The Red Cloud chief., 1886-01-15
CHAPTER Z

Vi ihe dandles, anu anybody under the
age OF Thirty who spoke with the accent
oil Christian, pagan or man could
scarcely he accounted a gentleman.
= "shc is a fame creachaw,' said the
Saptain-"a davylish fame c~rcachaw-
an exceptionally fame creachaw."
Inc Lieutenant echoed TIE Captains
chromium. and the pair struck into
formidable attitudes at the porch Of the
theatcr. Little knots of country peo-
pie gathered On the other SIDE Of the
road and surveyed the two gentlemen,
wh" were attircd N evening dress. and
knew themselves ~ De objects Of inter-
est and admiration. NJ. Gibus had just
gwen To the world his famous inycn-
L'on, and the w military gentlemen.
who were in The van and foremost OF
fashion. had adopted IT. Tie CAPTAIN
was fully seIf-possessci under the adj
m!rin@ gaze OF the yokcls, but the Lieu
tenant 50 far yielded 10 n natural weaE-
ness a &c take of his hat and fat,cn
it against hrS breast. IL wa done with
an admirable air of abScni-minded
habit and it amazed the ~bys;andcrs.
HE Lieutenant felt that he made a til
InG h@uIc; but when he rclc Sci the
spring ami the hat fed bac, INTO It's
former shape IA: WAS BETRAYED into a
smile oi triumph ut the scnsai on LIE
created. and from that moment he be-
came s~cli-cOnscious and embarrassed.
Insomuch that his legs-which were
commonly MS strong poiat-bccamc 4
frAEBlta fn Iir, IT,. ,.-x H..
TREND al such a moment seemed almost
p~roE:dcntial. and The Lieutenant spraug
into the ga,lit street with renewed com
pOsurc.
%"!iolIo. Tregarthcn, How dive doo
Quite an aye since VIC saw YOU. old
fellow. Here's ~IIarcourt. Have YOU
seen Mss Churchill? Shes a fame
crcarhaw - an exceptionally fame
crrachaw. pom my word"
The Captain smiled at this echo OF
his own conversational fcliciiies. The
Lieutenant, Is hc knew, was a fellow Of
n" originality.
NO" said Tregarthen; Il haven't
seen her, Who is s.,e?"
Actress" replied the Lieutenant,
successfully initiating :he Captains
draw. PLAYING here now. Dayyilish
fame creachaw, pom IN honor. Come
IN and look at her. HarcoIrt and |
have a box here. No ladies with us.
Doesn't matter that yaw not dressed.
Tome along. there's n good fellow"
The new allowed him elf TO
be persuaded. and the three entered the
thca.tr together. IL was 4 small house,
but too large FOR It's audience, and all
it, iinScl was shabby as well As tawdry.
and most of the glass globes around
III dress circle We're clipped and
broken. An impossible old Adam
doddcrcd and dithercd of he stage,
humping the boards with q staff like
the prop of a ciothcS-lirc. and a hurly
Orlando followed him with calves in his
ankles. Then the scene shifted, ami on
came a dissipatcd TouchSione. in sec
ond hand garments. and a Gowdy
Celia. and between them Hosalind in
doublct and hose. 80 Jupiter"
sighed Ro.alind. ..how weary ar, nv
spirits.'" Something Knocked at the
heart of Count Trcgarthen. He had
never before listened to such a voice,
and lis tones went through him like n
delicate fire. TOuchStone Jared in
with his answer. and Rosaiird spoke
again: IL could find it in my heart TO
disgrace my mans apparel and to cry
like = woman" Ii was downright
pitiful. and Yet there was n touch of
comedy in il. But | must comfort
the weaker vessel. As doublet and hose
ought 10 show itself courageous tn pet
ticoat-'" The comedy shone out there
with tender brilliancc. ".Thereforc.
1911 c 49,
listener there was such . womanly
courage. solicitudc and friendship in
the phrase, and in the lovely voice that
spoke il. that his eyes dimmed and his
heart stuck in his throat. Cornct IRE
Earthcn vas but two-and-twent,. and
youth j. sometimes imprcSSionable.
ltoSalind. in spite Of the fatigue which |
evidently sat upon her. was rs straight !
and 1.-the a the stalk of Il lily. and She
had a voice like 4 silver bell. Tie Cor
net WAS short-S.ghted, and her features
were dimiy seen. but he fancicd them
lovely. An older and more experienced
man might have bccn excused for the
fancy. with such 4 voice and such q iig-
urc on which Ia base il.
His companions expressed their adj
mIration for the actress in their own
way. but h" scarcely heard them. Even
when ROSalind was absent from the
stage Eo had Int inattentiye cars for the
Captain and the Lieutenant. and he au-
severed them when they addressed him
with an absent Yes or No." or >
dreamy nod.
"~Tregarthen. said the Captain. has
gone spoons on the Churchill
lln scntA.any rnllaf anl hnnl,1
the statement for future use. Its chaste
simplicity ana dircctneSs charmed him.
and he resolved TO repeat il 10 Rylands
II headquarters. if ne saw him before
Harcourt did.
The play was over. the curtain was |
down. and the sweet voice dwclt in Ire |
yarthen's cars. BID me farewcll.'n
said the swee; voice in the last words of
the epilogue. 1t sounded personal TO
him. and there was a pleasant, gentle
SadaeSs in il.
when do You join us at headquar-
tiers. Tregarthen?" asked the Captain.
..You must find it most intolerably dull
~here yaw staying. eh:"
Il am ordered to reioin Tomorrow"
said Tregarthen. Hazel tells me that
Colonel Pollard will be there. l have
not seen him Yet"
No" said the Captain; "cld
Polly's been on sick leave al Etretat-
cursed little village somewhere on the
Continent You'll Ike him. Jolly old
bird is Polly. Tells %thInderin' good
yarn. Polly does. Mostly bout him.
self. v know-self an ladies. v know
that sort thing: but ~thundcrin' good
they are. Sly old dayvl Polly is-un-
common"
Il shall meet him Tomorrow" said
Tregarthen. somewhat absentiy.