The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1898-05-06
AT THE LAST MOMENT

IA Il Il ~ Il Il
There are still people who talk Of
Wellington and 1915, but it is now
generally understood that the real bat
tie of Waterloo takes place every Sat-
urday morning at the station of that
name, when the special trains start for
South Africa. 1t is a desperate strug-
gle while it lasts, and the uniformed
men have an exceedingly warm time
of it, but they have always conquered
before, and this encourages and gives
them enthusiasm. Mr.. John Beste-
! the name was on the leather label Of
his single portmanteau-Mr. John
Beste, down in good time before the
real tussle began, looked on with in
terest. He was a tall, reserved look
ing man, with a short beard and the
brown complexion that comes to men
who have looked at the South African
sun.
mo one to see me off," said John
Beste. "a short mother was stepping
on tiptoe to kiss burly youth, and
the sight gave him thoughts.) "Of
course there is no one to see me off"
he continued, argumentatively. why
should there be-"
Mr.. John Beste placed his portman-
teau in the corner of a first-class COM
partment, and laughed little bitterly
at his grumbled soliloquy. A light
touch on his arm made him wheel
| ln
him flush
"Mr Beste!"
Miss Langham! Are you here to say
goodby to me?"
THAT was the idaa," said the young
woman, brightly. Il suppose there are
others. How long before your train
goes?"
About twenty minutes" Miss Lang
ham"
only twenty minutes. l am sorry
that you are going so quickly. AID
you will see Mr.. Cnarterhouse, l sup
pose"-sEe stepped aside to avoid a
juggernaut trolley of luggage-"as
soon as you arrive" she resumed
81 can't possibly avoid that. Is Mrs.
Langham here:"
My aunt does not know that 1 have
come down. Did you want to see her,
MI. Reste?"
Her presence" he said gravely, lis
not indispensable to my happiness"
Pm afraid that you are inclined to
be little unjust to her. You don't
know her as well as I do, Mr.. Beste."
THAT is SO. But Mrs Langham has
made confdant of me during the
time that l have been here, and-well,
think l understand her.
Tout comprehendre c'est tout par
donner," quoted the young lady.
mot in every case"
Il should like to know what you
talked about. 1t occurred to me at
dinner last night that
Upon my word, Miss Langham, 1
have half mind to tell you"
Half a mind is plenty, Mr.. Beste.
l have special reason for wanting to
know. My dear aunt has not always
the best tact in the world"
That" he said dryly, occurred to
me-"
WAS it of me she was talking,
wonder? Was l the object?"
''It was of you," he said.
"And my aunt said?"
Am I bound to answer those ques-
tions, my lord?"
band of Jewish financial gentle
men came along the crowded platform,
forming an encourage to some import
ant individual in their center. With
the enterprise of their race, they fore
ed the other passengers aside, and
Mr.. John Beste and Miss Langham
were separated in the commotion.
You are bound" said the young
Portia, returning, ito answer all the
questions that are put to you for the
next fifteen minutes"
Mrs. Langham,' said Mr.. John
Beste, shifting his rug from one arm
to the other, and bending little closer
to the bewildering hat and the charm
ing face that it selfishly attempted to
hide, Mrs. Langham was extremely
anxious that l should convey certain
|, information to Mr. Charterhouse. AS
, manager to Mr.. Charterhouse's valua-
J BILE mine, Mrs. Langham seems to have
thought that ] should be a, valuable
/; what shall I say?-a valuable fellow
conspirator."
go on she said, quickly, and with
| great concern.
Il wonder whether you can guess
what am going to say?"
81 hope l am not guessing rightly. It
is too terrible!"
Mrs. Langham was good enough to
say that for anything l could say to
my-my master, Mr.. Charterhouse,
that would assist the object she had in
view, I should be well repaid. This
was, of course, very generous of your
aunt"
Go on, Mr.. Beste."
. The time was flying Passengers
were settling down in their compart-
ments, and at every window was a
: bunch of heads. There were tears. too.
. because some of those on the platform
parents saying goodby to sons, and
wives saying adieu to husbands-were
, sufficiently old-fashioned to possess
8 smotions.
''And what had to do was this. Mr..
5 charterhouse is, as you know, bach
| elOr,"
''Mr. Charterhouse may be an old
) maid for all know or care" she said.