The Red Cloud chief., 1888-03-30

heart" Here she fairly gave way and COW
cred her face with her hands. Colonel
Punter's soft heart was always much per-
turbed at the sight of a wOman's tears. So
he kept murmuriDS in his most soothing &C
cents:
'Pray, madam, pray, calm yourself. am
sure l willdo all l can to help you"
Ina few minutes she recovered herself
and said:
'YOu must excuse my breaking down. l
know it always vexes a man to see wOman's
tears. But l will promise not to do so again,
and / dare say you are wondering what you
can do to help me in this matter. Well, the
fact is, l want to know the worst. l have
heard rrmors about my son which make me
shudder whenever l think of them. l hear
that he has given himself out IN the regi-
ment as the son of rich people who live
abroad, and that he Is living in most extrava-
CANT style, whereas it is, in truth, with on
siderable difficulty that his moderate allow
ance is regularly paid"
Young ~scOundrel!" CALCULATED the
Colonel. Then remembering that q son
must never be abused to his mother, added:
Il beg our pardon, Mrs. Werner, but for the
moment my indignation got the better Of
me. Besides, these reports are, perhaps, not
lTuc. j w ~ AuOW CIAC AAe1A Va OAAC JuAAAOl
members Of the corps sufficiently well to be
able to give an opinion on the subject"
20. l quite understand that; but do tell
me what course l had better take" she said,
giancing appealingly at him. How am l, q
helpless woman. to find out whether these
dreadful reports are true or mott And yet l
feel that l must know the truth or 60 mad"
After a pause. during which the Colonel
was evidently lost in thought, he replied:
Mrs. Werner, I promised to do the best l
could for you, and l will. an going down
to Aldershot in q few days, and ! shall there
see Colonel Thompson; from him l will
ascertain what reputation for wealth your
son has in the regiment. l admit I don't
much like the detective part of the business,
but l feel that it is q sacred duty to protect
q lady in your sad position"
20, how kind Of you. Colonel Punter!''
she exclaimed. This is more than l had
any right to expect hat you would do for
me. But, D, let me beg of you not to expose
my son il these rumOrs should be true, and
let me implOre you not to seek an interview
with him on the subject. If You learn from
the Colonel, As YOU kindly say you will,
whether what l havc heard is true or not,
and would. on your return to town. grant
ulC y CIV WOEuo VI dlS 4 IL " Nu1t CouTSS
l had better take, l should be very grateful
II shall be most happy, Mrs. Werner" said
he. briskly; ''but l feel sure that you will
find that there is nothing in it after all.
Your son. as far as l know him. is a charm
ing young fellow, and quite incapable of the
frauds which these accusations imputc to
him. So pray keep up your spirits, and. if
it is convenient to you, let us arrange to
,p,Ant hnrn nj th,c Time 1& chic .l,,- vr,A,ly y
The time was quite convenient to Mrs.
Werner, and, with many apologies for the
liberty she had taken in calling to ask his
advice. she departed.
On his journey down to AldershOt the
next morning Colonel Plunter thought a
good deal about his fair visitor of the day
before and her troubles. He heaped. more
over, many hard words on the head Of young
Werner (fOr, of course. he supposed him. at
any rate. partially guilty.. ..Selfish young
rascas. allthe lot of them said he to him
self; 'they don't mind a straw how much
trouble they bring on their relations, if only
they can indulge themselves, and such "a
charming woman, toor' And then he went
of into a reverie. in the midst of which he
found himself specializing as to whether a
man Of his age was absolutely and irrevOca-
bly, too old Ia marry without making him
self look like a fool; and as the tram arrived
at AldersnOt he had just come to the con-
clusien that there was q good deal to be said
on both sides.
That very evening he saw Colonel Thomp-
son. n in the PURSE of conversation man
aged to ask his questions about young Yer
ner. n found out that, according to
Colonel Thompson. Werner was the son Of u
rich merchant in Singapore, and that his
people had not been in England for MANY
years.
Eyes, thank you,' said Colonel Punter.
81 thought l heard Of his people in England,
but l suppose l must be mistaken, :" and then
he changed the subject. He happened. how
ever, just before mess (he was q guest Of
the regiment that night, to meet Werner by
himself, and he suddenly resolved. in spite
OF the widows request, to say q few words
to him. So stepping forward and address,
ing the young man in a somewhat rom
strained voice, he said: "WOuld you mind
taking a turn with me, as there are a few
things l should like to speak to you about"
II shall be most happy, Colonel Punter,"
said the young man, wondering what ON
earth the old boy had to say to him.
No sooner were they well out Of earshot
than the Colonel turned short on his COM
paniOn, and said sternly: II saw your
mother in town yesterday, and then paused
to watch the crushing effect Of his words.
But no crushing effect was visible; on the
contrary, Werner answered In accents Of
mild surprise:
You must be thinking of some one else,
sir; my mother is at Singapore"
'No. I an not thinking Of anybody else"
said the Colonel, still more sternly: and
then added. $50 you are going to brazen it
out. are You"
''Brazen what out!" said the young man, |
apparently tho; oughly puzzled.
You know very well.'' said the Colonel;
land if YOU don't, you soon will" Then he
turned on his heel and walked off. /
Young Werner stood for u moment look
ing after him then walked away, laughing
heartily.
At mess that night he was heard to say |
brother officer: "You know old Pun |
ter. who's here to-night."
''Yes, replied the other. 81 know him
pretty well. What about him:"
HE was in India q good deal, wasn't he.''
ayes. Wellr
'Did he ever get a touch of the sum-
''Dare say he did; most people do out |
s.yVoll ~ ho 1;6 Il hoe o0ocAo3 H., h~; |