Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-08-19


ton betrayed more surprise than pleasure
However, he returned the greeting cor.
daily enough, and introduced me. / had
heard of this Colonel st. just before, and
knew little about him--enough, in fact
to make me rather curious to see him.
Yes, one Of the st. Justs of La Fontaine
he was younger son, but very well off
He was in the Crimea, and wounded al
Sebastopol. a man about middle age,
should say, tall and very slight, with a del.
icate high-bIed face, fair and smooth as
woman and with woman's sweetness O!
expression. The smile with which he
raised his hat to me was, think, the mos!
winning ever saw. made these observa.
tions while Considine was talking to him,
or, more correctly, answering questions.
An invitation to dinner was given then.
Come tomorrow at seven. We dine
early. l have several young fellows staying
with me, and have to be careful of their
morals, you know i; and bring your friend
IL beg pardon, Captain Kenyon, did you
say! hope you will give me the pleas.
ure OF your company, Captain Kenyon,
though | am afraid you will find it rather
slow after Indian gayeties.'
81 accepted. With good deal of shout.
ing at the horses, and Good nights ex.
changed, they dashed off in the gathering
mist.
al didn't know st. Just was a friend
of yours, George, | said, as we shouldered
our guns and plodded ON again.
"'Oh, l have met him two or three
times | don't know him very we'll, he
answered, with some reserve, remarking
pleasantly that ne wished he had not ac-
cepted the invitation he supposed all the
other fellows knew about it.
50 Dare say they do, but you must face
that.
Suppose so, unless l break my neck
first, he answered, with a bitter laugh.
Walford, st. Just's place, was some
three miles from Marston; a compar-
atively new house, and furnished in
that high-art style which was just be-
| ginning to come into fashion among few
enthusiasts in the esthetic world. The
dinner and wines were superb, and the
other guests pleasant and gentlemanly
enough few young officers, not one of
whom, however, Considine or knew, one
or two Oxford men, Colonel Dixon, OF the
Sixty.frst. barrister, and old Squire Har-
wood, of Wixhope
The conversation savored rather of the
stable at first, but there was not much
harm in it. 1t was st. just himself who
| gave to it tone | did not altogether like
"a covert sneer now and then at things
no gentleman should sneer at-an impu-
tation of wrong motive where none should
have been imputed "a joke which man
would hardly have cared to repeat to his
sister. More than once, must confess, l
felt little annoyed still, l could not
| help watching my host with more interest
| and admiration than is usually excited by
total stranger on the mind of man
with an Amazingly good opinion of him
self. The fair, handsome face, with its
winning smile; the rich, deep voice, never
raised above certain pitch-he set the
whole table in roar and turned to swear
at the servants in precisely the same low,
grave tones-yet so clear that no word
could escape you and the graceful, pol
ished manner fascinated me in spite of N.Y.
self. l couidn't keep my eyes off him, and
yet ]. was glad when dinner was over,
and we went to the billiard and smoking
rooms
"After good deal of persuasion Consi.
dine sat down at the card. table with Colo
mel Dixon. l did not care to play, and,
pleading a slight headache as an excuse,
took my cigar to window.seat, with
view of making further observations. st.
Just himself would not play, but walked
about from one room to another, marking
for billiards or looking over the hands of
the half-dozsn who were at cards. He
seemed to me to exercise the same singular
fascination over all his guests, the young
fellows especially. More than one lad /
saw color and start like o girl when the
white hand rested on his shoulder and the
handsome head bent down over him.
Il got Considine away tolerably early,
but not before he had pledged himself to
dine there the following night; and hear.
ing this, l, too, accepted the invitation,
which of course was extended to me.
The evening passed off in much the
same way as the previous one had done,
but that there was some high play. More
than enough wine had been drank before
We left, and-well l had to drive Consi-
dine home. l was more grieved and an.
noyed about it than l can tell you, and
none the less SO that knew whose doing
1t was. st. just played his part OF
tempter carefully and with infinite tact !;
but it was he, | knew, who had filled Con-
sidine's glass again and again, and proposed
the higher stakes; and when George grew
excited and angry through the quiet re.
Duke his host gave him, had seen a CLEAN
of something like satisfac.ion-a look in
the gray eyes that startled me for a mo-
ment, and the recollection of which cost
my friend lecture next morning. He
listened in moody silence to what had to
say until l concluded.
Ii you are wise, old fellow, you will
break with st. just and his set. You
know as well as | do that they are
no good. We saw enough last night to
give us fair idea of what goes on there.
Why not 60 abroad and stay with your
mother few weeks? | believe it would
do you good.
&c He faced round on me at that.
Thanks, Jack but l believe l am
old enough to choose my own friends and
place of residence. I'm sorry if they
don't suit you; but the remedy lies in
your own hands
81 would not have borne the insult
from any other man, Charlie but could
not quarrel with Considine. / looked at
him steadily for a moment, waiting for
an apology and when his eyes met mine
he came to me, holding out his hand
beg pardon, Jack. l didn't mean
that; but you must let me 60 to the
deuce IN my own way.
There is no necessity for your going
there at all, that 1 know of, 1 answered,
laughing. And you will send an excuse
instead Of going over to Walford to-day,
ehr
Hang it, fellow must have some.
thing to do, and there is capital cover.
shooting in the park, he said shortly, and
with slight frowp.
Never mind the shooting, old fell
low; do what you know to be right
60 don't know it to be right; and,
pom my word, will not be preached at,
jack. If you don's care to 60, I'll take
yonr excuses.
g he rang the bell and ordered the dog
cart, and seeing that he was bent on having
his OWE way, said no more, and went
with him, too, after tough battle with
my COMPOUNDED pride. Leave him to hira.
self just then could not, and call myself
his friend.
81 have since understood better the OBJ