The Princeton union., 1900-04-05
CHAPTER V--Continued.

VI course, the captain was Say ing,
"the fellows challenge was a great sur
prise to me. I confess that I did drive
,against him out of pure devilment, for
i had heard what an egotistical, pre-
'sumptive ass he was, an / wanted to
pay him back for throwing my tip
IN the river as if he were the prince
of Wales, but heaven knows, I didn't
think I'd get a bloody duel on my
hands. AS you know. colonel, there
WAS nothing for me to do but to-
to make him see the absurdity of the
thing
IT suppose not" returned the colonel,
in noncommittal tone. Whatever
may have been his secret opinion of
Wrinkles valor he knew his duty as
host too we'll to impugn it, or to render
his guest uncomfortable by sharp crit
icism. And what did you say to him 2"
he ended.
'Why, I told him, of course, that his
challenge was 4 proof of downrig ght
cowardice; that he knew we'll enough
that a man in my position could not
fight man in his. That settled him.
He retired like whipped cur
And you did not explain or apollo
gize?" slipped almost unconsciously
from the lips of the colonel,
Not I, I assure you; ha, ha! Apollo
gize to him! That would have ruined
him forever"
Evelyn grasped the hand Of Mrs.
Lancaster, nervously, and drew her
across the room to the players.
'Your story, Capt. Winkle,' she said,
her eyes flashing. reminds me very
much of a piece of fiction have read
somewhere. The circumstances were
identically the same except that the Of
ficer in the story allowed the hero to
humiliate him by cutting off the but
tons and shoulder-straps from his uni
form. am so glad your experience did
not end that way. The truth is your
case was far more agreeable than the
fiction in the other
Capt. Wrinkle paled and interlaced
his fingers tightly on the smooth top of
the mahogany table. For one second
he glared like condemned man at the
speaker and then the fierce stare of her
eyes bore his own to the ground. )
''Perhaps,' spoke up Mr.. Hardy,
whose jests were rare and often too
personal. and who did not admire the
captain, ''perhaps Capt. Wrinkle did not
tell us all the story after ALL [ noticed
that he was not wearing his togs to-
day
Capt. Wrinkle seemed to have lost his
speech And the colonel. fearing that
his daughter had inadvertently made a
disagreed comparison, frowned up
at her.
What are YOU talking about, Eve
lyn.?" he asked sharply
'Oh, only little story L have readI'
she said, coldy. II shall try to look it
up. 1t had beautiful moral
With that parting shot at the COVER
ing victim Of his own folly. she drew
Mrs Lancaster again out on the We
randa.
''Why, dear, YOU have almost fright
ened me" said Mrs. Lancaster. under
her breath. What did yon mean by
what you said:''
IL meant to rut. the very soul of that
little coward, if he has one,' the girl
said. fiercely. Il almost feel as if I
ought to have exposed him to the others
before whom he was posing as brave
man when he is no more than-'
Evelyn had been speaking so rapid
~ that her words ran upon one another
and became jumbled. unintelligibIe
mass.
Mrs. Lancaster turned Evelyn's
white, impassioned face towards the
light of the moon and grasped her rigid
hands. You almost frighten me- dar-
ling she repeated; what has wrought
you up to such pitch of excitement ?''
II think [ ought to tell you all about
it, answered Evelyn, after moments
deIiberation, "hut it must be in conf
dence"
You can trust me, dear" the sweet
old lady assured her.
They sat down in q hammock and
Evelyn kept it i'll motion with her slip.
pered feet as they rested lightly on the
floor.
'Do You remember the young man !
showed you at church that day?"
1.-The one" questioned Mrs. Ian.
caster, "who you said had saved you,
lie?'
"Yes; do you remember him?''
"Quite well; his face made wonder.
ful impression on me, and I have
thought of him hundred times after
all you told me Of his struggle to bet.
ter his condition and educate himself
/ don't think ever saw a finer speci.
men of physical manhood; he had su.
Perb face. Were you alluding to him p
Then in low voice full of agitation
Evelyn explained. -.
For several minutes after the girl
had finished the old lady remained
silent, then she asked gently, cautious.
ly, as if she were treading on ground
upon which she had not been invited
DO you realize what all this means
dear Evelyn?"
realize that Mr.. Fanshaw is q
friend Of mine, and that Capt. Wrinkle
has tried to humiliate him in public"