The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-02-01
BY c. Bruce tombstone.

ny Es Bruce JOnNSLOnGs
There is a letter for you from Col.
Kenyon" said my wife to me as I en-
tered the room with hungry mans
keen desire for his morning meal
But you shan't have 1t till you
have eaten your breakfast" she went
on.
Surely you know shouldn't allow a
letter from Kenyon to go unread a
moment longer than / can help" l ex-
postulated.
ooh, we'll, here it is" she laughed,
and tossed the missive over to me. 7
tore it eagerly open. Dear JIM" it
ran, ''Will you come and spend few
days with me at Ashley Court2 Let no
anticipation of an enjoyable visit or
congenia1 society prompt your decision.
Besides myself, my wife, and little girl,
there is no one in the house, and you
will find me poor enough company AS
you read these words, I daresay you
will smile and think that I can never
be that, but it is the literal truth. I
am wretched, and miserably worried.
In short, have something weighing on
my mind, and weighing very. heavily. I
want to tell you something. 1 feel I
must share my thoughts with some
one. My wife is no fit confidante for
what I have to say, and can trust
you not to laugh at me for an old Wom-
an with nerves when you hear me, You,
with whom have had many rag in
the good old Sandhurst days, and who
have been my comrade in sterner work
in the Soudan and Afghan campaigns,
will know me better than that. Yours
ever, Kenyon"
looked up from the letter in amaze
'nent.
well, Owl, what are you blinking
at?" cried my wife.
''Kenyon's letter is most strange"
answered. HE wants me to go and
stay with him. He declares he has
something on his mind, and, as far as
can make out, wants me to act father
confessor for him."
you will go, I suppose?"
Certainly. Directly I have had
breakfast I shall look UP a train and
be off. You might tell Chambers to
put a few things together for me, as
you have finished, dear"
My wife left the room on her errand.
and, hastily disposing of my eggs and
coffee, I proceeded to tackle Brad
shaw" I found had just time to catch
fast train with but few stops, and
was soon on my way to Ashley Court.
Col. Kenyon was on the platform
awaiting me, for l had wired the time
of my arrival.
When last 1 had seen him his ford
face bore an unmistakable stamp Of
health, and only a slight grayness in
mustache and hair showed that he had
passed the prime Of life. Now I was
shocked to find great change in him.
His face was deeply lined, his step
less firm, his hair grayer. He looked i'll
and worn-almost an old man.
Jim, you can't think how glad am
to see you" were his first words.
And l to see you," was my response.
But you look anything but fit, old
man."
mo, and I don't feel fit. am wor-
ried beyond endurance
Ever since / got your letter I have
been wondering what you can have to
worry you. You have led quiet life
since you left the army. You are de-
voted to your dear little girl, Eileen,
and her mother. You are not one to go
dabbling in stocks and shares and
burning your fingers. 1t is not the
want of the root Of all evil that is wor-
| rying you, is it?"
mo, Jim, 1t is not that. 1t is some
l1l1IlS Lar less ld11SlDlG! COl. Kenyon
| paused. my heaVensi" he burst out.
what nightmare the thing is to me.
| Jim, when you hear what I have to say,
you may be tempted to laugh, to ridi-
| Guile. l implOre you not to do so, for
believe I should go mad"
Kenyon's outburst startled me by it's
vehemenee. 1t was plain that he was
highly oyerstrung. I endeavored to
soothe him.
Dick said earnestly, 'by the sa-
cred bond of our friendship 1 swear
that will not outrage your confidence
in such a way.
We had been walking rapidly away
from the station, and now came in
sight of Ashley court.
Let me hear you directly we reach
| the house." went on. "The sooner you
share this burden with another the
better"
Col. Kenyon nodded and led the way
to the billiard room, which we entered
from, the garden. Going to q Tantalus
stand. he mixed himself a stiff peg and
drank it off. / took the whisky and
| soda he handed me, and we sat down.
For few minutes the colonel stared
meditatively at the liquor in the bot
tom of his glass. He seemed uncertain
how to begin. When he spoke it was
with an effort.
TT is like this" he said. "Three
nights o6OB OItC1 q QulSI Jay ana an
evening spent equally quietly at bill
| lizards with friend, went to bed and
dreamed dream. Well, there is Moth
ing very extraordinary in that, nor was
| there in the dream. 1t was, Of course,
fanciful, as dreams are apt to be. I
dreamt that / was one of a regiment
| OF soldiers in an encampment. I re-
member everything quite clearly: as
we'll as If I had a photograph of the
scene before me. The uniform of the
soldiers was Of dust color, with black
facings. I cannot remember the Ian
| guage they spoke. They were armed
with modern rifles and equipment
From their talk gathered that some
sharp fighting was expected in the
course Of the next few days. Just now
l said that / saw the scene as clearly
as If 1 had photograph before me.
| must qualify that statement. Just as
IN some photos the background is
blurred and indistinct. SO 1t was with
my dream. know that I was a pri-
vate on active service; but how l
came there. to what nationality the