Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1901-01-10
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SocN1@ov~>~
s'Mr. Courtney" said T, will you
take Mrs. Cawston?" Gthe doctors
Wife, and it was a revelation in the
art of bowling to- behold the grace with
which the Irishman's arm was offered
Colonel Hawtree took Nora, Maurice
D'Orville the colonels daughter, Ira
vers Miss Cawston, and the doctor and
my clerical relative, who was beam
ing upon us with churchly smile,
gave weight with dignity to the pro-
cession, the doctor scaling nearly six
teen stone, sand Anguish assuming a
mien that would have done credit to
a bishop.
"Uncle," said grace With the ut
most JUNCTION, as though his Church
training had been specially directed
to that end. Mrs. Cawston calculated
"'lnen," deftly arranged her serviette
and PREF AIRED for action in matter-of-
fact way that plainly intimated, Give
come to enjoy my dinner. You peo
pie may talk as much as you like" MI.
Courtney's decorum vanished with his
first few glasses of wine, and he help
ed the Doctors daughter in a very
creditable attempt to blow up the social
magazine.
81 was really afraid" said, the young
lady, for the edification of the com
pany in general. chat we were going
to sit down thirteen in number. That
. would have been unlucky, wouldn't
ft?''
'Unlucky, miss?" said old Courtney.
stNIaybe you're not cribbage- player,
or you'd remember the Ragged Thir-
Now, if your only wanted Thirteen to
win, wouldn't you think it lucky t.
hold that nu1nber?"
What curious NAME" said Miss
Cawston, ""The Ragged Thirteen!'"
I did not dare to look at Nora or
Travers. but at the very moment
when the words that bore such ter
rible significance for so many of his
hearers fell from Mr.. Courtney's lips
I saw the quick glance that shot from
mother to son, and I had not the Slight
est doubt that our guests numbered
one of the most dangerous criminals
in England.
But with this thought came the re-
Election that it would require all our
cunning to fasten his evil deeds upon
him in such a way that Justice would
be satisfied At present our only ev-
-dence against him was a hand, sup
posed to be identified by model
made by himself, a scent procurable
by anybody, and glance that might
he been meant to express any emo
t. whatever; and indeed b'Orville,
6 rcely giving Miss Cawston time to
& sh her remark, broke inwith:-
Ny dear uncle, cribbage is a game
only played by the lower and middle
classes in England. and dare venture
to wager that no one here understands
1T but yourself"
'More's the pity. Manufacturers
the pity. It's a beautiful game mad
am this to. Mrs. Cawston, who paid
little attention to his remarks, for her
ideas of game were strictly confined
to the cartridges that doomed ahead
in the menu.) Its really elegant when
when you see it played asst used to be
at the castle, with golden pegs and
an ivory board"
Golden pegs?" the lady managed to
echo between her mouthfuls.
"To be sure, ma'am. And why
wouldn't they, and they the owners
Of the soil as far as they could see
for miles around?" and Mr.. Courtney,
warming to his work as the Wine slim
ulated his imagination, converted the
castle into palace and his ancestors
into Kings of Connaugh.
The colonel and Nora were getting
on beautifully, but Miss Cawston had
to make her own running with Trav-
ers, and presently, giving him up in de-
.spair, she talked to any and every one
whose attention she could attract.
When the ladies left US the wine
made no long tarrying at Courtney's
elbow, and I could see that Anguish
was helping him on his way to the
point at which his tongue might be
expected to wag freely.
"And why is it, sir, if may be so
rude as to ask the question" said An
guish, "tEat you, descendant Of Prin-
ces, live in this out-of- the way place?
You ought to be in the halls of your
fathers"
"Faith, you may we'll ask" was the
reply. ITO be sure I ought to be there,
Mr.. Tremayne; but there's people"
"Uncle," said DOrville- and if looks
could have killed, he would have slain
Anguish-"unclc, isn't it rather bad
form to wash your soiled linen in pub
1ic?"
"Soiled linen! What on earth are
you talking about?" said Courtney,
and it was evident that the wine was
getting the better of his discretion.
"Soiled linen! If I had split some wine
on it-and I ask your pardon, Mr..
Tremanyne, for wasting good liquor
sure, I gave seven-and-six for this
same shirt, and if you can show one
of purer linen, seven-and-six is yours,
my son." And even Travers joined in
the laugh that ran around the table,
in spite of the black looks of Dor
Vile.
And then Mr.. Courtney went on with
stories and "reminiscences, while An
guqish egged him on, and Col. Haw
tree smoked in silence and stared at
him from time to time as though he
were some strange animal.
Very amusing fellow, your friend"
said the colonel, as we made our way
to the drawing room: and certainly
Courtney did his best to keep up his
+. reputatiOn when he Joined the ladies'