The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-02-25

when he met me, just before mess, he was as mad as hatter."
 "How mad2"
 "Well, he told me that he had met my mother yesterday in London"
 "She's at Singapore, isn't she?"
 "Yes, and has been for the last twenty years, and so I told him."
 "What did he say to that9"
 "He said he saw I was going to brazen it out. I said, EBrazen out what?' and he retorted, with a scowl that would have frightened an ele- phant, that I knew very well. Then he turned and walked off. I could not help laughing at the poor old fellow at the time, he was SO desperately serious about it all. However, the sun may do the same for me some day, and really pity him, for he's very good chap when he's all right"
 "Oh, a capital fellow," replied the other, "and can tell very good story. It's really very sad. I suppose it must have been touch of the sun, though 1 never heard of his being odd before. :"
 "He seems all right now, any way, ;" said Werner, looking up the table to where Col. Punter was sitting.
 "Oh yes, he's all right now. I'll tell you what, Werner; have an explana- tion. The old boy came down from town by a midday train, and dare say missed his lunch, and what you took for madman was only a fellow very much in want of his dinner" And the two young men laughingly changed the subject.
 A few days after this the colonel was in town and found himself dread ing considerably the coming interview with the widow. He would have to confirm her worst fears, he was afraid; also, that there would be a scene, and he did not like the idea of it at all. He felt, moreover, that he must appear in the light of bearer of bad news-a melancholy character which he did not by any means wish to assume in Mrs. Verner's eyes. "However," thought he, "I shall at any rate have an opportunity afterward of playing the part of comforter and adviser.o And this reflection seemed to cause him good deal of satisfaction. It will be seen, therefore, that the col onel had been somewhat taken (to use thr word which he employed in con- fessing it to himself), or smitten, with Mrs. Werner on the occasion on which he had seen her, and during the few days that intervened between his re- turn to town and the day on which they had appointed to have their second meeting, he found himself con stantly regarding that future date with the mixed feelings which have been described above.
 The appointed day and hour found Col. Punter seated in his room trying to read the paper, but in reality wait ing little nervously for Mrs. Werner. She did not keep him long. On enter ing the room she looked keenly at the colonel, and, advancing quickly, said in rapid, anxious accents:
 "Oh, Col. Punter, don't keep me in suspense; is it true?" Then, seeing his blank look, she cried out: Ut is, and he is dishonored." Then she sank into chair and burst into tears. This the colonel had prepared himself for, SO in his most winning accents he im- plored her to compose herself. This in a few minutes she partially suc- ceeded in doing, and immediately pro- ceeded to crOss-examine him as to what he had found out and done at Aldershot; how there was no doubt in the regiment as to young Verner's being the son of rich people at Sing apore, how the colonel himself had told him so, and how he (Col. Punter) had in fit of indignation spoken to the young man himself. For this she mildly upbraided him, reminding him of her request, and the colonel depre- cated her wrath and pleaded sudden impulse. When the story was finished she rose, and, smiling sadly through her tears, said:
 "l don't know how can sufficiently thank you for your kindness to me, Col. Punter. You have indeed been a true friend, and I should like, above all things, if you will allow me, to ask your advice as to what 1 had bet ter do in this sad matter; but, indeed, feel quite incapable of doing so on this occasion. Hearing that these ter rible reports are true has, as you have seen, upset me very much, and I think had better go home now; but if you will allow me to fix future interview by note, when I feel less unequal to the effort, you will add one more to your many kindnesses."
 The colonel very readily consented, and in another moment she was gone, and with her, 80 it seemed to our gallant friend, all light and beauty departed from the room. From that moment, too, though he would hardly have confessed it to himself, he began looking forward to the day when he