The Dickinson press., 1890-01-18

~ stHu ColeSViNely, tnaC Ine young Oincer
had become utterly unnerved towards
midnight by the reports from scouting
parties and others; Lad declared to them
that it was simply madness to attempt
to push through; they would DO massa-
cred to a man; and, though they an
nounced that they were stanch and ready,
he refused, and ordered them to bivouac
where they were for the night, and in
the morning he had disappeared. They
declared they supposed he had gone back
to camp, and after waiting day they
returned, reporting him lost.
"When found at the kraal he was de-
lirious with fever, or pretended to be,
said the general, and he was brought in
under arrest and the trial was to pro-
coed. don't know how it turned out.
He was not court martialed, but permit
ted to return to England. Itwas said he
told very different story; that ho had
begged the brigade major who detailed
the escort to let him have half dozen
of his own Lancers instead of the pack
of irregulars they gave him; lie did not
trust them, and feared they would aban-
don him as they had the prince; but the
staff officer said the order couldn't be
changed-these men knew the country
and all that sort of thing, you know; and
there was one fellow in the Lancers who
stuck to it that he believed Maitland had
tried his best to get through alone. But
twas all useless; somebody had to be
held responsible, and the failure was all
heaped on him.
Meantime, there had been fury at
home; old Maitland had written casting
him off, repudiating-cursing him for
all I know-and the next thing there
came messenger from the captain of
his ship at Southampton. They brought
his watch, his ring, his sword and port
manteaus, and letter which was writ
ten on receipt of that his father sent
him-a long letter, that the old man
never read to any living soul, but broods
over to this day. The young fellow babe
them all good-by; he would not live to
disgrace them further, if that was what
was thought of him at home, and leaped
overheard from the steamer the night
alters she weighed anchor-no one aboard
could tell just when, but he was writing
i'll his state room as sho cleared the llar-
Dor, and the steward saw him untress-
ing at 0 o'clock In the morning every
thing about his belongings was found in
perfect order-his letter to the captain
of the ship, the portmantcaus, watch,
ring, clothing, ETC., just as he described
i'll that letter-and he was no more seen.
1t was the conviction of all that he must
have leaped overheard in the darkness
when far out at sea.
'Then Mrs. Maitland bowed her head
and never lifted it again. Then, all
alone, and fiercely rejecting anything
like sympathy, old Maitland took to
travel-came here to America, wandered
around the world, stunning men as lie
would these prairie wolves; and when
he had to go to England he would see no
one but the attorneys and solicitors with
whom he had business. Here at Dun
raven he is moro content than anywhere,
because he is farther from tho world.
Here Gladys is queen: twas she who
named it, two years ago, for her mother
was n connection Of the earl's. But
Maitland even hero hates to have his
name mentioned; and that is why say
he refers all business to me and keeps
himself out of everything. Do you see
what q weight he carries?"
Mr.. Even had grown red with the in
tensity and rapidity of his talk. He re-
moved his hat and nopped his face and
brow with a big silk handkerchief, and
then glanced again at Perry, who had
listened with absorbed interest and who
was now silently thinking it over, look
ing curiously at Even the while.
"Have l bored you half to death?"
asked the Englishman, somewhat rue
fully. 81 never told that story before,
but it has been smoldering for years."
"Bored? No! Inever was more inter-
ested in my life. Twas thinking what a
different sort of fellow you were from
tho man met out yonder the other day.
Did they never do anything to clear the
matter up? In our country it never
would have been allowed to rest there"
"1t was too far gone; and when
the boy killed himself tho thing was
used by all the government papers
you'd call them administration organs
AS a confession of judgment. When
the Lancers came home there was some
talk, but it was soon hushed. Maitland
had shut up the old place by that time
and gone no one knew where, but read
1t in one of the London papers-Truth, 1
think-a story that two of the irregulars
had quarreled with their fellows and
after the war was over told tale that
made sensation in Cape Colony. They
said that tho young officer was ma
ligned man; that up to midnight he had
pushed on, but every scout and patrol
they met warned them that thousands
Of Zulus were ahead, and that it was
madness to try. The men began whis-
pering among themselves, and begged
the sergeant to attempt to dissuade the
Lancer officer; and he did, and they all
began to talk, but lie refused to listen.
AT last they halted at little stream
and fatty refused to goa step further
lie ordered, begged and implored. He
promised heavy reward to any one of
their number who would come and show
him theway. Then they heard the night
cries or signals Of some war parties across
the fields, and the sergeant and most of
the men put spurs to their horses; the
others followed, and they rode back five
miles until they were within our patrollcd
lines; then they bivouacked, supposing,
of course, the Lancer had followed them.
But he hadn't: he never joined them all
next day, and likely as not he had done
his best to get through that strange
country by night alone, and had tried to
carry his dispatches to the detachment.
They knew they must tell straight
story or be severely punished. They
were twelve against one when it came to
evidence, as the sergeant pointed out,
and so they agreed on the one that sent
him to Coventry.
:::Some Of the Lancer officers got hold
Of this and swore they believed it true;
but meantime the government had had
the DEVILS own time in tiding his lord
ship the general over tho numerous
blunders ho had mada in tho cornoip,