Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1885-11-06
CHAPTER v.

There was only one blot in the sweetness
and light Of Miss Mignons baby character,
so far as the officers of the Scarlet Lancers
were concerned. Among them all there
was only one whom she did not like. She
had degrees of love-Bootles ranked first,
then Lacy, then two or three groups of
friends whom she liked best, better land
WE'LL but she had no degrees of dislike where
she did not love- She hated, hated fiercely
and furiously, hated with all her baby
heart and soul. There were several persons
in her small world whom she detested thus,
absolutely declining to hold communication
Or to accept overtures from them, however
sweetly made; but there was only One of
the officers who came under this
head, and he was Gilchrist, the
sUorEhouse brat. Miss Mignon could not
endure him. When old enough to under
stand that certain box of sweeties had
come from Mr.. Gilchrist, she would drop it
as if it burned her fingers, draw down the
corners of her mouth, and remark, miss
Mignon is very much obliged;' an observa-
ton which invariably sent Bottles and Lacy
off into fits of laughter at which the little
maid would fly nfsol-armed to him and cry,
''But MigrG1 loves Bottles" But the fact
remained the same that Miss Mignon de-
tested Gilchrist, who, indeed, was not
favorite in the regiment. Nor, indeed, did
Gilchrist seem to like Miss Mignon any bet
ter though he now and then brought his
offerings of toys and bonbons, like the rest.
In the face of Bottles severe snub about the
two odious words he had applied to her, he
was hardly such a simpleton as to further
rouse or annoy the most popular man in the
regiment; yet if he could possibly cast slur
on Boot,es or on the child he did it, Never
from his lips came the pet name Miss Mig
non," never did his black eyes rest on her
without sheer or jibe; if he could by any
chance twist Bottles words into an admis-
sion that the child was really his, he took
care never to lose the opportunity.
ooh, come now," Preston cried one day,
wien he had been sneering at BOTTLES and
Lacy, who had just driven away with the
child between them, 'tBootles is a right
good sort-no mistake on that point. No
sneaking hypocrisy about him. 1t would be
well for you and me if we were half as fine
chaps but we are not, Gilchrist, and, what
is more, we never shall be-"
''Oh no; but where is the mother of that
brat?"
''How should know? or Bottles? /
shouldn't mind laying my life that Bottles
never did and never will cause her or any
other woman to write such letter as came
with the child that night. Jolly good thing
for this one if she was Bottles wife, instead
OF being tied up to the hound who bound her
to secrecy and deserted her. Perhaps she's
dead. poor SOUL Who sknows?
'sPerhaps she isn't" Gilchris5 sneered.
'Some people never die.''
Good natured and not very wise Preston
stared at him, and Hartog looked from be-
hind his newspaper, aghast at the bitterness
Of his tone.
"Good heavens, Gilchrist" Preston cried,
fare you acanting somebody to dieg'
Gilchrist tried to laugh, and succeeded
very badly He rose from his chair, knock
ing few scattered cigar ashes carefully off
his braided cuff.
"Well, / confess should not be sorry to
see that prating brat of Bottles out of the
road, We should perhaps get at the truth
then" And having delivered himself of this
feeling speech, he went out, banging the
door after him.
''Well, upon my soulr' exclaimed Preston
ooh, the mans got "a tile loose in his upper
story" said Hartog, decidedly. mo man
in his senses would talk such miserable rot
as that. Always sought Gilchrist a crazy
fool myself, but Pm sure of it now"
"And how he sticks to it Miss Mignon is
Bottles own child-as if it could be any
good for him TO say she isn't if she isl
s'No I shall tell BOTTLES to keep an eye
on Gilchrist. I say, what comfort it would
be if he would only exchange! l suppose
we can't manage to dazzle him with the de-
lights Of India, eha'
s'Not very well, Besides, he lost ever 50
much seniority by coming to u.s.
''No such luck. It's queer, though, he
should be SO persistent about Bottles and
Miss Mignan. suppose he wants to daub
Bottles with some of his own mud Thinks
il he only throws enough, some of it's sure
to stick, and SO it would with most mon.
Happily, hoWSver, it don't in the least
matter what a little cad like Gilchrist
chooses to say about man like Bootles-a
Jealous little beast"
Neither of them said any more about the
matter, but Hartog took the earliest oppor-
tunity of repeating to Bottles what ''that
ass Giichrist'' had said about seeing that
prating brat Of Bottles out of the road
and in consequence q kind of watch was So,
upon the child. Not that Boobies, though
he had very poor opinion of Glchrist and
Gilchrist's brains, was afraid for a moment
that he would give Miss Mignon poisoned
bonbons, or run of with her and drop he1
in the river; yet he did think it not improb
able that he might encourage an already
dangerous spirit of adventure, and of course
be absolutely blameleSs if she could pe