The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1891-02-05

Lancers: had given him an escort Of a
dozen men and strict injunctions 10 push
through By night. at ali hazards, though
thu way was beset with Zuius. and that
he neither went through nor returned,
but was found hiding al kraai two DAYS
after. only twenty miles away. The
escort returned, and afser much cross-
examination had told the story, separate
ly and collectively, that the young osiicer
had become utterly unnervcd towards
midnight by the reports from scouting
parties and others; had declared to them
that it was simply madness to attempt
to push through; they would be massa-
cred to 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 a 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-
| ceed. don't know how 1t turned out.
He was not court martialed. but permit
ted to return to England. 1t was said he
| told a very different story; that he 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; he 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
neaped on him.
Meantime, there had been fury at
home; old Maitland had written casting
him off. repudiating-cursing him for
| all know-and the next thing there
came a 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 IN 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 bade
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
after she weighed anchor-no one aboard
could tell just when, but he was writing
In his state room as she cleared the har-
Dor, and the steward saw him undress-
ing at o'clock. In the morning every
thing about his belongings was found in
perfect order-his letter to the captain
of the ship, the portmanteaus, watch,
ring, clothing, ETC., just as he, described
in that letter-and he was no more seen.
It was the conviction Of all that he must
have leaped overheard in the darkness
when far out at sea.
Then Mrs. Maitland bow ed 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 he
would these prairie wolves; and when
he had to go to England he would see nc
one but the attorneys and solicitors with
whom he had business Here at Dun.
raven he Is more content than anywhere,
because he Is farther from the world.
Here Gladys is queen: twas she who
named it, two years ago, for her mother
was a connection of the earls. But
Maitland even here hates to have his
name mentioned; and that is why I say
he refers all business to me and keeps
himself out Of everything. Do you see
what a weight he carriesy'
Mr.. Even had grown red with the in.
tensity and rapidity of his talk. He re.
moved his hat and mepped his face and
brow with 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 1 bored you half to deathg'
asked the Engiishman, somewhat rue
fully. II never told that story before
but it has been smoldering for years"
| "Boredp No! Inever was more inter
ested in my life. Twas thinking what O
different sort Of fellow you were from
the man I met out yonder the other day
Did they never do anything to clear tht
matter up? In our country 1t never
would haveb been allowed to rest there.
"1t was too far gone; and wher
the boy killed himself the thing was
used by all the government papers
you'd call them administration organs
AS a confession Of judgment. Wher
the Lancers came home there was some
talk, but 1t was soon hushed. Maitland
had shut up the old place by that tim.
and gone no one knew where, but reat
1t in one Of the London papers-Truth.
think-a story that two Of the Irregular
had quarroled with their fellows anc
after the war was over told q tale thai
made sensation In Cape Colony. They
said that the young officer was q ma
igned man; that up to midnight he haG
pushed on, but every scout and patro
they met warned them that thousand.
OF Zulus were ahead, and that 1t wa.
madness to try. The men began whis
pering among themselves, and begget
the sergeant to attempt to dissuade thu
Lancer officer; and he did, and they al
began to talk. but he refused to listen.
"At last they halted at little strean
and fatty refused to go q step further
He ordered, begged and implored. 81.
promised heavy reward to any one o.
their number who would come and show
him the way. Then they heard the nigh
cries or signals of some war parties acros
the fields, and the sergeant and most o
the men put spurs to their horses; tn,
others followed, and they rode back fiv,
miles until they were within our patrollet
lines; then they bivouacked, supposing
Of course, the Lancer had followed them
But he hadn't: he never Joined them al
next day, and likely as not he had don,
his best 10 get through that strang'
country by night alone, and had tried t
carry his dispatches to the detachment
They knew they must tell a straigh,
story or be severely punished. The,
were twelve against one when It came t.
evidence, as the sergeant pointed out