The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1897-03-11
AN ORDEAL.

Tom recognized me at once and held out
his hand He was never ashamed of him.
self which was one characteristic he had.
We talked over old times 1 was capable
of approaching what merits Mr.. Clayper
possessed now that l had seen more of the
world and he was certainly an extraordi-
nary fellow. As l was still young enough
to be pleased at hearing adventures and
as Tom, now that his career seemed closed,
was gratified in relating his, 1 had Toms
history before we parted. Its finale seems
to have been this, for Tom was rather shy
of speaking about certain matters, a Pc
culiarity l have noticed in some of your
rips: He had his feelings of delicacy where
women are concerned. a rather pretty girl
was in service at the squire esquire Pell,
l think l told you. To her Tom paid
court. He was richer in presents than in
reputation.
1 fancy the girl gave him reason to
think she liked him. A all events she
did not return his fneries. One evening
Tom met the colonel in her company
somewhere about the grounds. Tom as
sured me that he passed them civilly, but
the next time he came across the colonel
he was surly and managed to insult him
and then to speak his mind, which was
none of the cleanest. The colonel, you
must know, was engaged at the time to
be married to Squire Pell's only daughter
money, but no beauty. So he let Tom
get the best of him, but from that day,
Tom says, he felt he had an enemy and
knew who that enemy was.
wasn't he a coward to hunt poor fell
low like that in the dark?'' said Tom to
me and declared he knew the colonel was
a coward and was determined to be re
venged and satisfied of it.
One night the colonel was in bed and
heard his door yield its lock and open.
You shall hear the rest in Toms words:
81 knew that man was coward, sir so,
once in the house and sure of his room,
knew l had him. l knew the bearings OF
the bed. l watched how the light fell two
or three nights before. The moment l
opened the door l threw the light-carried
a dark lantern-threw the light slap
his face 1 saw him start. Did that man
open his eyes? Deuce bit. Slept as sound
as tenpence. l laughed to myself. Why, if
he had got up, It'd have been fair strug
gle between us and nabbed 1 certainly
should "a been. But deuce bit did he stir.
Colonel Badger, thinks l, I'll badger you.
Well, walked slow up to him, with the
lantern in one hand and my pistol in the
other, leveled at his head. There was he
sleeping harder and harder. l couldn't
quite see his heart beat, but I'll lay my
life it galloped.' -
will spare you TOMS oaths.
"Well, sir,'' he went on, I'D half
mind at one moment TO do for him out
right. For a coward who's nothing better
than villain, what goods he for-to liver
Close down to his forehead l put the muz-
zle of the pistol. 1t was tempting then.
Just hair, and he'd have had extin-
guisher on his small candle Lor, sir, his
eyes were shut, but I'll wager he saw it
all clear day. And there was the per
spiration a-burstin out of his forehead an
checks I q
drop of perspiration on his nose. An he
pretendin to sleep hard all the while! Why,
the stoopid ass, did he think didn t know
that a chap never sweated in his sleep
leastways not natural sweat? Well, kept
at that, drawing the pistol away put
tin of it close, for, l should think, 40 min
utes or more, but 1 took no account. ]
was cruel glad, to be sure, and he perspir-
ing harder an harder. Not move right or
left. i didn't speak. / thought to myself:
oh, you villain, L daresay you think your
self better than me, don't you? And if you
had me in your power now, wouldn't you
let loose? But l ain t such coward as
you. You shall bleed, my fine chaplin
the pocket. That'n do. For said Tom
to me, 81 hadn't come there and run the
risk only to brighten the colonel. Two
birds at one blow was always my game.
$50 l.. and by" Tom pursued, "when
I thought l d give my gentleman pretty
good sweat for the benefit of his health, 1
began to ransack. l knew the whereabouts
of his desk and things. l collared the desk
entire and made as if I'd walk away. He
had a chance then. The cowardly beast!
There he stuck. He'd have liked to snore,
| just to persuade me he was -snoozin. And
such a fellow as that to go misleadin of
young women! Amt it disgustin, sir?"
Tom was a bit of moralist, you see.
Well, the end of it was that Tom, after
| giving the colonel another dose, made up
his mind to quit the premises.
'And / went, sir, - said Tom. SCOT off
| scot free. l just spoke these words in sol
emn voice: Colonel, whether you're asleep
or whether you're awake, just you keep
| quiet the next quarter of an hour, or you're
| q dead man. amt goin yet but my com
rades are q was all, all alone, sir; never
| took pal if l could help it, but thought
| I'd tell him so, the coward), and I'll stop
| outside the door, l says, till they re safe.
| So mind your eye says. I'm in earnest. ,
| And then touched his forehead with the
| cold iron and moved back, pointin at him
| still, and his face shinin with the cold
| sweat. He won't forget that hour I give
| him in hurry. l knew very well he'd
| sleep on, bless you, and SO he did, and /
never heard nothin till a month ago, when
| they bounced on me for it, and here am,
| goin to see foreign lands, thanks to you
| colonel. But you won't forget me; so don t
| try. And everybody's talkin of the story,
| for l outs with it at the trial, neck and
crop. 1 told it all about his sweatin an
pretendin to sleep. 1 saw the people laugh
| III swear the judge enjoyed it, fer all he
| looked that grave you'd think he was a
| owl. Ha, hal Mr.. COLONEL That's what
calls strikin you fly. They IL call you d
coward in old England, but they won't
| call me one in Van Diemen''
And with this consolation Mr.. Tom
| Clayper departed on his voyage. You will
admit that the colonel's night must have
been sufficiently miserable.-New York
| News.