Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1901-07-25
A POINT
OF HONOR.
The Dilemma of a Lover.
BY <. BECKFORD.
BY e. BECKFORD.


shiver and hesltating on the threshold.
You're confoundedly anxious, mad
am" snarled her fathers voice behind
her Il opjne au ardent lovers Journey
will not be accelerated by your tramp
ing about IN tAr cold"
Miss Ankrrtine made no reply, but
daintily collecting with one small hand
q mass OF Sliri that would have puZ-
Zled nIan 10 gra ~ in two large ones,
threaded n way around flower beds and
bushes to another part OF the garden
where Il former owner had const Ucted
q small aud deep artificial pond. now
skinned t!.inly over und rejecting the
stars Exc mirror. 1t WAS spanned by
a rustic bridge fragile and worm bitten.
From IL on a fine day miles of open
country could br scanned across the
fields and dnglrs 10 where the Solent
smiled. blue pcrpendicular simmer
against the duller haci. ground OF the
Wight. The bighroad WIS just dis
cernible In patches. where no hedge
tranimelrd its boundary. but only at
rare intervals before il plunged into
dip and disappeared.
Two years away and his slip paid Off
today! 1t would not be many hours be-
fore her lovers horse pounded along its
famous course.
For famous it was. Trafalgar was
yet to be fought, and few days closed
without u detachment Of soldiers
swinging past, coaches flashing by
crow,.ed In and out with men whose
trade was war, returned marines with
a cargo of prize money and intoxicants
pursuing their jovial way or success
full press gang hurrying to the sea.
Millie Ankerdine's eyes danced rs she
leaned over the bridge in an eager as
pect Of listening. There was quick
tearing. n slight thud. an arrested cry,
and broken fragments of Ice and wood
work floated upon the dark water over
her head.
"What the devils all this noise
about?" muttered Mr.. Ankerdine tes-
tily as an unaccustomed clamor pene-
trated to his study and attracted him
forth to seek It's import.
Before the great hall fire, the once
breezy drapery of dinner dress oozing
| dark pools and steaming lazily, lay his
| daughter A stranger, rills of moisture
| trlckling from each fold of his cloth
| ing, was chatting her hands and vocif-
| Grating for assistance. He ceased sud-
| denly as her father appeared, with
servants at his heels, and stood back
beyond the play of the freight. Mr..
| Ankerdine knelt down beside her as
| she showed signs Of recovery.
81 have to thank you for rescuing my
| daughter / suppose, SIR" he said to the
stranger 1.-The best kind of gratitude
| is the practical. You must be made
| comfortable first, and | can din you
| with words after"
The man had no time to answer. A
post ctalse dashed up to the porch with
| a groaning OF leather and jingling of
| harness, broad shouldered young fel-
low completely enveloped in huge
wrap precipitated himself rather than
got out Of the vehicle and gripped the
| old man by both hands, exclaiming:
"How's the gout, sir? And where Is
| Millie-not here to welcome mer
"At the bottom of the pond but for
| this gentleman" said Mr.. Ankerdine.
81 must introduce you when / Hello!
| he gasped In a species Of stupefaction,
| for the gallant stranger had slipped out
into the night, and Lieutenant Rigden,
his daughters prospective husband,
had started In pursuit.
The first man, stimulated by the slow
| diffusion of warmth as his limbs
coursed with blood again, held his own
| at first, but was soon captured.
"You must come back with me, III. de
Frontignac," said the young sailor. ut
| is the fortune of war"
again the fortune of WARP" replied
| the Frenchman. "a cold fortune at
| present, mon ami" He fell into step
beside his companion without resist
| ance.
"Millie has asked for you," Mr.. An
kerdine observed dryly as the pair
reacked the house. "She appeared sur
prised that you should prefer securing
the country at midnight to greeting her.
| However, each TO his taste"
The sailor deferred apologies and led
the way to the drawing room at once,
| locking the door and placing the key In
| his pocket-a maueuyer which did not
escape the young lndy's notice and add
| ed q spice Of alarm TO the shy affection
with which she returned her lovers
caress.
"Why did you do that, Edward!" she
whispered anxIously in his ear. Us
| there danger outside, or IS that bad
man? 1 fell into the pond, and he
| jumped in, too, on this freezing night
! and saved my life, dear!'
| THANK God It was saved, little girl, y
4 he replied "But that this gentleman
| should have been the agent rather COM
| plicates matters. We must at any rate
| thank him, Mlllie. SO first let me intro
duce In form the Count de Frontignac,
captain in the navy OF republican
| France. Monsieur. have the honor to
| present my fiancee."
The Frenchrlan now advanced and
| bent over the slim fingers extended.
| "My good luck has not been entirely
| dead, then, that | could render even so
small n service to so gracious demoi-
selle," he said.
"Why, you are soaking sir" exclaim-
| ed the girl How wicked you are!
| He will der
zone moment, Miller exclaimed
| Rigden There are more important
questions than those of etiquette and
raiment to be discussed. That this gen
| tleman is brave, you will know from
what he has done tonight-more than
| brave, for he risked almost certain
death by discovering himself to save
| you. But he will be as dangerous to
succor. His frigate was captured re-
Gently by British squadron, and he
was to be sent, along with the prison
| ers, to London under escort | as
sumo he has escaped and is attempting
| to reach the coast Mile, this man
| preserved TO me all | hold dear, but
he is one of my country's most active
| enemies"
perhaps you are mistaken" said
Millie, with a womans readiness to es-
] cape wide questions by side issue.
mo mistake here" said Rigden, with