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

evidently in a violent hurry.
''Hullo Brabazon,'' hoe cried, what on
earth are you dong up in the village at
this time Of year? Why are you not out
among the turnips? Miss Brabazon," +"
raising his hat as he recognized Esme,
''how do you do?'
You are off next week to the Cape,
are you not?" said Miles.
Yes, by Joye, on Thursday; not much
time to lose. I'm trying to get my kit to-
gether."
Miles glanced at his beautiful fiancee,
and was amazed to see that she had be-
come very pale, and that her lips were
| quivering strangely.
Your second battalion is going out,
too, 1 see by this mornings paper. No
chance of meeting you out there, Ell?
Well, good-by, l must be off, time is
money. Good-by, Miss Brabazon.'
Next morning the Brabazon ladies,
young and old, departed from the metrop-
oils with loads of luggage, and Miles was
! left to put in a whole week, intervening
| before his wedding day, as best he could.
The fourth day of this time had passed,
and he was beguiled into going down to
| Portsmouth to see an old friend off to the
| Cape. He met his chum at the Pier
Hotel, where they lunched together, and
then sailed forth to the dockyard. The
trooper was alongside, and a regiment
of lancers in the act of embarking.
Horses, obstreperous and otherwise, were
being put on board, and crowds were
watching the proceedings with the grav-
est interest Miles and his friend, after
in ha lott nm 90
which was one of those known as a
''horse-boX," ascended to the upper re-
gions, and began to pace the deck togeth-
er and have a few last words.
Il rather envy you fellows going out, !"
said Miles, nodding his head at the crowd
of soldiers between decks; "and only for
circumstances 1 would be going, too."
''You mean matrimony," said the 9TH
er, smiling. ''And when are you to be
told OFF,"
''The day after tomorrow"
Married men are best at home; it plays
the deuce with a fellow having to leave
a wife or a sweetheart. I've always done
my level best to keep out of such matters.
Look round now on this pack of wretched
women, crying their eyes out; come to say
good-by, and take their last look at fell
lows they will never see again. You're
a lucky chap not to have to leave your
sweetheart like that poor fellow over
there there under the lee of the shed.
Look! it's a desperate bad case; the girl
seems heartbroken. I don't believe she'll
ever let him gor'
Miles glanced indifferently over in the
direction indicated, and beheld a tall,
hon of -bO
was evidently making a brave struggle
to keep his feelings we'll in hand, and
girl, with her back toward him, leaning
on his arm in perfect abandon Of grief.
The lancer appeared to be trying to
soothe and comfort her.
''She looks like lady," said Maj. We're,
speculatively; "and l would not wonder
if she was pretty girl in the bargain
Its rather shame to watch them,"
returned Miles; 'and hard lines that they
have to say good-by to one another at all,
poor girl"
"a fellow-feeling makes us wondrous
kind" quoted the other, with a laugh.
''There was a time, old chap, when you
would have called them pair of fools"
''Ah! +" Whatever else he was 60
ing to say remained frozen on his lips,
for the girl had suddenly turned her face
toward them; he could see it plainly now,
and one glance at those familiar features
was enough. 1t was the face of the girl
who was to be his wife the day but one
following, the face of his cousin, Esme
Brabazon. Esme, pale and distracted,
her eyes swollen with crying, but still
ESme.
And he also recognized Miss James own
maid, Mrs Eliza Flack, pacing up and
down at a discreet distance. In one in
Simultaneous scorching flash everything
was revealed to his mind, everything ac-
counted for now. The meeting at the
gate, the photograph, Esme's unaccount-
able interest in this particular regiment;
but all Miss James solemn reservations
were lies, she and her niece were part
ners in league and covenant to deceive
and delude him. In an instant this had
passed like fire through his brain; he felt
as if he were going to choke, and dizzy
with rage and bewilderment, and for a
moment the dockyard and sky seemed to
reel before him, but he clutched the bull
warks with a vise-like grasp, and nerved
himself to look once more; as he gazed
with livid face and dilated eyes he COM
pretended that the hour of parting had
come.
Esme flung her arms around the ser
geant's neck and kissed him, and clung to
him in wild abandon of despair, and as
if she would never release him, and he,
Miles Brabazon, was looking ON quite
sane, quite in his right mind; it was no
delusion, no dream. At last the lancer,
who seemed good deal moved, beckon-
ed to Flack to approach and take charge
of her young lady, and Esme made no
resistance, but allowed herself to be led
away toward a fly that was evidently
waiting for them at a short distance. But
then she turned and looked back-it was
fatal-he was doing the same; in q second
she had rushed to him and clasped him
once more in an agonized embrace. At
last, with an heroic effort, she motioned
him to leave her, and with her face
buried in her hands, was instantly Leized
upon by Flack, who taking her arm in a
manner, and shaking her
head very impressively, led her young
lady away, seemingly bowed down to tho
very earth with grief. The whole scene
had a horrible fascination for Miles; not
a look, not a gesture had escaped hims
and now that it was all over, now that his
betrothed had passed weeping from his
sight, he turned his whole attention to
her late companion, who was coming up
IL