The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1898-07-30
ADEBTOF HONOR
By WILLIAM BUCKLEY.

TT WAS at Charing Cross station,
where Icalled to make someinquiries,
and / knew her instantly, though she
was yelled. She recognized me also,
and returned my greeting with a
warmth which / hoped was not alto
gether due to the fact that was able
to extricate her from human eddy in
which she was entangled. ! forgot all
about the timetable, and turned back,
delighted that the rush of the preoccu-
pied crowd around us gave an excuse
to keep her little silk-gloved hand upon
my arm. She had been seeing cousin
Phil and his wife off, she said, and was
now, guessed, returning to the DESC
late house in Bloomsbury square. The
picture called up by the thought was
so poignant that ] proposed visit to
Westminster Abbey. She appeared
shade surprised certainly was my
self-and then agreed, with little sigh
which plainly said, ''as well as any
where else." But once she accepted my
companionship by stepping into the
hanson l called, she made. could see,
q distinct effort to take interest in the
multi-colored life swirling by.
''The Abbey is the first place one
thinks of visiting when one is away"
she observed; "and yet, when one is
at home 1t is so near that you keep de-
ferring the visit from day to day. and
1 am leaving town tomorrow. Papa
meant" She did not finish the SEN
tence, but added: ut is so kind of you
to give your time"
"Iam a man of leisure, / said, dryly.
Papa was always in hurry" she
went on, and then stopped again. All
roads of conversation led to her father,
and death had written 'sNo thorough
fare" across every one.
"Better wear out than rust ont" said
], considerably, though the best Of
us but write our names on water, after
all. A very consoling reflection for the
idlers."
"Yes, IL everything ended here" she
replied, as the cab pulled up and the
great gray temple doomed above us.
If time be duration set out by meas
ure, my watch was of opinion that we
spent two hours here; my conscious
ness, however, has nothing definite to
say on the matter, "the endurance of all
enduring things" not being painfully
prominent. Neither do I remember
having shone among the tombs. On
one thing, at least, I am quite clear,
1t is that when we came out was decid-
edly hungry, so artfully plotting my
charge past restaurant 1 suggested
lunch.
Here again lacuna occurs, for have
no distinct recollection of the earlier
stages of the banquet save the other
fact that her mode of eating and drink
Ing forced me to make comparisons
which would have brought me slowly
to my senses, had not the unforeseen,
which has such trick of happening,
done SO with paralyzing promptitude.
Her little hunting watch had run
down, but the officious cuckoo belong
ing to the restaurant clock spoke SO
plainly that the young girl almost
jumped from her chair.
20, Mr.. Patterson" she cried, "what
shall l do? Twas to call upon Mr.. Turn
bull-he is my guardian, you know
about papa's will-at half-past two, and
now it is quarter past!"
Where does be live?" asked.
I'm the city," she replied, despair
ingly, land o, he is so precise, and there
may be delays-yon don't know him!s
did, having met him in his profess
sional capacity some years before,
when was witness for the defense.
"We'll drive there at once!" cried.
royalty. putting my hand in my pocket
while she fumbled for her gloves.
Then an awful fact struck me - NV
purse was gone. suppose my conster-
nation got into my face, for caught
the eye of the polyglot waiter fixed
upon me. He was tall. and, 1 doubt not.
swift of. foot, and as he smiled thinly
could see that he had lost one front
tooth and all his illusions. put INV
hat on and took it of again. Atanother
time. in another place, the incident
would have been merely laughable, but
now, with her! had been So blase. so
mildly cynical! o, it was unthinlsa-
BILE! ! moved towards the counter
which was near the door, Swallowed by
~ waiter. who was mentally ealing