Middletown transcript., 1891-06-04

There were, as already stated, SIX
men present beside Vane himself. Six
, right hands Immediately saluted-
: there were six competitors for the
privilege Of being the first mark of
the Sepoy's cannon. Vane smiled.
!" We must draw lots, / see," he
said.
Opening shallow drawer in the
table, he took out of it pack of
cards.
Here are seven of US, he con-
tinued !" | am going to deal these
cards all round. Whichever of us re-
ceives certain card-we will say the
knave of spades-will be the man
selected.
He cut the pack. The deal began.
A hush fell on, the six spectators
| the hush Of rising interest. Except
for the slight aaattering noise made BY
the falling cards not sound was to
be heard. Strange that there is some.
thing In suspense which affects the
mind more strongly than tie actual
danger. These men had volunteered.
without space Of hesitation, to face
the risk of death. Yet. not one Of
them could now look on, without a
tingling of the blood, as they waited
for the card to fall which carried a
mans life.
Such was their absorption that they
! did not see two faces which came
suddenly peeping in upon them
through the window Of the room.
The two girls on the veranda had
been startled by hearing all at once
the sound of voices in the room close
by them. From their position they
could not avoid over hearing every
word that passed. They heard the
short speech in which Vance an
nounced to the men the danger which
threatened the we'll and the duty
which was expected of them ; and
they heard his appeal for volunteers
and then the cheer which followed.
| So far they had remained motionless,
eagerly drinking in the details of the
proposed adventure; but when Vane
took out the pack Of cards in order to
select man by lot, to listen without
seeing was impossible-and in a
minute the two faces came peeping in
at the window in the manner just des.
cribed.
Prem this position they could see
clearly every card as it was dealt.
The cards fell slowly, one by one,
before each man in turn. The deal
went around-card by card, as it ap-
peared, the focus of nine pairs of
eager eyes. The second deal went
round-no knave of spades as yet ap-
peared. The fourth began would
that complete the circuit of the seven?
The pack was growing thin, and ex-
pectation deepened now with every
card. Where was the knave of spad-
es? 1t must come soon. Again the
cards went round.
No, not quite. As the last card
fell face upwards on the table a thrill
went through the nerves of the spec
tators. The two girls at the window
shrank back suddenly, as if they had
been shot. There was the fatal card
at last. The lot had fallen to Vane
himself.
The young man laughed lightly as
he threw down the pack.
"That decides it, he said; !" go
first. You will meet me at the arch
way in half an hour from this time
it will then be dusk, and we will give
ourselves what chance we can. l
shall 60 out alone the rest of you
will wait under cover of the archway,
and will rush out the moment they
fire at me. If I fall, two of you must
bring me in-Sanderson and King
can do it. The other four must try
to get bucketful of water each,
there will be time for that, ! think,
though it will be sharp work. Re
member, at the archway. with all
ready, in half an hour"
|. The men saluted and filed out.
Vane was left alone. He turned, and
was about to seat himself at the table.
when, to his surprise, he saw figure
standing at the window Of the room.
He looked again-and saw that it
was Lenora. What could have
brought her there he knew not-the
truth he did not guess. Wondering,
he took a step or two in her direction,
and was about to ask her what she
/ wished, when she came hurriedly for
ward and stood beside him.
est. George" she said, "you must
not go-you shall not 60. Tell me
you will not promise me-"
As she spoke he thought, for the
first time, Of the veranda; she knew
what he was going to do. He would
much rather that she had not known
but he answered simply: " 1t is my
duty. Lenora."
duty !" she repeated, with i'm
patience. "Oh, yes-but do not 60.
Send some one else; surely there are
plenty of men. Do not go, st.
George" She laid her hand upon the
young mans arm and looked up into
his eyes.
Great is the power Of beauty,
though it be the beauty of Delilah.
Il could not make man like Vance
forgetful of his duty, or shake for
more than a moment his natural reso-
luton. But as he looked down at
the lovely lips which tempted him, he
did not tu IN at once away. And yet
her words Jared on him. He felt no
surprise be knew Lenora we'll; but
he would have chosen that the girl to
whom he gave his love, though she
might part from him. in agony of
mind, would net have had him shirk
his duty in face Of danger. Love
might be dearer to her than life, but
honor should be dearer than either.
He was on the point of speaking,
when there appeared at the window
of the room another figure. They
both looked up and saw it. It was
Mary Sulland. Her face was very
no1o o,J &C sL a M v,,e foru,or n o1ooa