Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-12-27

peoplsabout, but they are not the same stamp of people. It isn't what it used to be in more ways than one," and the old squire gave something like sigh, and thoughtfuliy re- moved his white hat, out of which a dinner napkin and two pocket handkerchiefs fell to the ground, in a fashion that reminded Col Quaritch of the climax of a conjuring trick.
 'You have dropped some-some linen, |" he said, stooping down to pick the mysterious articles up.
 "Oh, yes, thank you," answered his visitor, II find the sun little hot at this time of the year. There is nothing like few handl1er- chiefs or towel to keep 1t off, and he rolled the mass of napery into a ball, and cram ming it back into the crown, replaced the hat on bis head in such fashion that about eight inches of white napkin hung down behind. "You must have felt it in Egypt" he went on-"the sun, I mean. It's 8 bad climate, that Egypt, as have good reason to know," and he pointed again to his white hat, which, as Harold Quaritch now observed for the first time, was encircled by broad black band.
 "Ah, I see," said he, "I suppose that you have had a loss"
 "Yes, sir, a very heavy loss"
 Now Col Quaritch had never heard that Mir. de la Molle had more than one child, Ida de la Molle, the young lady whose face had remained so strongly fixed in his memory, although he had scarcely spoken to her on that one occasion five long years ago. Could it be possible that she had died in Egypta The idea sent tremor of fear through him, though of course there was no real reason why it should. Deaths are so common. ''Not-not Miss de la Molleg' he said, nerv- ously, adding, "I had the pleasure of seeing her once, a good many years ago, when I l was stopping here for few days with my | aunt"
 "Oh, no, not Ida, she is alive and we'll, l thank God Her brother James. He went all through that wretched war, which we owe to MT. Gladstone, as say, though l don't know what your politics are, and then caught fever, or, as think, got touched by the sun, and died on his way home. Poor boyi He was a fine fellow, Col Quaritch, and my only son, but very reckless. Only a month or so before he died wrote to him to be careful always to put towel iu his hel- met, and he answered, in that fippant sort of way that he had, that he was not going to turn himself in dirty clothes bag, and that he rather liked the heat than otherwise We'll, he's gone, poor fellow, in the service of his country, like many of his ancestors be- fore him, and there's an end of him."
 And again the old man sighed, heavily this time.
 "And now, Col Quaritch," he went on, shaking off his oppression with a curious rapidity that was characteristic of him, 'what do you say to coming up to the castle for your dinner2 You must be in 6 mess here and I expect that old Mrs. Jobson, whom my man George tells me you have got to look after you, will be glad enough to be rid of you for tonight. What do you sayl Take the place as you find it, you know. l know that there is leg of mutton for dinner if there is nothing else, because, instead of minding his own business, I saw George go ing off to Boisingham to fetch 1t this morn ing. At least, that is what he said that he was going for; just an excuse to gossip and idle, fancy"
 Well, really" said the colonel, "you are very kind; but I don't think that my dress clothes are unpacked yet"
 "Dress clothesl Oh, never mind your dress clothes. Ida will excuse you, I dare say. Besides, you have no time to dress. By love! it's nearly o'clock; we must be off if you are coming"
 The colonel hesitated. He had intended tc dine at home, and being 6 methodical minded man did not like altering his plans. Also he was, like most old military men, very pune tilious about his dress and personal appear ance, and objected to going out to dinner ir B shooting coat. But all this notwithstand ing, feeling that he did not quite under stand, and that it would have puzzled even an American novelist to analyZe-somethine between restlessness and curiosity, with 6 dash of magnetic attraction thrown in-got the better of his scruples, and be went.
 ''Well, thank you," be said, Eff you art : sure that Miss de la Molle will not mind, will come. Just allow me to tell Mrs. Job sonn
 ''That's right" halloeed the squire aftel him. "I'l meet you at the back of ths house. We had better so through the fields"
 The colonel, having informed his house keeper that he should not want any dinner and hastily brushed his not too luxuriant locks, rejoined MT. de Ia Molle They strolled along, stopping now anc again to admire some particular oak or view chatting all the while in discursive manner which, though it was somewhat aimless, wa by no means without its charm. The squir, was capital companion for silent man nlz' Harold Quaritch, who liked to hear othel people talk.
 In this way they got down the slope, ant passing through couple of wheat field
 came to a succession of broad meadows somewhat sparsely timbered, through whicl
 he footpath ran right up to the grim gate
 way of the ancient castle, which now loomst
 before them, outlined in red lines of fir
 against the ruddy background of the sunse
 sky.
 In another three minutes they had crosse'
 A narrow byroad and were passing up tn
 ancient drive that led to the castle gates Right before them was the gateway of tn castle, fanked by two great towers, and that with the exception of some ruins was, as matter of fact, all that remained of the an eient building, which had been effectuall demolished in the time of Cromwell. Tn pace within, where the keep had once stood was now laid out as flower garden, whil
 the house, which was of an unpretentiou
 nature, and built in the Jacobsan style, oe
 cupied the south side of the square, and wa
 placed with the back to the moat.
 ''You see have practically rebuilt thos
 two towers" said the squire, pausing under
 heath the Norman archway. If had nc
 done it," he added, apologetically, "the
 would have been in ruins by now, but it COS
 3 pretty penny, I can tell you Nobod l. knows what stuff that old flint masonry Is t l. deal with, till he tries it We'll, it will stan now for many long day. And here W s lre"-and he pushed open porch door an g then passed through passage into kind c l. oak paneled vestibule, which was hung wit E. tapestry originally taken, no doubt, from th p nld castIe and decorated with coats Of armo]