Connecticut western news., 1882-11-01

in the hall, and as they gathered and Jostled each other, the two men who had been thus unexpectedly brought tos gether were again borne apart. Th recognition was but instantaneoI therefore, and in another moment tA@ junior officer had contrived to mingle with and disappear with the crowd. But by the stern astonished gaze which had met his eye for that brief instant, he knew that he had been identified, aud that the Colonel fully remembered where he ought to have been.
 If he still ventured to retain any hope that the recognition had not been com plete, such hope was promptly dispelled by the order which presently rang out in ominous tones from the ColonePs we'll l-known voice of thunder.
 "Drive to the Royal Bank instantlyl' it said with awful distinctness. ''And | go as fast as you can."
 Captain Kendall had managed to slip unobserved through the doorway, and he now stood in the street.
 What was to be done? The carriages that were in waiting there were all pri- vate ones. The hackney coaches were far down the file, and even had he been lucky enough to secure one in time, the rattle of the wheels at that dead hour of the night, speeding in the same direc- ton as the Coloners carriage, or indeed the very fact of a vehicle stopping be- fore the bank, would have convicted him at once. There was not moment to be lost.
 At this crisis fortunately his wits had not forsaken him. A sudden inspiration presented itself to his mind, and his de- cision was taken in twinkling. Fa- vored by the opportune darkness, he crept round to the back of the Oolonel's carriage, and just as it was starting, he sprang nimbly on the step behind. The coachman whipped up his horses and rattled his wheels through the still streets of the sleeping city, clearing the distance in double quick time, in order to forestall the return of the delinquent officer. Neither master nor man guessed 1 buht lA0I 1SO5 A1SL0 NdS OCuAAAS O0Ch the truant to his post. Within the car riage the Colonel sat stiff and erect, as
 became a worthy disciplinarlan. wholly
 intent on the conviction of his peccant
 junior, in whose impending discontinue l he could not help feeling grim and
 righteous satisfaction. At the back the
 Captain sat crouching on the step, des-
 perately concerting his measures.
 "Impudencel stand my friend through this scrape," he mentally ejac-
 ulated. 's Perhaps all is not lost yet. ''
 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 himself in, he passed
 swiftly through the court, and came ul
 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. s'The Ooloners there. he said breath lessly. "Don't be too quick in undoine
 the chain. Give me as long as you can.
 And say, Dickson" he added anx
 iously, "mum's the word, you know
 if you can."
 "Ay, ay, sir," muttered the old sen
 tinel, as he shufaed slowly along. He was very partial to the young man, anG , not so much so to the Colonel. l The Captain passed hurriedly with in
 Just then the bell of the great gate 7 rang out long, resounding peal. The sentinel clanked the chain noisily as he hooked and unlocked it, fumblee f with the key in the lock, and made sucl
 judicious delays as enabled the office }, on guard to compose himself in attend L. ance at his post, before the heavy door f. turned on their hinges to admit tn n Colonel!
 @ "Where is Captain Kendall P h
 asked, as he alighted, in stentorial n tones which vibrated strangely througl s the silence, with 6 sort of angry expect n ant note of triumph.
 s con guard, sir," answered the sol @ dier curtly.
 t "What ?" cried the Colonel, in tn d shrillest of accents. He was too utterl J. taken aback to say another word. Tn d sentinel, adopting his usual stolid de Ie meanor, took no notice of his evider D astonishment. Captain Kendall hear 1t the inquiry from within, and came fol l, ward. Expressing any inward tremo1 " he might feel, he resolved to put bol Id face on the matter.
 es "Here, sir; do you require me ?" h to asked coolly.
 The Colonel stared at him. His fac .b with it's expression of mingled ster1 n ness and entire bewilderment, woul ,t have been no mean study for
 painter.
 t. He could hardly believe his eye a. Keenly scrutinizing the young maj to who did not quail before his gaze, us said stiff1y, after a pause of some SC ed onds:
 .st "I certainly thought, sir, saw yt all at the ball in D. street, just now lg Me, sir ?" replied the other, aud P ciously, "why, am on guard, sir" ed "It is very singular" resumed u ul Colonel, without relaxing his scrutin he and slightly raising his voice. 6 st- could have sworn that I saw y, gh there l"