Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-10-04

and 1t may be for this reason
that We nil fell in love Win
the wavy brown hair and exquisite
pink and white complexion Of the Adj
jutant's daughter. One by one we re-
ceiyed our congo. Claud was the Ia
vored one. He bore his honors well.
j remember the night the engagement
was announced. We drank the health
Of the pair, and Gland made a speech
which, though brief and modest. was
remarkable for its good taste and for
the unaffected delight the poor fellow
evinced at the satisfactory result OF his
courtship.
fittings went smoothly enough till
Dick Rochester turned up. We alter
ward found that Dick had met Clara
Mompesson in London, and from what
We could gather Dick had surrendered
at discretion, although he had only met
her twice and had not been formally in
troduced to her. OF course nothing
had been said, and Dick was not even
aware Of the meditated return TO India
till the vessel that bore her was well
round the Cape He was his own mas
ter and had succeeded TO the remnant
Of a fortune which his father had done
bis best to squander. The possibility
Of recovering some further moneys, a
kind of salvage from the wreck. de-
tanned him some few months in ETg-
land. Then he followed her to lula
ard TO Multan.
:" suppose he was terribly cut up
when he found that only few days
before his arrival Miss Mompesson had
become the betrothed of his brother.
His first impulse was to fly the place.
Unfortunately Clsud pressed him to
remain, and newell, he committed
the fatal error of staying on. must
tell you that the two brothers were
wonderfully alike. In the dark it was
common thing to mistake one for the
other, but Dick. although the features
and build of both were similar, was
unquestionably the handsomcr and bet
tornado man Of the two.
lone day disquieting rumors came
in. As result Clsud Rochester was
sent for, and sealed packet was put
into his hand. He was to post off to
. place called BOggapur and then de-
liver his trust to another messenger,
who would convey it to the Residents
commissioner at Lahore. Every min
ute he gained was of paramount i'm
portance-so they told him.
"Claud left the room with the inten-
ton of making instant preparations for
his Journey. Just as he was entering
his quarters letter was placed in his
hands. He opened it, glanced at it,
and his face became perfectly liyid, as
his servant afterward told US. Instead
of entering his room he dashed off to
the Adjutant's and asked for Clara.
Nobody knew exactly what trans
PRED; but one thing is certain-Clara
was broken-hearted, told him she could
not marry him, admitted that she loved
his brother, and wound up by saying
that Dick had left her forever. 1t was
true Dick, though he had dallied when
he ought to have decamped, had at the
last moment realized the state Of at.
fairs, and although unaware how far
the girls affections were entangled, he
determined to prove his fealty to Claud
and without a word to any one was
already of.
"Claud forgot every mortal thing il
existence but his desire for the girls
happiness. His own love was as no
thing. Within ten minutes he was OIL ii
pursuit of his brother. lie had got Q
six hours start, but in the end he over
took him, and brought him back tC
Clara's feet. 1t took three days.
"You've done it quickly, old boy,
was the first greeting he received as h
made slowly for his quarters.
The Lieutenant stared. Then in 81
instant the whole thing flashed upor
him-the sealed packet!
~ need scarcely say there was
tremendous row. A court-martial wa
held. Claud vouchsafed no explanation
and was broken. There was nothing
for it but to return to England, and N
one ever heard of him again. Hi
brother made every inquiry possible
1t was no use. But that the Genera
was Claud Rochester | will stake m,
existence. His photograph and you
| ntita apOnUh ~
, "Then the gentleman whose littl
daughter was knocked down at Kin
Georges Parade was the General
brother, and the lady was Clara Nom
pesson, now Rochester," suggested tn
sallow-yisaged guest.
, That also is clear" said our host
- Gentlemen, the last chapter is told.
| 1.-The mystery is solved, no doubt,
said the vicar. 1.-The only questlo
that remains is: Why did Claud RI
chester play double part? | can III
= derstand his sinking slowly into tn
0 mud and becoming a crossing-sweepel
especially if he was the happy-gC
. lucky kind of fellow you have sut
b. gested rather than described; but VIII
: did he appear in kind of transforms
ton scene at Guarini's every Saturda
i night"
> THAT presents no difficulty to me,
said the Doctor. - could furnish yo
a with a hundred instances Of similar II
t consistency that have come under IN
@ professional notice. 1t was strugg
against the relentless consequences
!, social bankruptcies terrible appr'
d hension lest he might in feeling an
: sentiment sink to the degraded level
v his outward surroundings a la
clutch at that position Of gentlema
n which was his by prescriptive RICH
r That's what it was"
), "Yes, a man Of refined instlnc
driven to pretence Of that hacking coue
:. would have to endure some revulsior
of bitter feeling" said the vicar. -
IL. 20 ,,,darctapd ~ -