The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1899-09-14
CHAPTER XVII.

CHAPTER XVII.
Another week opened In honor of
Captain Barclays restoration to health
the Fraziers had issued invitations for
picnic to the White Gate. Many Of the
officers and ladies had accepted. Most
OF them had been hidden. Captain Null
lane had been on sick report four days.
Commissions resulting from tumbling
from broken legged chair was the ex-
PLANTATION. But every Pat in the CON-
mand had his tongue in his cheek when
he spoke Of it and Of matters growing
out OF the Commissions" mentioned
Frazier had heard rumors of the former
fracas, and had notified Messrs. Null
lane, Bralligan, ct al, that he would
have no dueling in his bailiwick, and
deep was the mystery surrounding GER
tain consultations held by night in
Mullane's quarters.
"The blood of that young braggart
be On his own head" said Mullane to
his henchmen. IAN you, Hodge, can
console the disconsolate widow
He had no more doubt of the issue of
the contemplated combat, no more COM
junction in the matter, than had Thack-
eray's valiant and inimitable little Cas-
con, ne Cabasse, in his duel with Lord
Kew. He had long been the leader of
the Hibernian set, and despite every
effort On the part Of the witnesses to
the ARRAY at the suffers to keep the
matter a secret rumors got cut, and the
Faugh a-Ballaghs knew their chief had
been braved by that hated co1comb
Winn. Every one Of them knew further
that Mullane must have sent his de-
mand for satisfaction, despite the fact
that his "pistol OF" the right, had been
damaged by the collision and was not
yet in condition for effective service.
Every body who was in the secret knew
that Mr.. VIM had instantly accepted,
naming Brayton as his second, pistols
as the weapons, and suggesting his
fathers old dueling set, that had seen
long years and some service in the old
army, as proper to the occasion. The
time and place, however, would neces-
sarily depend on the victim of the knock
down blow. All Vim asked and urged
was utter secrecy meantime.
To Mullane there was nothing in the
episode over which to brood or worry
AS dragon sergeant in the old days he
had winged his man. according to
the methods described in "Charles
O'Malley' and practiced occasionally
by his superiors in rank. He had known
many barroom broil and was at home
with pistol, fists or saber-no mean an
tagonist when not unsteadied by liquor
He had now a chance of meeting on the
field one of the set he secretly hated,
"the snobocracy Of the arrumy," and
he meant to shoot the life out of Harry
VIM if straight shooting would do it.
That VIM had taken advantage Of him
and knocked him down when he was
drunk was excuse sufficient for the
crime he planned; that he had brought
the blow upon himself by an insult ten
times more brutal was matter that
concerned him not at all. He had no
wife or child to worry about. Mrs. =.
Mullane and the various progeny were
old enough to look out for themselves,
as indeed most of them had long been
accustomed to do. Mullane thirsted for
the coming meeting and for the promo.
inence it's outcome would give him
among all good soldiers all over Texas.
And as for WINNIE who had come
riding home from his successful scout
barely a fortnight before, buoyant,
hopeful, almost happy-the change that
had come over him was something all
men saw and none could fully account
for. Cashing the draft from the bank
at San Antonio, he had now enough to
take Trott's receipt in full for the value,
of the stolen stores even to some recov-
cred plumber, slightly damaged by
rough handling and by rain. He would
then still have some $500, and he asked
his wife for certain bills that had been
frequently coming to her accompanied
by urgent demands. Laura said she had
not kept them. Which ought to be paid
first? he asked. Which had been longest
outstanding? Laura's reply was that
she did not know, but if he had got
that money from San Antonio at last
she ought to have some to send to Nine.
Chalmette. She positively had not
dinner dress fit to be seen. VIM did
not even glance at the open doors Of a.
big closet, hung thick with costly
gowns his wife had hardly worn at all,
but that now, she said, were out of
style. There were other matters to be
thought of than dinner gowns, he told
her gravely, and her face clouded at
once. She had almost forgotten the
troubles Of the week gone by. I
He went down to his den and sat
there thinking. What ought he to dea
What should he do with this money?
Every cent of it would be swallowed up
if he squared those commissary ac-
counts and turned the balance into
checks and sent it off to pay these bills.
and then, if Mullane's bullet sped trpe
to it's mark, what would there be to
take Laura and the baby northp
"Home" he dared not say. She had no
home. Collabone's diagnosis Of that sits
uation was correct. Then, too, if Null.