Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-01-26
A PASSAGE AT ARMS.

glance, in which supreme self satisfaction
was slightly tingod with contempt. but
that was all.
With the professor It was otherwise.
He looked at the stranger moro than once
with curious if rather absent eyes, and OF
last made n remark:
IL seem to know the face"
DO you?" asked his friend harrington,
who overheard. where have you seen it
b%efore?"
Professor Hcrne could not remember.
The man from Africa owned a loud and
somewhat penetrating voice. He had been
successful at Johannesburg and possessed
a large ard seasonablc selection of stories.
Anecdotes Of Rand life had far less in
tercSt for the professor than the pebble in
scriptions of prehistoric man, but he could
not help observing that tho newcomer was
monopolizing the attention, not only of
the other visitors, but Of the hostess her
self.
Somehow tho knowledge depressed him.
and he bent II little lower over his plate.
81 almost wish" he said softly, that I
had not gone away"
"Eh?" cried DR., Darlington. Why
hoN' \ 'Ap oi'tllpAiiN't' VI NOus
"Oh, no." was the reply. AS "a geo.
logical expedition ours was entirely sue.
ccssful. i was thinking of something else
Il private matter"
by the way" said Darlington a mo-
ment later, our new friend has some
good stories, but he does not tell all. If
somo reports be true, he is not exactly the
hero u hostess seems to believe him."
"Indecd?' was tho low remark.
"No. I~lorrics of the rifle police has
heard something of him. He is home Cd
leave, and l met him in town last week.
According to his account, our friend hero
got into trouble more than once through
his queer method of managing certain OBJ
stinate blacks. Heidi not stop short off,
Only the professor heard the final words,
and when he heard them his eyes seemed
to harden peculiarly, and he gave another
glance toward the head of the table.
"Ah," he said, ''is that so? BY the bye.
what is his name? 1 have forgotten"
"Rugman, replied the doctor. Il be-
lieve he intends to settle down at Hex
minister. We shall be little the better for
him."
Very little" was the professors un
usually decisive answer, and when it WAS
/ spoken he fell into a train of thought from
which his companions remarks could not
easily rouse him.
The man from Africa had arrived mt tho
old cathedral city on n visit to a friend,
and had created something of "a ripple up
on those quiet waters. He had gained an
entrance into that select circle which made
Mrs. Abrams table its favored place of
meeting and had even won his way to tho
seat of honor. Alas for the professor!
He had hppn Snpp1aptp1 and tho allppi.
ance of the gentle, sweet faced little wom-
an at tho head of the table had been given
to another.
So he pondercd, sitting Utmost in silence
until tho gentlemen moved to the draw
ing room. There he ound n nook where
he was farthest from the sound of tho
strong and overwhelming voice of his sup
planter and sat down.
Presently he was aroused by a touch
upon the sleeve. A rather delicate looking
boy of ~ had approached him unnoticed.
why, Jack, d" said the professor, II did
not see you! How are youY"
Pm glad you are back, sir" he said
heartily.
Indeed Thank you," was the profess
sor's reply.
did you get any fossils, slrP You know
you promised me some"
The geologist smiled. Perhaps, 4" he
said. You shall come to my rooms to-
morrow and see"
You're awfully kind, said Jack CRATE
fully Not like that mar over there.
He's quite n cad, l think"
"Hcm!' said the professor w%arningly.
Whom do you meant"
THAT Mr.. Rugman, He's from Africa,
and he's never even shot IA rhinoceros, lie
49,. III 49,. D.
stocks and shares, and he'll hardly talk to
me mt all"
The listener smiled. Jack continued,
still in a slightly indignant tone;
"Io know, sir, you advised mamma
not to send me away to school till | an II.
Well, Mr.. Rugman has been talking so
much to her about it that l believe she has
almost changed her mind.
The professor took off his eyeglasses and
rubbed them with his handkerchief, an
infallible sign that he was troubled
II wish you'd speak to her again, sir.
She will do anything you say"
Artful Jack The professor flushed and
promised that he would think about it. 1t
was u blow to him that Mrs. Arran had
been so easily shaken in her resolves, and
n long dormant battle spirit was beginning
to move within.
Hes been talking about schools, - pur.
sued Master Jack. He says that | ought
to go to his old school, Castlebridgc."
"Eh? Where" exclaimed the professor.
And his start was so sudden that Jack
almost tumblcd from his perch,
"Castlehridge," replied tho boy. "He
says he was captain there once, and no
end of other things. oh, there's DIR. Bar
rington calling mel III be back directly,