The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1900-05-16

III.
Joe Redbolt picked up the pile of
coins, counted them deliberately, and
put them in his pocket
"Now, Fred Dewhurst," he said,
huskily, 1--WE are no longer master and
man, so that can say what / think"
Dewhnrst looked rather alarmed,
and drew a small silver bell near to his
side.
"Oh, don't be frightened said Joe,
with smile of amusement. ST am
not going to thrash! 1t wouldn't be
fair to hit man your siz,m
Mr.. Dewhurst tried to sneer, but only
looked nightly relieved.
81 want to tell you what / think of
you" said Joe.
"Go on" said Dewhurst with grin.
Seeing that you've had the worst of
it all through, suppose Imustn' mind |
a few spiteful wordsF'
81 want to tell you that you're the
me.nest cad pve met, and If that poor
girl marries you I'm sorry for herP
ain fact, you're so sorry said Dew
hurst, 'that you'd even marry her
yourself Capital! And now you've !
said enough, I'll wish you good morn
ing.n
With s mighty effort Of self-restraint,
Joe pulled himself together, and resist
ing the impulse to knock him down,
swung out of the room.
He had lost everything girl he
loved, aud the means of earning bis |
living. He was alone in the world,
with no prospect but that of COM
mencing life again in some counting |
house, and-then suddenly he remem-
bered. Only two nights before he had |
attended drill at the headquarters Of
his volunteer corps. The men had
been asked which Of them wished to
join the c. /. V. Tor the front He
thought OF the glow snat had baEnt I
his veins, how he had longed
to offer himself, and had only been
by his feeling of obligation
to his old friends business. Now he
was free!
That settled it. Old England was in
need of help from men such as he. He
was as sound as a bell in wind and |
limb, he had done his turn at volun-
teering, and coGId srOot more than
little.
Within half an hour his name was
entered as one OF those who were ready
for service at the front, aud he was
ordered to go before the doctor.
That gentleman laughed at him.
'.If we get 400 men as fit as you
are" be said, ''we shall do weIlp'
Having successfully passed all the |
tests, and been duly enrolled as one Of
the City of London Imperial Volunteer
corps, he felt slightly easier in his mind.
1t must be confessed that he was in 1
that pleasant frame Of mind when a
man firmly believes that there is no.
body to grieve over him, and finds a |
morbid pleasure in the prospect of a
soldiers grave.
Most OF US get these attacks of de-
spondency some time in our lives, and,
to tell the truth, it lasted avery short |
time with Joe R=dbolt. After a few
days OF hard drill, he had lost sight Of
the possibility OF getting killed, and |
was looking forward to making things
as unpleasant as possible for the enemy.
At last the final moment came. He
had attended the service at ST. Paul's,
and sung the national anthem until
he was hoarse. He had been slapped !
on the back by hundreds Of warm
hearted but heavy-handed citizens.
He had even fought his way success
fully through a mob Of enthusiastic /
patriots, all the way from Bunhill row
to Nine Elms, where he was one OF the |
first to arrive.
There stood the team waiting to take
them to Southampton. There, too,
stood the long-sufering-band and
every minute groups Of breathless, ex-
cited men in khaki, who had also
fought their way through the crowd.
rushed on to the platform.
OF course, II was all over. There was
nothing to be done but get into the
train and say good-by to old London
for montks-perhaps for ever. Once
more gloomy sense Of Loneliness came
upon him. Everybody else had \ chum
or relative to see him off. And, then
AN angel came from heaven? Not
quite. But an earthly angel appeared,
in the shape of a slight form in long
black cloak, who was pushing her way
feyerishly through the crowd, eagerly
scanning the faces OF all the gentle
men in khaki"
Then their eyes met, and in a minute
he was claspi1g in his arms the girl
who had refused him month before,
and in whose presence he had always
been SD shy that he had never yet dared
to press her hand.
How had it happened? There seem
ed no need-and certainly no time
for explanations. Why had he accept
ed her foolish "No," when she never
meant him to? She always thought
he would speak to her again. Why
had he been 50 awkward and brusque
in the way he had ask her? He had
given her no chance to say "Yes."
And it was only last night she had
learned what had happened-from
Dewhurst's own hps-and she had
cried ali night at the mischief she had
done, and would he forgive herr And
did he still care for her little bit7
"Take your seats, thereH' rosred an
officer.
It was not the time for mock modes