina,
their hot haste was bearing back the tru-
ant to his post. Within the carriage the
colonel SAT stiff and erect, as became n
worthy disciplinarian, wholly intent ON
the conviction of his peccant Junior. III
whose impending discontinue he could
not help feelings grim and righteous sat
isfaction. At the back the captain sat
crouching on the step, desperately con-
ccrting his measures.
"Impudcncc ! stand my friend through
this scrapc" he mentally calculated.
"Perhaps all is not lost yet When the
carriage turned into--strcet and the
bank appeared in view, he jumped light
~ 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 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 i'm
pulse which had induced him to take that
key!
"The coloncl's there" he said breath
lcssly. "Don't be too quick in undoing
the chain. Give me as long as you can.
And say, Dickson" he added nnxiously,
"mum's the word You know-if you
can.
SAY ! ay sir, muttercd the old senti-
mel, as he shuiiied slowly along He was
very partial to the young man, and not 50
much SO to the colonel.
The captain passed hurricdly within.
Just then the bell of the great gate
rang out long, resounding
The sentinel clanked the chain noisily
as he hooked and unlocked it, fumbled
with the key in the lock, and made such
ridiculous delays rs enabled the officer on
guard to compose himself i'll attendance
at his post before the heavy doors turned
on their hinges to admit the colonel.
"Wherc is Capt. Kendall p he asked
as he alighted, in stentorian tones which
vibratcd strangely through the silence,
with a snort of angry, expectant note OF
triumph.
"On guard, sir ~ answered the soldier
CURLY.
"What 2" cried the colonel, i'll the
shrillest of accents. He was too utterly
taken nback to say another word. The
sentinel. adopting his usual stolid de-
meanor. took no notice Of his evident as
constituent. Captain Kendall heard the
enquiry from within and came forward.
REFRESHING any inward tremors he might
feel, he resolved 10 put bold face on the
matter.
"Here, sir ; do You require Inc @ he
asked coolly.
The colonel stared at him. His face,
with its expression of mingled steruness
and entire bewildcrment, would have
been no mean study for II painter.
He could hardly believe his eyes.
Keenlv scrutinizing the younger man,
who did not quail before his gaze, he said
stifily, after pause of some seconds
II certainly thought, sir, l saw you at
the ball i'll D street Just now
"N1e, sir?' replied the other audaci,us-
ly. "Why, l am on guard, sir.
at is very singular" resumed the col
onel, without relaxing his scrutiny and
slightly raising his voice, 81 could have
sworn that l saw YOU there"
"Very singular indeed, sir, retorted
the delinquent, gaining boldness from
the very extremity Of the strait to which
he found himself reduced ''since n man
can't be in two places ut once. and You
have found me here. A case Of mistaken
identity perhaps, sir.
The two men stood still cycling each
other, one keenly eager to detect, the
other rs eagerly seeking to avoid detec-
ton. The colonel was completely batl1ed.
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 having wings where
with 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 p he
asked very pointedly. =,
The Young officer was worthy of all
condemnation for having iorsaken the
post of duty. But though he had act ed
inexcusably, he was still gentleman,
and he would not pollutc his lips with a
lie. He hesitated for reply ; then par
ried the question with another.
"How could be Mt the ball when You
find me here. sir?' he asked
Yet, how that was the mystery, the
simple solution of which was the further
est in the world from presenting itself to
the colonel's brain. He knew that it was
quite impossible for another carriage to
have arrived before his own. His coach
man 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 i'll the
least understand 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 n restless
fashion, setting refreshments before him,
and awkwardly endeavering to turn the
conversation into another channel. The
colonel answered at random, for his
thoughts were perplcxing.
Mystified, and righteously set on con-
victing the offender MS he doubtless was,
he could not help, nevertheless, feeling
n perception of the comical side of the
question. He felt, too, that however
fully persuaded he might be in his own
mind OF Capt, Kendals offence, it would
perhaps be difficult matter to prove it.
At length he cleared his throat porten-
tously, and returned to the charge:
"Look here, Capt. Kendall" he said,
in accents which somehow had taken q
milder sound from the bent of his cogi-
tations, cts no use beating about the
bush | could stake my existence that l
ssw you at the ball. But how you come
to be here now il another matter, and
don't pretend to understand how You man,
aged 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 pecul
lar features Of the case, be induced tc