Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-18

across the channel by this time"
| That is very extraordinary" exclaimed
Capel. Why. she was dead beat when she
| arrived. I am surprised that 1 was not
| Informed Of the Calliope's movements. 1
should certainly have sent dispatch by
| her"
Did the commander know that monsieur
was comingF' asked mademoiseIle
| We'll, perhaps not" returned Capel, rous-
| ing himself from a puzzled frame of mind.
Did madame send any letters to AtAgar-
van?"
Yes. of course The position called
| early this morning. soon after daybreak.
for short billet which madame left for
| him to take back"
| Then trust madame will have a pleas
ant voyage. and need trcspass no longer
on your time"
Mademoiselle led him to the door with
| Impressive civility. and Capel made his
way to the quarters of the man he was to
| supersede.
After a long interview, in which the
state of affairs in the district was fully ex-
planned to him. he took his way on foot TO
| his hotel Turning the corner of a street
| he found himself face to face with a young
| man in naval uniform.
| Halo, Poyntz!" he exclaimed. recogniz-
| here?"
oh Col. Capel! Very glad to see youi
I am first luff, Of the CallioDe."
| Didn't the CalIiope sail last nght?"
| NO certainly not, 1 am going on board
| now"
Capel felt profound surprise and some un-
essiness- Capt Seton is your commander.
Yes; do you know hAn?"
| No; but / should like to and speak
| with him."
He is ashore today. and dimes at tho
Harp and Crown, as there is big pail
That's my hotel" returned Cauel IT
shall ask for interview"
| and ready
Come and dine with me tomorrow.
L NsNuF
| SO, getting handsomely rid of the young
| oncer, Capel proceeded to his hotel and
/ established himself in the coffee room TO
watch the coming of Capt. Seton. The Gin
| ner hour was much earlier in those DAYS
| so before long Seton came in. A few words
| and several bows introduced the gentlemen
| TO each other, and the naval officer accept
| ed CapeIs courteous invitation to dinner.
| 1t was half over, when the host stared the
topic of the disafrected state of the country.
| and expressed his annoyance at having to
| hunt down young fellow like Costello.
| oh, you'll get over all that after a few
| weeks in this queer country. As to Co.'S
| tello, heard odd stories at lunch today at
| a house away near the cove. The gentle
men had been out fishing sea fishing this
| morning, and one of their boatmen said he
had had queer job the night before He
anG another had been engaged by a
strange man to row old lady out TO A
little bay not far beyond the harbor. This
old lady was very finely dressed, and had
| veil tied round her head and face But
| they found a strange ship lying at anchor,
| and when they were alongside The old
| lady caught hold OF rope and climbed an
| board in jiffy. like a regular sailor. shovg
| ing some masculine undergarments as shs
dld so, and a sturdy pair of legs. Then
| the anchor was lifted, the ship swung
round to the tide, and was off with a fair
breeze. We sent for the young boatman,
| and cross-eNamined him bit. He could
not make out the nationality of the man
| who hired the boat-he was not Irish nor
| Ell glish. He was small and dark and
rather grim, l think it must have been
that spy Jefferies. 1t seems he has not been
| seen about anywhere for several days. ard
L fancy We'll never see Costello again"
Il saw this Jefferies, once" said Capal.
| feeling stunned. He then said Costello
| was hiding in Glengarrim."
| Il don't believe he ever told any one The
| truth. but do know that a strange ship
| has been seen lodging about the coast and
| l believe they have taken Costello of in
| disguise"
| Capel was struck dumb. The whole plot
flashed clear before his mind. and he must
| be mute. If he confessed how bambooZlcd
| he had been, 1t would expose the Dgbys
| to the anger of the ruling powers. and he
| acting traitors part. But he was deeply
| wourded and mortally offended. To he
| made laughing stock by the woman he
| loved fondIyi 1t was unbearable. He
| could hardly command himself TO carry on
| the conversation and, when alone he seized
| pen and paper, and wrote a stern, angry
letter, which in due time produced the fol-
! lowing reply:
| Il have deserved all you say. have de-
| ceived and betrayed you. You are right TO
| say you will never my face again. /
can only urge that l did this to save a
| young life full of promise. which is most
| precious to my more than sister, Ellen
| O'Grady. Moreover, Val is completely cur
| ed of his mistaken enthusiasm. Do not
| think all the suffering is yours. You are
| wounded, insulted. disappointed, but you
| do not feel what do, the gnawing sting of
| remorse. Yet, Col Capel, could 1 have
| done less for my old playfellow. for Ellen's
| cousin? God bless and keep you. We can
never meet again. GRACE DIGBY."
Over and over did Capel read this brief
| epstle. and each time he felt his indigna-
| tion fading away. He knew exactly how
her voice would sound If she had spoken
the words. Across all the cares OF his
command, all his efforts at improvement
and reorganization, he caught her voice;
and saw the last look he had caught from
her lovely eyes.
Roper he said to his soldier servant,
one evening al dinner, go round to Foo
sarty's stables. order a chaise and four for
o'clock sharp tomorrow morning. j want
to see Mr.. Digby and return at night. I'll
be back to 10 o'clock supper"
"All right, sir"
Capel wrote out some instructions and
addressed them to the next in command.
Then he went to bed and tried to sleep, in
vain.
The next day was wet and thunderous
Unable to go out, Grace and her cousin
were sitting listlessly in a sort Of recess
at the end of the big drawing room, from
which it was divided by curtains. These
the girls often drew across the wide space
room.
You know you have my everlasting
gratitude. Grace" (EIIen O'Grady was
speakingD You have saved Val and me,
for l could not have lived had he been
taken; but / wish we had not brought you
bad luck. DO not give up hope, my dear.
generous cousin. Do not regret what you
have done"
NO" said Grace. slowly and very dis
tinctly. Il do not though the cost OF VaTs
head has been my broken heart" and COW
ering her face with her hands, low sobs
broke from her. The curtains We're pushed
aside. and to their amazement Capel came
quickly to her side
1T must not break. my love. my darling"
he said. II was harsh and bitter. but l
find that life without you is intoerable. II
you can love me, l will forgive everything.
Give me your heart, give me yourself, Mt
terly, and forever" He drew her to him in
a passionate embrace, and as she whis-
pered: But | do. / have tried not to love
you, and cannot help it," his lips caught
hers and clurg there unrebuked In the in
tense sweetness of this first kiss all in
dignation and bitterness were swept away