Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-06-19


cigar from him as he rode through. In fdcf,
although have no doubt written myself
an ass" as our old friend Degberry would
have said, yet at the worst l was not with
out some glimmering of sense, which saved
me from making an absolute example OF
myself
Even during the short time in which the
Captain-I did not know his name-was
visiting at Elm Knoll, the heat and surge
Of my absurd passion had percephbly mod
Grated, and Just then several circumstances
combined to restore me 10 right frame OF
mind.
After the Captains departure Miss Beat
rice left home on a prolonged visit. so that
/ did not see her: and at the same time |
met Patty Carr, who was in her way, quite
as pretty as Beatrice Cieabyrn although
not nearly as naughty; and my heart
being specially tender and open to impress
sion Just then, suppose, / speedily thought
more of her than OF the young lady at Elm
| Knoll. Indeed, we were married the next
year.
At the time | speak Of, good many
things were in vogue, or at least had not
died out, which have quite vanished now,
and among these was duelling. Every now
and then duel was fought, but the ridi-
cule which attended bloodless meetings,
1
cases where harm was done were dimin-
ishipg them greatly, yet still they did occa-
sionally happen. a great stir was made by
a violent quarrel among some officers OF
regiment qu2rtered in Lancashire, in which
challenge to fight duel had been given
and refused 1t was called in the papers
of the day" The Great Military Scandal
| and arose in the following manner: A GER
tain Major Starley had offered gross in
! suit to young lady, on whom, 1t appeared,
he had been forcing his attentions for some
time, and her only relative, half brother,
was in the same regiment with the Major
The details were not pleasant, and it was
no wonder that Captain Laurenston chal-
lenged the Major; but the latter declined
the challenge onsome professional grounds;
and when the parties met high words
passed. These commenced, it appeared,
! with Captain Laurenston but each
became violent in the dispute, until
at last the Captain thrashed his antagonist
in the presence of several officers. This was
not make-belieye beating; a consider
yourself horse whipped" affair, but right
| down welting, the Major being badly cut
| and bruised This was serious enough, any
| how; but what made it worse was that the
officers were on duty at the time ana by
the strict letter OF military law, the Captain
would certainly be punished with death.
! He had expected, it seems, that after so
public and such painful humiliation, he
! would infallibly receive q challenge from
I the injured officer; but il was not So He
was placed in arrest in the barracks, and
! expected to be brought to a court-martial
| He heard however, from some friendly
source that il was intended to hand him
| over to the civil power, when he would be
charged with an assault with intent to
| kill.
In those DAYS almost anything was trans-
portable, and as Major Starley belonged to
| one of the most influential families in the
| kingdom, there was no doubt that the
! Captain would he sent to convict settle
ment; there was also no doubt that the
prosecution would be conducted in the
most vindictiye spirit and pushed to the
| bitterest end.
Terrified OF such prospect, the young
officer escaped from the barracks, by con-
nivance of the guard, there was reason to
suppose, although this was never COM
pletely proven; at any rate he got clear
| away and disappeared. Immediate adyant-
age was taken of this fatal although very
natural step, and reward was at once
| offered for his apprehension. If he could
get out of the country, he would be safe. as
| there were then no engagements for giving
up criminals, so the ports were watched !;
| an easier thing to do when there was not
such tremendous outflow of emigration as
now.
Public sympathy was, naturally, strongly
in favor of Captain Laurenston, and against
the Major, who would be compelled, it was
generally said, to leave the service. But
| this would not save the Captain from be-
| ing cashierei, nor, from fourteen years
| transportation, es he was certain to be
| 10 Of mil f,Nrf hn
pose of showing that officers would be pro-
| tected when they refused to accept chal-
| lenge.
had taken an interest in all these de-
tails, as my mates had done, and as with
Them my sympathies were on the side of
Captain Laurenston, yet only as a stranger,
for had never to my knowledge, heard
of him before. But after while it began
to be said that the Captain was the officer
who had been so long visitor at Elm
Knoll, and was the accepted sutton of Miss
| Cleabyrn This gave me more interest in
the affair, and sincerely hoped he might
make good his escape.
! Miss Beatrice had returned to Elm
Knoll, but she rarely left the house, and
still more rarely rode out, although it was
F., the hunting season, SO that | hardly ever
saw her.
| was on night duty at the signals; and
| when | went there one evening to relieve
the day man, he told me that there were
several London detectives hanging about
| the place''-he knew this from one of the
guards who had formerly been in the po-
| lice, and so recognized them. / naturally
asked If the company suspected anything
wrong among their people, and my mate
said no, not at all The detectives, of
course, would not say anything about their
business but the guard suspected that they
| were after Captain Laurenston, who was
/ likely to try to see Miss Cleabyrn before
! leaving England. This appeared feasible
enough; and was able heartily TO echo
the wish of my mate, to the effect that the
young fellow might give his pursuers the
slip.
/ have said that my signals and cross
ing were on q branch of no great traffic; so
when the last down passenger and first
night goods trains had passed-ihey fol-
lowed each other pretty closely-there was
nothing stirring for several hours Traffic
through the gates at the level crossing after
dark, there was little or none, so my berth
was dull and lonely enough. | did not
much mind this, for | was fond of reading,
and on this night--a stormy one it was
| was reading a terrible ghost story.
laugh at such things now, but know right
well that they made me "ereep" then.
dare say every one knows the sensation,
and has felt it over ghost stories. | was in
the midst of the most terrible part, when
heard slight noise, and lifting up my
eyes, saw at my little window, close to me,
th.t which startled me more than any
ghostly appearance ever will. Thought il
was a ghost. The glare of my lamp fell
upon the panes, and | recognized the large
deep eyes which had so often thrilled me-
| saw and knew to a certainty that Beatrice
Cleabyrn was looking at me. She knew
by my electric start that she was recognized
The face vanished from my window, and
ms sprang from my seat, there was tap
at my door threw il open. The furious
blast of wind which entered almost blew
out my lamp, and | felt the driving rain
even as stood within the hut. 1t was Miss
Cleabyrn, and she at once stepped over my
threshold. She had on large cloak, the
cape OF which was turned up so as TO form
hood, and this was dripping with wet
great drops of rain were on her face, too
i pushed my stool, the only seat in my
hut, toward her, and strove TO ask what baC
brought her 10 such spot on such night
but could get no ineligible words. Sh,
had closed the door after her, and in he
very manner of doing so there was some
thing which suggested fear and danger. 81
that l caught my breath in sympathetic
alarm.
a. You are Philip Waitress, are you not ?