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

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 eyelng each
other, one keenly eager to detect, the
other az equally seeking to avoid de-
lection. The colonel was completely
baffled. The man was there before
him-that was certain; but how. hay
ing left him, as he felt sure he had
done, among The guests At the bail, hc
came TO be there now was intXpica-
Ole. No. having wings @hereNith o
Ay, how on earth had The fellow GOT
there Could he have been misiagen.
be woudered for amOpent. But no,
he knew he had not.
He shifted the form Of lis iuterroga-
ton:
Then you were not at the ball ? he
asked, very pOinledly.
The young officer was worthy Of all
condo nnation for having forsaken The
post Of duIy. But though he had acted
uexcusaby, he vas still a gentleman
aud he would rot pOllute bis lips with
a lie. He hesitated for 4 reply; then
parricd the question With another.
How could l be at the ball when
yor fed ne here, sir p he asked.
Yes, how; that vas the mystey,the
simple solution Of which was the iurth'
es. in the world from presenting Itself
to the coloAel's brain. lie knew thai
it was qniie impossible for another car
rage to have arrived before bis own.
His coachman had driven quickly
enough 10 satisfy even his impatience,
and he could nol have failed 10 notice
if another vehicle had preceded or fol-
lowed MS through the deserted streets.
He could moi in the least understand
It.
Silent, but wholly uuconyinced, be
sat down in the hall to think what it
might behoove him to say or do next.
while the junior officer hustled about
in restless fashion, setting refresh
ments before him and awkwardly en-
deayorng to turn the conversation into
another channel. The colonel answer
ed at random. for his thoughts were
perplexing.
Mysufed, and righteously set Oh
conylcting the offender as he doubtless
was, he could not help, nevertheless,
feeling a perception Of the comical side
of The question. He felt, too, that
how ever iu.ly persuaded he might be
in lis own mind of Captain KendaPs
offense, it would perhaps be difficult
matter to prove 1t. Al length he clear
ed lis throat pcr.enicusly aud returned
to the charge:
Look here. Copioin Kendall he
said, in accents which somehow had
taken milder sound FROM the bent cfI
his cogltation., 'it's 10 use beating
about the bush would stake my exis-
teuce TIA, | saw YOU at the ball. Bul
Aow you come TO be here now is another
matter, audI don't pretend 10 under
sand how YOU managed it. You had
better make O clean breast Of It, and
although it would be my duty 10 take
proceedings against you-yet il YOU
will explain it is possible that l may
Just for once, considering the peculiar
features of the case, be inclined to take
lenient view of very grave mlsde-
meanor, sir
Thus encouraged, the culprit, who
detected kindly twinkle in the usually
stern gray eye which was fixed upon
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 outliyed
the memory of youthful hopes; and
was kindly man, though a strict dis
ciplnar!an. The young lady, whose
fair imagine had Jared the lover from
hi. duty, was rather q Ayorte with
him, aud considering, as he had said,
the peculiar features Of the case, he
consented to overlook the ohense, aud
inflicted no worse punishment on The
delinquent then a reprlmand. which
was received in duliiul silence and with
all due contrltion. Six months later
the colonel made an elOquen, speech
at the wedding OF Two happy young
people, on which occasion Captain
Brereton acted as best man. Then
TWO sweet blue eyes looked plaNtull}
inio bis, as tue pretty bride thanked
him, in mysterious whisper, for The
solitary and memorable occasion when
be had consented, for once in his lile'
to overlook and condone a signal