Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930, 1900-07-05

as the man above him, who was literally
devouring him with pair of glowing,
dark eyes.
Tell me- he said to Maj. We're, as he
pulled him by the sleeve. who is that
| fellow of yours coming on board now
| there, the tall sergeant pointing with
unsteady finger. and speaking in a voice
! that sounded strange and far away even
to himself.
"Oh, that returned the other, brisk
| ly, that chap is our young sprig of no.
| bility, as some will have it; any way, he
goes by the name of Lord Brown, or
! Gentlemen Brown; looks frightfully
down in the mouth, too. Did you see the
| girl? Hullo, Brabazon. what ails you,
old chap" suddenly looking around at
his friend, and struck by his altered ap-
pearance, his drawn and CHASTITY face.
It's nothing" said the other, impa-
| tiently; 1T will go off directly; don't
mind me. "A gentleman, you said"
| barking back to Lord Brown: "a gentle
man?"
''Yes, or, yes, and very smart fellow.
! Safe to get his commission in few
months; the girl was evidently in his
own rank of life; come down to say good
| by under the rose. l saw her at the sta
ton, and was struck by her at once;
awfully pretty, and looked quite fright
ened among all the soldiers. Never saw
a troop train before, III swear. I've a
notion I've seen her somewhere; | wish
could remember when, but I'm sure
| I've seen her." throwing back his head
and half-closing his eyes, but where?
Oh" becoming startled, Il know" as it
! flashed into his mind that he had seen the
young lady at Scarborough ball, where
| she had been pointed out as Brabazon's
| fiancee. "Brabazon, old fellow, what can
say to you. surveying him with a hor-
ror-struck expression, Il see it all! No
wonder you look queer"
Say nothing about what you have
seem" returned his companion; keep
your own counsel, that's all you can do
for me-" wringing his hand, ''and don't
keep me-" in answer to the others eX-
pressiye face. Il must co." once more
| shaking hands, and then hurrying blind
ly, headlong, down the gangway.
Miles was perfectly Indifferent as to
what anyone thought of him, as he hailed
hanson, and told the driver to go like
mad to the railway station. He might
catch Esme, and two words were better
than twenty letters. Thank goodness his
eyes had been opened in time-it was not
too late-he was not married yet.
The express was about to start, the en-
gine was emitting great clouds of white
steam, the platform was crammed, as,
pitching the driver a sovereign, he dashed
into the station, and looked into one car
riage, another, and another.
All! here she was at last! close to the
door, with her back to the engine, her
handkerchief to her eyes, actually crying
still; Flack, in an opposite corner, hold
ing herself Ostentatiously aloof from her
broken-hearted companion, and reveling
in the contemplation of flaming and gor-
geous advertisements. Of ships and tur-
nips and furniture.
Miles" gasped Esme, in tone of dis
may as her cousin flung the carriage door
violently open and stood before her as
tonished gaze.
Eyes, Miles," he echoed, in a voice she
was unacquainted with, bitter sarcasm
struggling with some potent emotion. IAN
unexpected pleasure, is it noty'
But what has happened?" she faIter-
ed tremulously, justly alarmed by the ex-
preston of his face, and awed by some
vague, underlined dread. 'VVhat brings
you here?" vainly striving to master her
long drawn sobs.
"a mere trife," in a voice that shook
in spite of himself. Nothing to speak
of. was only on board the trooper
just now and had the honor of witness
ing the affecting parting between you
and your lancer friend. Everything is
accounted for now, your f1attering inter
est in the regiment included. I'm a lucky
fellow to have found you out in time, am
I not? Needless to tell you that, as far
as I'm concerned, the money may go, and
I've only one word to say to you, the
word 'Good-by.'"
(To be continled.)