Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1890-09-13
COLONEL QUARTCH,V.C
By Il. RIDER HAGaARn

morning about tns dinner petfsG pnnctuahy
at 7ss0, and now itss O'Clock, and you are
not dressed IL 10 enough TO ruin any cook.
and she broke OF Tor the first time, psrceiv-
ing Tat hsr father was not aloha
1us, my dear, yes said the old gentle
man. II dare say did IL IL human 70 err,
my dear. especially about dinner on a fins
evening beaidss, have made amends and
brought you . visitor, our new neighbor,
Col Quaritch Col Quaritch, lot me intro
ducs you 20 my daughter. Miss de Ia Mollar
Il think that We have met BEFORE said
Harold, In . somewhat nervous fashion, ~
he stretched out his hand
"Yes," answered Ida, taking II, 81 re-
member. IL was In the long drift, Eve years
ago. ON q windy afternoon, when my nat
blew over tbs hedge and you went to fetch
It,"
"You have good memory Miss do la
Molle," said he, feeling NOT little pleased
that she should have recollected the INCL
dent
Evidently not better than your own, Col
Quaritch." was her ready answer. besides.
one secs s0 few strangers here that ons nat
uraily remembers them IL Is o place where
notsing happens time passes il all"
Meanwhile the old squire. who had been
making a prodigious fuss with his hat and
s%ttAs "bfNu Wv atAA&kea W &Suu GtulLEftuk
down the light OF stone steps. departed TO
get ready. saying IN kind Of roar ss he
went that Ida was to order In tho dinner, as
be would be down Ia q minuta
Accordingly sis rang the bell, aud told
tbs maid To bring In the soup in five min
utes. and TO lay another place. Then turn
ing 10 Harold. shs began 10 apologize to him
~ don't know what sort Of q dinner you
viii get, Col Quaritch." she said. lit IL 20
provoking Of my father; he never gives one
shs least warning when he u going 70 ask
any one 10 dinner"
mot at all, not at all" hs answered bur
riedly. ut 10 | who ought 10 apologies,
coming down on you like-like"-
"A wolf on the fold, !" suggested Ida.
YES. exactly" he went ON earnestly, look
ing II bis coat. "but not in purple and gold "
well, she went ON, laughing. lyon will
get very little 70 eat for your pains. and
know that soldiers always like good dinnersL "
How do you know that. Miss de In MolleF'
''Oh, because Of poor James and bis friends
whom he used to bring here BY the way,
Col Quaritch," shs went on, with a sudden
softening Of the voics. you have been in
Egypt, ] know, because have 90 often seen
your name In the papers; did you ever mset
my brother therer'
&1@W asAA @&&k3t$ys w Abe Wcf8us 0uiy
vary slightiy. | did not know that hs was
your brother, or, indeed, that you had q
brother He was dashinE Officer
What hs did not say. however. was that hs
also know him 70 have been one of the wild.
est and most extravagant young men In an
sxtravagant regiment. and a. such had q
some extent shunned his society on the few
occasions when he had been thrown In with
him Perhaps Ida, with q womans quick.
ness. OWNED from bis tone that there was
something behind his remark; at any rate
she did not ask him for particulars Of their
slight acquaintance.
He was my only brother, she continued.
There never were but US two, and, OF course
his loss was q great blow to me. My father
cannot get over IL at all, althoueh"-and she
broke of suddenly and rested her bead upon
her hand
At this moment, too. the squire was heard
advancing down the stairs. shouting to the
servants as he cana
"a thousand pardons. my dear, thousand
pardons." be said, as he entered the room
'but, we'll. IL you will forgive particulars,
was quite unable TO discover tho wherea bout
Of q certain necessary portion Of the mal,
sstira Now, Col. Quaritch, will you TAX,
my daughteri Stop, you don't know Oh.
way-perhaps had better show IL 70 you
with the CANDIDA"
Accordingly be advanced out Of tho vesti
bule, aud turning TO the left, led the way
down long passage till be reached the
dining -oom. This apartment was com
modious, though not large |. was lighted
by three narrow windows. which looked out
upon the moat, and bore considerable all
Of solid comfort The table. made OF blacl
oak, which was Of extraordinary solidity
and weight, was matched by a sideboard ol
the same material and apparently OF thS
same date, both piecss Of furniture being. a,
Mr. de Ia Molle informed his guests. relies ai
the old castle
On this sldeboard were placed several
very massive ancient plate, on each OF which
was rudsly engraved three falcons or. the
aTuss Of The De In Molle family, one piece, In,
deed, a very ancient salyer. bearing those OF
the lioisseys-a ragged oak. In an escutc,son
Of pretense showing thereby that IL dated
from the De Ia holie who. In tho tims OF
Henry VII. had obtained tho property by
L.arriage sith the Boisssy heinasS
As Vie dinner. which was a simple one,
went on. the conversation having turned thar
way. the old squire had this piece OF plate
brought by the aervant girl 20 Harold Qua
riteh Tor him TO examina
1T Is very curious he said Have you
much of this, Mr. do In Mollcf"
mo, indeed. . he saids"l wish had. II
all vanished in the time Of Charles l."
.Melted down. l suppose. said the colonel
mo, that is the odd part Of it DOM
think 10 waA n ives hidden somewbsre-i
don't know where. o. perhaps 10 wzS turned
into moaey and the money hid.len Bus
viii tell you the story. n yCu like. a soon 40
We have done dinnors
Accordingly, a. soon as the servant had
removed ths cloth. and. after the old fashion.
placsd the wine upon the naked wood. the
squire began his tale. 81 which tho following
10 the substance.
"In the tims Of James tho De In noble
family was at the bsight OF In prosperity
that Ia. 20 FAR a. money Coca For several
generations previous the representatives Of
the family had Withdrawn themselves from
any active participation in public affairs, and
living here at small expense upon their lands
which were al that time very large, had
amassed a quantity OF wealth that, for the
age. might fairly be calledsenormoua Thus
Sir Stephen dc In Mollc. the grandfather OF
the Sir James who lived in the time Of
james |. left to his son. who was also nanled
Stephen. sum OF not less than faS 900 in
gold This Stephen was great mlser, and
tradition sAys that be treblsd the SUN in his
life time Anyhow. he died rich as Crussns.
and abominatsd alike by his tenants and by
tbs country side. as might he expected when
q gentleman of bis name and fame degraded
himself, a. shis Sir stephen undoubtedly did,
10 the practice Of usury
with tho next heir. Sir James, however.
-. - - - r.