The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1897-03-19
RAND. MsMALLy G. ca
Chapter Iv.-Coxr1xuEp).

have never cared to revisit Ireland;
Tor am in habit and feeling French
woman; but there were r1any of my
eountrymen in Paris, and picked up
from them the trick of the tongue
which astonished you SO much yester-
day"
mo, no." said Dick, chats not at all
what it was; it was your wit and pres
.ence Of mind"
"That took you by surprise, you
meant" she said, quickly. And then,
after laughing at his confusion, "But
now it's your turn to give me some
thing to wonder at"
"Oh!" he said, there's nothing in my
life to make story of. Why. went 10
sea when 1 was H."
'But that's q romance in ITSELF" she
said.
Dick blushed, perhaps from embar-
eassment, perhaps also from pleasure,
Tor he was anxious to be less Of a
stranger to her. and was fiattered at
Ter appearance Of interest. So. of
oourse, he became foolish and procras-
unated.
"I'm sure there's nothing you'd care
to hear" he said, hoping for the en-
>ouragement Of contradiction.
1Why, that's how began" she re-
piled. IF you steal my forms Of speech
Il shall take yours and answer, as you
did Just now, that 1t is not a matter Of
personal interest at all, but mere story
If adventure, that's in question"
''I'm certain did not say that" he
answered. IT mean, beg your pardon.
but I couldn't have said anything so
,sude."
$50 rude as what have just said to
pretense Of innocence.
ooh" he groaned, I'm no good with
words. can't handle them!" And he
made a sudden gesture as If to grasp a
more downright kind Of weapon.
The action and the flush which ac-
eompanied it became him quite we'll,
and she glanced up at him with secret
approval. He had, in fact, gained, not
lost, ground; but in his confusion he
did not suspect the fact, and was more
troubled than ever when the door
opened at this moment and the colonel
came In.
II hope" he said. bowling, "that did
not interrupt"
Camilla was grave again in an in
slant; and Dick saw, with quick graft
tude. that however much she might
have been playing with him before, she
had no intention Of putting him to
shame before a third person.
Capt. Estcourt has been telling me
something Of his life at sea-" she re-
oiled to her brother-in-law's inquiry:
'and was about to give me his opinion
OF the relative merits of the English,
French and Spanish sailors. You see
there is nothing that you may not
'hear."
I'm that case" answered the colonel,
II shall have the pleasure Of joining in
the conversation. Dinner is ready, and
we will, II you please, Capt. Estcourt.
hear your observations at the table,"
Madame de Montaut took Dicks arm
and they passed into the dining-room
''That was kindly DONE" he murmured
% they went.
"Follow 1t up, them" she answered.
And they took their seats.
"And what, in effect. is your opinion"
asked the colonel, upon this question ?"
He had seen, but not heard, their bit
Of byplay, and was in hopes of catching
his guest tripping.
But Dick was now inspired to do his
best, and showed presence of mind
against a merely male antagonist.
''Well, to tell the TRUTH" he replied.
roolly, ION second thoughts I'm not en-
dtled to criticise the French or Span
lards, for 1 have never met either Of
them in general engagement"
"You have had the misfortune, then,
TO miss the greater number of sucn
.events2b said the colonel
II was at Copenhagen and Algiers, /"
said Dick; "but that's ALL"
"Oh!' exclaimed Camilla, anxious to
defeat her brother-in-law's inquisitive-
ness, "tell us about Copenhagen; that
is much better than hearing Of our
own misfortunes."
"And it really is rather interesting in
ITSELF" he replied. cat any rate that
day produced upon me more vivid i'm
preston than any that ever spent-at
sea-" he added. rather disjointedly.
Camilla enjoyed an inward smile.
"Please go on she begged.
IT was boy Of 15 them" he said: ga
smiddy on the 74-gun ship Edgar. lay
awake good time the night before.
thinking about home and that kind of
thing. When we turned out at day.
,VTcdN i AcAi " oulVciluSs luOuEn IL was
not particularly cold. We all laughed
and joked more than usual, we middies.
but / remember that our teeth were
chattering most Of the time. Some of
the. men seemed to take it all quite ma
turaily, but some were bit solemn.
and some rather excited, like us. The
senior officers were very cool. and
spoke cheerfully; one Of the lieutenants.
named Bradnock, had been at the Nile
and the captain said something about
It as he came up on deck, and asked
him about taking the soundings. He
answered quite easily. and we all
thought him very great man to have
seen such service. Then at o'clock
the signal was made for all captains
and masters to go on board the Ele-
,phant. Lord Nelson's flagship. They
were away more than an hour and a
half. and we couldn't think what was
happening. The wind was fair, and the
s'current running pretty strong down the
Kings channel. The signal for action
had been flying for Some time. and all
our. decks were cleared; but we heard
safterward that not one of the pilot.