The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1896-03-28


card our presence as an intrusion.
The evening sped quickly. 1t was
about ten o'clock; Maui and Laura
were at the piano, busy with duet.
and Tom was turning the music.
Without thinking where the others
could be, l stepped out on the veranda
and lighted cigarette. 1t was per-
feet night. The air was filled with the
warmth Of early summer, and the
moon lit up the tops of the birch trees
in the meadow beyond the garden,
while for across the fields CLEANED
Allswater lake like q broad strip of
silver.
Suddenly there came two figures pac
ing slowly across the lawn--Denton
and Eunice. gasped with astonish-
ment, for the merchants arm was about
the girls waist; and they walked so
until they came close beneath the place
where stood, when they stopped.
The we'll behind me was covered with
| ivy and they could not see me, and just
as l was about to make my presence
known--oh. shame and confusion-I
saw the girls snowy neck bend, and her
head droop upon the strangers shout
der. Their he took her face between
his hands end kissed her on the mouth
l barely repressed cry, for that
moment I felt hand grasp my arm
with the force of wise, the fingers
fairly sinking into my flesh. The pair
on the lawn walked slowly round to
| another door of the house with arms
about each other, az lovers walk, Eu-
nice looking like spirit in her cling
ing, white dress. Then ! turned and
looked into the face of Tom Grantham,
and the look of agony there hope /
shall never see again in the face Of hui
man being.
When we returned to the drawing
room presently Denton and Eunice were
there. She was as fair and unruffied
as the saint had thought her. Dem
ton held an envelope in his hand which
lie handed to Tom. "a telegram for
you, lieutenant" he said, coldly. II
took it from boy at the gate. Your
father, it seems, sent it on here"
Tom took the telegram and read it.
1 maryeled ut his composure. 1.-THE
regiment is ordered to Africa" he
said, and thrust the paper in his pocket
Eunice gave heart-breaking shrek
and rushed upon him.
''Iow very unfortunate" observed
Denton, with q perceptible sneer.
Grantham turned about and struck
him to the floor with blow from his
fist. Then he strobe from the room with
out a glance behind him. Eunice faint
ed. Her two sisters were too busy at
tending to her to notice me, and Their
father was nowhere to be seen. Feel
ing my presence unnecessary, l fol
lowed my friend Just as the fallen mer
chant from India was preparing tt
rise.
How came to be passenger on thu
troop ship that carried the Eighth from
Plymouth does not matter much. Thu
commercial house that commanded m.
valuable services had some affairs Il
: settle at Cape Town, and as I was tn
only person in the Office ready to vol
unteer for the mission my offer wa
eagerly accepted.
Though was young my employer
were good enough to admit that l hat
brains. To settle this business was al
easy matter, and having a taste TO
adventure, it wasn't difficult-every
thing considered, including little dis
tance-to seek out my friend Tom a
the headquarters of his regiment.
How he managed it do not know
but when / obtained permission to &C
> company the Eighth in the guise OF
war correspondent, or anything els
1 might choose to call myself ION con
djtion that I kept out of sight at tn
proper time, and refrained from talk
ing too much), availed myself of tn
privilege with the ardor Of school
boy let out for a holiday.
The campaign has gone into history
and it is not my purpose to describe il
Or justify it either, for that matter
The part played by the Eighth was no
q conspicuous one, hard marche
!, through a dreadful, rough country
, ! with very little to eat and broilin
sky over our heads, were for long on
sternest lot.
On these long marches, and in tn
quiet watches about the campfire, m
friend never once spoke of his grea
sorrow. From the tenor of his cor
yersation, however, could easily pei
ccive that life had no charm left 70
him, and that he would welcome as
boon the chance shot or assegai thrus
that could end it. His hair, too, we
growing gray. Think of it--a soldier
three years out of school, and gray a
"a.
When we heard of the death of til
prince imperial, the widowed Eugene
only son, Tom sighed and said he el
We'd him. When news reached us {
the awful catastrophe of Rorke's Drift
where SO many brave fellows wer
down, he gritted his teeth and vowe
he would like to strike blow for veng
ance before the war was over.
The final battle of Ulundi, which WI