Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1897-07-15

There he goes, Elsie! That's Con-
nelI!'' cried out the veteran, as the nero
of the day rode past, in the battered
Lancer's helmet, and with the trusty
lance in hand.
The girl looked eagerly at the soldier.
who was the cynosure Of all eyes, and
saw a dark. tanned face, with a frank
look in its brown eyes, which just that
moment fell upon her as she stood on
the pavement facing their owner Then
one who had noticed closely would have
seen that the soldier turned his gaze
quickly away, with look OF pain on
his face.
But the girl had seen that look, quick
as it was, and a sudden jerk OF the
fathers arm made him turn round TO
his daughter. She had tainted. and
several of the bystanders aided him IN
getting her into shop close by
Its the excitement" said some OF
them. She'll soon be all right
She rallied in few moments, and
looked round haIf-vacantly. Then, see
ing her father beside her, she whispered
to him:
Did YOU see who it vase
'sWho what was. my dear?
'.Why, this Robert Connell."
why, no; of course, that is, it was
Robert Council who saved the flag from
the enemy" said the veteran.
Father" whispered she, don't think
I'm rambling in what 1 say, for I'm not.
Father. Robert Connell is Reginald Bar
/ low-that's as true as I'm here!"
/ The old man looked at her in pity,
and set down her words to her mind be-
ing unhinged, so he thought it wisest
to say nothing more.
! But when, few days after they had
gone back to the calmness of their lit
/ tie Surrey village, knock came one
( day at the door, and without waiting
/ for its opening. tall soldier, in the uni
! form of the til Lancers, came walking
( in, announced himself as Robert Con-
nell, late Reginald Barlow, even the in
credulity of James Bennett himself had
/ to give way to surprise at his child's
quick perception of the truth. There
was no reticence OF the part of any of
the three With quick movement, al
most before she knew what she was do
ing. the girl had risen and rushed for
ward to the arms of her neyer-foTgotten
lover, whilst he, on his part, had adj
vanced towards her; and the father
had risen and saluted in military FASH
ion. Matchmaking he was saiuting the
regimental standard in saluting the
/ hero.
Reginald, my Reginald sobbed the
girl, ''or Robert, oh, I'm lost; L don't
seem to know what I'm saying or doing.
/ =,
Call me Robert, my dearest; let US
forget the other name. Nobody but
you knows, or would ever suspect, that
Reginald Barlow and Robert Cornell
are one, And it is better they should
not know, after what has happened;
so call me Robert Connell from now.
And sit down, Elsie, darling, whilst ]
tell you my story"
So the girl sat down, still holding his
hand, whilst he explained that after
leaving his Iandlady's house on that
fatal morning so long ago, he had met
the postman at the gate, and received
letter from friend saying that he had
better get out of England if possible, as
the police held warrant for his arrest
on a charge of forgery. He explained
that, some weeks before, at friends
house, he at his suggestion copied
a signature upon note given him for
the purpose in order to show his skill
in copying, never thinking of the use
to which such a note might be put. 1t
seemed that this so-called friend had
used the document for procuring a loan
of 6 so later on; and, now the police
were on the track, he had decamped al
ready, and written Barlow to do the
same
What could do went on the sol.
der, but act as did? To be arrested,
even innocently, and brought up in
court on my wedding day! 1t would
have killed you, Elsie! 1 knew you'd
feel it terribly as it was, but knew ]
was innocent, and so perhaps wrong
ly-thought it best to efface myself as
completely as possible.
$50 l left at once for Kings Cross
and thence to York, where l enlisted
the same day in the -th Lancers. As
had always had a taste for adventure, ]
knew that soldering would suit me. /
took the name of Robert ConneH. This,
with the uniform and the place of en-
listment, secured me from any fear of
detection by the police, as long as l
kept my secret to myself. The rest OF
my story you know. 1 dared not even
write you, as l knew everyone's letters
in a village are more or less public prop
erty to the pOstman, and the fact of a
letter from abroad to you might have
been suspicious
II saw you in the Strand, there. few
days ago, by the merest chance, and
felt sure that you recognized me.
found also. by judicious inquiries, that
the man whose name had so Innocent
lly forged died two years ago: so now,
Elsie, there is nothing to hinder our
marriage. Nobody in London, where
we shall live. will need to know the cir
cumstances. nor shall they. I shall
now leave the army, think, and settle
down"
And the day after her majesty had
pinned the V. c. on his breast. with a
few congratulatory words, Robert Con-
nell and Elsie Bennett were made one.
I-Tit-Bits.
Hard on Wales.