The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1894-02-02

belief, III it seemed to me that III l felt
SO sure of it as the Rev. Cholmondely
did the thought would almost drive me
into an asylum.
On the other hand, | was pretty sure
the Rev. ChoImondely did not respect
me at all. It would not occur to him
to respect amy one with SO small a for
tune as mine, and indeed when | came
to propose for Ella he demonstrated
this in sufficiently plain terms. Had
he objected conscientiously to giving
his daughter to n of my profession, l
could have reverenced his scruples.
But he assured me this was not the
case at all. He entertained the highest
respect for my profession. 1t was only
my rank in it that he took exception to,
and the absence of any family interest
to render it likely | should ever obtain
any high military appointment. When
l endeavored to point out the inconsis-
tency between his preaching and his
practice in connection with this, he be-
came SO irritated hat | had to drop the
subject for the time, and no definite ar
rangement had been arrived at when l
came in for my uncle's legacy of the
horses.
Now, here l knew he would be fully
consistent. He abhorred racing, not
merely from principle, but, like my
mother. from actual experience of its
evil consequences. After some schem-
ing and nearly spelling the life of a
very estimable young clergyman in a
neighboring parish. who was devotedly
attached to her and whom she would
have married and been a happy woman
but for her parents interference. the
Cholmondely-Da venports-for so his
wife insisted on their being styled.
though Cholmondely was but his Chris
tan name-had succeeded in marrying
their eldest daughter to the profigate
sol of a gambling baronet. "a more
suitable match, the mother called it
and persuaded her husband to dispense
with the settlements which were not
forthcoming, in honor of the alliance.
The result, however, of this maneuver
was disappointing. The baronet was on
his last legs, and the young people were
now living abroad on the worst of terms
with each other and mainly on an al
lowance from her father, with no pros
pect on his part of inheriting anything
beyond the barren title. All this on &C
count of horse racing and baccarat, so
that to hear that l was going on the
turf would rot be likely to propitiate
my father-in-law elect.
l say ''elect" because, although l
had been in a way refused by her par
ents, neither Ella nor l had any inten-
ton of giving each other up. Ella DAY.
export was a fine girl and had inherit
ed from her father a fine will of her
own. quite equal to his, and she had at
this time rather the whip hand of her
parents by reason Of her sisters unfor-
tunate marriage, which would not have
occurred had she been left to choose for
herself. Accordingly, Ella refusing to
throw me over, the matter remained in
allegiance. There was no recognized en-
gagement, but we perfectly understood
one another, and I regarded myself as
much bound to marry Ella at some time
or other as if we had been betrothed
WALL LIO 4o11 vi AO4 LII .
At this time we did not often meet. The
Rev. Cholmondely had never gone so
far as to forbid me the house, but know
ing his feelings toward me l could not
bring myself to visit there, preferring
to see Ella whenever l could at the
houses of our friends or at the various
public balls which took place during
the winter months. We were both
young enough to bide our time.
Though not without some small for
tune derived from my father, I was by
no means sufficiently we'll off to marry
Ella without the e5, 900 or so dowry
which her father could we'll afford to
give, and no doubt would give upon
her making such a match as might be
deemed Suitable" / was now 80,
and as will be readily believed had
saved nothing out Of my pay. First l
had gone to Oxford. but on finding, to-
ward the end of my second year, that l
was only getting into debt with no sort
of chance of obtaining honors-to
which, having been in the sixth at
school, I had at first aspired, little aware
of the standard required for a class-I
passed mods and went up for the army
as a university candidate. Then, having
| been gazetted to the Ninetieth Hussars, l
had served in Ireland and subsequently
in India, taking part in one Of those lit
tie punitive expeditions in which we
are continually engaged upon the from
tiers. wherein l gained my captaincy.
We had now been home a year and a
half. during which time I had fallen in
with Ella, with the result already men
toned. My mother was staying at
Bournemouth, and I was with her on
leave when Uncle Geoff died and left
| me his horses.
CHAPTER II.
The first thing to be done was obvi-
ously to go and look at them. Now, I
am no great judge of horsef1esh, though,
like most other men, I fancy I know a
coo1 mao when Saa one than which