Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-07-28

nothing but dr1llss uebts and rifle prac- tice to enliven him. That's what brings him out here all the time He'd swap places with you in a minute. Isn't he very thick with Jerrold?'
 ''Oh, yes, rather. Jerrold entertains him n good deal.
 (Which is returned with compound interest, I'll bet you. Mir. Jerrold sim ply makes a convenience of him. He won't make love to his sister h.cause the poor, rich, unsophisticated girl is as ugly as she is ubiquitous. His majesty is fastidious, you sec, and seeks only the caress of beauty, and while he lives there at the Suttons' when he goes to town, and dimes and sleeps and smokes and wines there, and uses their box at the opera house, and is courted and flat tered by the old lady because dear Cubby worships the ground he walks on, ana poor Fanny Sutton thinks him adorable, ie turns his back on tho girl at every dance because she can't dance and leaves her to you fellows who have a conscience and some idea of decency. He gives all his devOtions to Nina Beaubien, who dances like a coryphee, and drops her when Alice Renwick SOIitT, W lAi lASA Nl'ttiiASll
 "Oh, d-n i., I'm an old fool to get worked up over it as do, but you young fellows don't see what see. You have not seen what I've seen, and pray God you never may! That's where the shoe pinches, Rollins. It is what he reminds me of, not so much what he is, SUD- pose, that l get rabid about. He is for all the world like man we had in the old regiment when you were in swad- ding clothes, and l never look at Ma mic Gray's sad, white face that it doesn't bring back girl knew just then whose heart was broken by just such shallow, selfish, adorable scoun- No, I won't use that word in speaking of Jcrrold, but it's what 1 fear. Rol- lins, you call him generous. Well, so he is-lavish, if you like, with his money and his hospitality here in the post. Money comes easily to him and goes, but you boys misuse tho term. l call him selfish to the core, because he can deny himself no luxury, no pleas ure, though it may wiring woman's life-or, more than that, her honor to give it him." The captain was tramping up and down the room now, as was his wont when excited. His face was flushed and his hand clinched. He turned suddenly and faced the young CT officer, who sat gazing uncomforta- bly at the rug in front of the fireplace:
 Rollins, some day may tell you a story that I've kept to myself all these years. You won't wonder at my feel ing as l dn about these goings on of your friend Jcrrold wl:sn you hear it all, but il was just sucn n man as he who ruined one woman. broke the heart of another and took the sunshine out of the life of two men from that day to this One of them was your colonel, the other your captain. Now go to bed I'm going out. And, throwing down his pipe, regardless of the scattering sparks and ashes, Captain Chester strode into the hallway, picked up the first forage cap he laid hands on and banged himself ont of the front door
 Mir. Rollins remained for some mo- mcnts in the same attitude, still gazing abstractcdly at the rug and listening to the nervous tramp of his scnisr officer on the piazza without. Then he slowly and thoughtfully went to his room, where his perturbcd spirit was soon soothcd in sleep. His conscience being clear and his health : -,:ect. there were no deep cares to keep him tossing on restless pillow.
 To Chester, however. sleep was i'm possible, He trampcd the piazza full hour before he felt placid enough to go and inspect his guard. The sentrics were calling o'clock and the wind had died away as he started on his round. Dark as was the night. he carried no lnntnrf. Tho lighted by lamps, and the road circling the old fort was broad, smooth and bor- dercd by stone coping wall where it skirted the precipitous descent into the river bottom. As he passed down the plank walk west of the quadrangle, wherein lay the old barracks and the stone quarters of the commanding off cer and the low one stOried TOW of bach elor dcns, he could not help noting the silence and peace of the night.
 Not a light was visible at any window as he strodc down the line. The chal- lcnge of the sentry at the old stone tow CT sounded unnecessarily sharp and loud, and his response of Officer of the day" was lower than usual. as though rebuk- ing the unsecmly outCry. The guard came scrambling out and formed hur- riedly tO receive him, but the captain $ inspection was of the briefCst kind. Barely glanCing along the prison corridor to sec that the bars were in place. he | turned back into the night and made for the line of posts along the river bank The sentry at the high bridge across the | gorge and the next one. we'll around to the southeast flank. were successively visited and briefly questioned as to their instructions, and then the captain plod- ded sturdily on until he came to the sharp bend around the outermost angle of the fort and found himself passing behind the quarters of tho commanding officer, substantial two storicd .>one house, with mansard roof and dorIAer windows.
 The road in the rear was some 10 feet below the level of the parade ipside the quadrangle, and consequently, as the house faced the parade, what was the | ground floor from that front became tho second story at the rear. The kitchen, storcroom and servants rooms were on this lower stage and opened upon the road, an outer stairway ran up to the center door at the back, but at the east and west Hanks of the house the stone walls stood without port or window except those above the caves the dormers- Light and air in album dance strcamed through the broad Vene. tian windows north and south when light and air were needed. This night, as usual, all was tightly closed below, all darkness aloft as he glanced up ai the formers high above his head As he did so his foot struck sudden and sturdy obstacle. He stumbled and pitch ed heavily forward and found himself sprawling at full lene.h upon Adder lying on the ground almost in the mid