Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1891-04-17

whose face was nearly always wreathed
m smiles.
Good morning" said Dalrymple, as
he caught Everdell's eye.
''Good morning" The tones were
replete with mild CONSERVATION, and the
look that went with them was smileless
to the degree of actual gloom. Then
Everdell, who had just finished his
breakfast, rose and drew near to Dali
rymple.
"Pon my word" he said, I'm de-
lighted to see you all right again so
soon"
'All right again so soon?" was the
reply. "What in urercy's name dc you
mean?"
''Oh, my dear old fellow" began Ev-
erden, fumbling with his watch-chain,
''it was pretty bad, you know, yester-
day"
"Pretty-bad-yest
AZ saw you in the morning and for ON
hour or so in the afternoon Perhaps
no one would have noticed it If you
hadn't staid here all day and poured
those condolences into peoples ears
about De Pommereul. You didn't APP
pear to have drank a drop in the club;
there's the funny part of it. You went
out several times, though, and came
back again. All that you had to drink
(except some wine here at dinner, you
remember,) you must have got outside.
wasn't here at ten O'Clock when De
Pommereul came in. I'm glad wasn't
You must have been dreadful. If Sum-
merson and Joyce hadn't rushed in be-
1,a l.
what would have happened AS it
is"
At this point Dalrymple broke in with
cold harshness: "Look here, Everden,
/ always disliled practical jokes, and
I've known for a number of years that
you're given to them. You've never at
tempted to make me your butt before,
however, and you'll have the kindness
to discontinue any such proceeding
now"
Evcrdeli drew back for moment,
frowned, shrugged his shoulders, and
then muttering: "Oh, If you're going
to put it that way!" strodc quickly out
of the dining-room.
Dalrymple scarcely ate morsel OF
breakfast. After he had gulped down
some hot coffee he repaired to the
reading-room. AS he reentered it a
waiter handed him several letters.
One, which he opened first, was marked
Immediate" and had been sent him
from his own house by an intelligent
and devoted woman servant there who
had been for a long period in his en-
ploy. This letter made poor Dali
rymple's head swim as he read it.
Written and signed by Mr.. Summerson
himself as chairman of the house COM
mittee of the club, 1t ordered him to ap-
pear that same evening before meet
ing of the governors and answer to
charge of disorderly conduct on the
previous night. Then it went on to
state that he (Dalrymple) had been
seen throughout the previous day at
the club in state of evident intoxica-
ton, and had finally, between the
hours of ten and eleven o'clock p. m,
accostcd and grossly insulted Count
de Pommereul in the main drawing
room of the Gramercy.
''Disorderly conduct" evident in
toxicatioI-" grossly insulted Count
de Pommereul." These words were
trembling on Dalrymple's lips as he
presently approached Summerson him
self, the very gentleman who had signed
the letter, and who stood in the hall ar
rayed for the street.
"What-what does it all mean?"
gasped Dalrymple. T[ never was
intoxicated in my life, Lawrence Sum-
merson; you ought to know that!
played euchre, last night, up in the
card-room, from nine o'clock to twelve
with Ogden and Folsom and yourself.
If there's any practical joke being got
up against me, for Gods sake"
"Wait minute, please" said Sum-
merson. He went back into the coat
room, disarrayed himself of his street
wraps, and finally joined Dalrymple.
His first words, low and grave, ran
thus: "Can it be possible You don't
recollect that our game of euchre was
played the night before last and not last
night''-Then he went with Dalrymple
into corner Of the reading-room, and
they talked together for good while.
Dalrymple went back to his home,
that day, in a mental whirl. 1t still
wanted a number Of hours before the
| governing committee would meet. He
had lost a day out of his life-there
| could be no doubt of that. II he had
moved about the club all of yesterday
with a drunken manner, reviling De
Pommereul to everybody who would
lend him an ear-if he had afterward
met De Pommeresl In the club and
directed toward him, In loud and !
furious tones, perfect torrent Of ac-
,usation-he himself was completely
blankly ignorant.
For a good while he sat quite still and :
thought. Then he summoned Ann, the !
elderly and very trustworthy Ann, who
had been his dear mothers maid and
was now his housekeeper. He ques-
honed Ann, and after disinissing her he
pondered her answers. Three times
yesterday she had seen him, and re-
garding his appearance Ann had her
distinct opinions.
Suddenly light flashed upon Dali
rymple while he sat alone and brooded-
He sprang up, and cry, half of awe,
half of gladness, left his hps-The
battling problem had been solved!
That evening he presented himself
before the governing committee. All
assembled were sorry for him. OF
course punishment must be dealt, but
for an old and popular member like
Dalrymple it must not be expulsion.
The general feeling of the club had in
deed already been guaged, and it was
in favor of suspension for six months
or q year ut the farthest Il
Dalrymple, however, was determined,
that he should be visited with no pun
ishment at all. And he meant to state
why.
His judges. as he faced them, all
looked politely grim. The president,
after few suave preliminaries, asked
Dalrymple If he had anything to say
concerning the charges preferred
against him. DaIymple then proceeded
to speak, with clear voice and COM,
posed demeanor.
His first sentences electrified his hear
ers. 81 have no possible recollection Of
yesterday" he began, land 1t Is pre-
cisely as much of lost day to me as
though had lain chloroformed for
twenty four hours. On Wednesday night
returned home from this club and went
to rest never really woke until Fri
day, possibly a little while after mid
night, and then within my own bed. On
Thursday morning must have risen in
state of somnambulism, hypnotism,