Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930, 1900-07-19

ner, not rising, not showing any alacritJ
to greet him.
! ''Yes, with you, of course. 1 was toe
dead-beat to talk to you last night. Don't
you know who l am, old chap?" accom-.
panying the question with violent SLAP
on the back.
"Yes, l know who you are right
enough" morosely.
'Oh, you DO. do you? Well, you might
seem bit more pleaserd to see me, in
stead Of sitting there like an old bear
with a sore head, in tone of surprise.
"Look here young fellow" said Miles.
suddenly rising. I'D advise you to leave
me alone; don't want To have anything
to do with you. Don't provoke me too
| far, or we might both be sorry for the
consequences"
A 'Hullo. hullo! Easy does it. You are
on the wrong track; you evidently don t
know who l am; come. now. where did
you ever see me?"
"On board the Resistance. Will that
do?" looking rather dangerous.
y
ognized me by being with Esme She
was very plucky to come all that way.
Poor girl, she was in terrible state.
thought she would never let me go. How
she cried"'
To this remark Miles preserved an ON
inOUs silence.
'"Tell me one thing" continued this un-
daunted lancer, squaring himself before
his now boiling companion. Why did
you not marry her? What has happened:
1 declare when 1 recognized you last
night in the colonePs tent you might just
have knocked me down with a feather.
Why did you not marry Esme?' he reit-
Grated persistently.
81 should think that no one knows the
reason better than Yourself ferO-
ciously. you forget that | witnessed
the affecting parting between you and
her." he added, in a tone of scorching
contempt.
"And what harm if you did?' indig-
nantly. Il say, you know, if you are
going to be jealous of girls brother you
must be a most"
Brother! brotherr' was all his compan-
ion could calculate, as he leaned against
ed, white face, and, in so staring, brought
conviction home to his very soul. For
was not Teddy looking at him with
Esme's own dark-blue eyes?
Don't you know that I'm Teddy Brab-
azon? exclaimed the lancer, seizing his
cousin by the arm and giving him a vigor-
Gus shake.
''No, l don't" returned Miles, at last
rousing his mental faculties from the
shock they had sustained. Mrs. Brab
azon told me that Teddy was dead"
speaking in a strange voice. Yes. she
said he was dead"
"Oh, Mrs. 3. would say anything con-
temptuously, "but all the same Pm alive
and kicking" giving his relative another
little shake. why, man, you look as
dazed as if l had knocked you on the
head. Just listen to me, and I'll tell you
all about it," still holding him by the
arm as though he were afraid he would
escape. ''You must know, in the first
place, that I'm as stupid as fish, brains,
nil; was plucked three times from the
line, and as Mrs. B. cut up awfully rough
I went off and enlisted; was, in conse-
quence, disowned by the family and Civ
en- out as dead,' speaking so rapidly that
the words seemed to tumble ovef one an
other in their eagerness to be uttered.
1.-THE only one that stuck to me was
Esme; she clung to me like limpet from
first to last"
"And why was l never toldY interrupt
ed Miles, fercely, suddenly wrenching
himself away from Teddy's eagerly de-
tanning hand. why did she never speak
of you?"
Because 1 would not let her." replied
the other, frankly. Over and over again
she begged and implored leave to let you
into the secret of Sergeant Brown but
l would not listen to her. l said, time
enough when 1 could take your hand as
an equal, and as brother officer. 1t was
just a whim of mine," now possessing |
himself of Miles reluctant fingers and
shaking them very heartily as he spoke.
ga whim Of yours. has cost me pretty |
DEAR" said his cousin, bitterly. Forty |
pounds and Esme."
How? What do you mean?' blank
ly.
"How?" angrily. "Why, when 1 saw
her down at Portsmouth that day, on the |
sly, taking an agonizing farewell of SER
geant Of lancers, was not that enough?"
Teddy was now rae one whose face ex-
pressed incredulous s'uazement and blank
diSmay.
'I--I-" proceeded Miles, with catch
in his breath, rushed after her to the
station, feeling like a madman, and no
doubt looking the character; had just
time to tell her that 1 had done with her
forever; then l exchanged out here with
n forty EIGHT hours; and to think" clinch
ing his hand, "to think that, after all, it
was her brother" He stopped, unable to
utter another word
(To be continued)
To Correct BashfuInc4a