Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1882-11-15
A Breach of Discipline.

n DI6dOu vi Olo0lP1lAO'
Ips no use speaking, Brereton; l
must CO.
Are you mad, Kendall? It's youl
night on guard, and you know what
martinet The colonel is.'
| L tell you 1 will 60. The colonel'i
not dancing man. He'll know moth
ing about it,
Don't you believe it. The coloneP'
thick with those Lindsay girls, and III
| bet you ten to one he's there to NEE
them.'
/ 'Ob, hang it! I'll take my chance
them was the reply, in dogged tone oil
a man who knows he is in the wrong
but does not choose to yield.
i The speakers were TWO officers OF the
I-th regiment, which had been quar-
| tered for the last six months at Single
borough. The subject of discussion
was IA great public ball which was tc
take place that evening. The regiment
was TO be relieved in day or two, and
the ball would be the last at which the
gallant officers of the --th would Ap-
pear in that hosptable town.
Captain Kendall looked very obstl-
nate as he answered the prudent adj
monitions of his friend BreretOn, who
gave long whistle, and tapped tie
ground ominously with his cane.
1 gave you credit for more common
sense, he resumes, after a pause.
THEN you we're mistaken, you see.'
SO i. seems, but it is an awful pity.
You'll be cashiered TO a certainty, for
the old fellow is keen as hawk and is
sure to find you out. l say, man, be
advised, give it up; the games too
dangerous
'Poohr exclaimed the other, test
lily. = tell you the colonel went be
there, and if lie were, trust NE
me to dodge him. Why, bless yon'
he's blind as mole!
His friend looked utterly uncon-
| vnced. but remonstrance was plainly
Of no use.
It's all because Of that Leslie girl,
be said, ruetully, for lie was honestly
attached TO Lis messmate, aud saw
clearly the consequences which might
be expected to follow upon his attend
ance at the ball. Thank Heaven, Pm
not in love"
Spare your eloQuencc and have done
now, can't you?' replied Captain
/ Kendall, sungraciously. Go, l mus
and will. but trust to me TO take care 0
myself
The two friends walked down the
rest of the street in silence till Brere'
ton turned into lis club, while the other
went on, with slightly anxious frown
on his handsome, sunburnt face, anC
swinging his cane uneasily. He knew
Brereton wls right, but wong is ap
to be stronger than right sometimes
and the temptation in this case was
powerful. He was about to commit
deliberately, glaring breach OF military
discipline, which, if discovered, woul'
assuredly cost him dear and put an enc
: to more pleasant hopes than one
Nevertheless, he was quite determined
to riskit. 1t was his duty to keep guar'
that hight at the Royal bank, aud bis
colonel was not man who would light
lly overlook even trihlng oilens
Iagaiust the military code.
What, then, was the motive whicl
could iuduce this gallant young office
t of her majesty's service, who had al
r ready won distinction for bis Drawer.
on the battlefield, aud who had alwall
acquitted himself well and bon orabl
heretofore, to plan recklessly 30 grav
an infringement of duty as the aband'
onment of the post he was bound in al
Honor to gurad
We offer no excuse. But the expla
nation of his conduct must be found il
his state of mind, which was abnormal
Brereton was right. There was a wo
man in the case. Before his mind
eve there danced lovely vision tha
Ilurcd the infatuated young man from
the right path; pair OF blue eyes
sweet smile, a graceful girlish form, Il
gaze on which the foolish fellow woul'
have travelled miles
i And she was 10 be at the ball, sur
rounded by admiring swains, of one o
two OF whom he was madly jealous
; and who knew what might happel
Q while he was absent +!
He might Of course have spoken
o certain momentous little word before
Q and he had thought, nov aud then,
that il would not have fallen on re
luctant cars. But he had gone o.
basklng 10 the sunshine Of her smiles
too happy in the present TO think OF tn
Y future, aud he had just heard CASUALLY
that tomorrow morning early she wa
: 70 leave town for her home 10 the coui
!. ltrJ.
VI To-day, too, chance had brought