The Topeka state journal., 1903-01-17

dinner at Ale1lANett IOl5G--aAlS Af2lC BC~
ing in Scotland on a. family vlsit-that
my friend told me the true story of the
incident, in the course Of which cor
oneI jim had lost his arm. and as I
result of which he had to retire from
the service In the heyday Of a most dis
tinguished career.
Perhaps you don't know. said
Maxwell, that Ferguson and were +
IN the same regiment. He was full /
major when Joined as q second lieu
tenant.
Though there was a good fifteen
years difference Of age between Us we I
became stanch friends. Without being
grandmotherly, Ferguson kept me
from all sorts of tomfoolerfes, such as
hot-headed young officers are SO apt
to indulge in.
Our colonel was Harvey Fame, now
a major general and a K c. B.. with
large family of daughters and his house
was an attractive center for bachelor
officers. eligible and ineligible.
1T was not long before I discovered
that Beatrix Fame was more to me than
all the other girls of my acquaintance
Very soon. t0o, was successful in
getting her assurance that + in like
manner. was the veritable fairy prince.
of course I confided in Colonel Jim.
who. though sympathetic, advised
wise waiting until at any rate sue
ceeded to The property which inherited
six years ago
Attached 10 the regiment was a Ger
tain Capt. Holroyds who was said to be
connected in some way with a monster
firm of East End clothiers. Anyway, he
was very unpopular with all ranks.
Quite accidentally I heard. the day
after the recent affair at the COsmopoF-
tan, that Holroyd was Dischman's s
cousin, hence the fact of the former
you about Col. Jim
THE man Holroyd was an fnveterate
gambler, and nearly always won. It SO
happened that when I came into the
arsVsfS7 70
cumulatiOn of ready money which I inn
mediately proceeded to spend in right
royal style. Holroyd, ever on the scent
for a pigeon to pluck, suddenly became
very friendly with me, and one day in
vited me to pass a week with him at
Brighton Glad of a change, and having
easily obtained leave. I left Aldershot
with Hoiroyd without acquainting Col
jim OF my intention.
f'As matter of fact, knew perfect
ly well what would be his advice, and,
therefore, evaded it. I did not even
tell Beattie, but wrote her on my ar
rival at Brighton.
'All went we'll until the third day. ex-
cept that I lost heavily at bridge to
+ HOlroyd when, after a dinner to which
Holroyd had invited two or three other
men. we all adjourned for an hours
stroll on the pier.
Whether it was that, being unused to
/ excessive Indulgence in wine, I had ta-
ken too much champagne. or whether 1
| was seized with sudden illness. 7 cannot
/ exactly say. I only know that by some
unaccountable means I managed to fall
from the pier into the sea, getting d
nasty smack through coming into con-
/ tact with one OF the iron cross -girders.
Il remembered nothing more until I
I found myself alone in my Brighton
! lodging, wTetchedly i'll, and very much
I ashamed of myself.
The doctor who attended me, splen-
did fellow, told me that Holroyd had re-
/ find cut my real condition.
/ That night late. a further surprise
was in store for me. Beattie. accom-
panied by Col. Jim, the latter with q
diggings in Warrior square.
1T was soon apparent that Col. Jim
was IN bad way, and my doctor. after
a brief examination of the injured arm.
declared that immediate amputation
/ was necessary
IAN The time was in absolute fgnor-
/ ance of how the accident had happened
or how it was that Beattie had come TO
} Brighton in Col Jina's company
/ Tt was not until the operation was
I over and Mrs. Fame, who was wired for
at once, had arrived to look after her
wandering daughter, that learned the
whole story from Beattie's lips.
las some little explanation of what
took place. let me say that both Col.
Fame and Col. Jim We're ardent motor
ists, each possessing y horse power
ting the one against the other.
Col Jim always drove his car him
I self, but Col Fame, not being so expert,
employed French chauffeur at fabul-
GUS wages.
well it seems that the day before
recovered consciousness my landlady
who, uD to then had no cleW to the
whereabouts of my friends, came across
a letter Of Beattie's while getting some
clean linen for me out of my Dortman-
teau. Without stopping to think who
the writer might be she at once wrote
to her and as It afterward appeared,
gave a very exaggerated account of my
condition.
When my landlady's letter arrived the
/ colcneIs motor was waiting at the door
for him on his return from parade.
Without pause OF thought my foolish.
+ loving little girl imperiOusly ordered the
driver to set off for Brighton there and
then, silencing his objections with threats
her. -
Was there ever such a mad journey,
a journey, too, at which her social world
would hold up its hands in holy horror.
/ On through Guildford. Tunbridge Wells,
/ reached. And there the trouble began.
The chauffeur had insisted more than
refreshing himself with brandy
man was in a state of semi-intoxicati0n
and was quite incapable OF controlling the
s'Chancing to turn her head at this point
4 Beattie saw coming up behind them at
racing speed. half mile or so astern, an
other motor which even at that distance.
seemed strangely familiar to her.
Nearer and nearer It drew, the stupefed
/ Frenchman in charge of the leading car
/ becoming more and more unable to steer
''It was at a bend in the road that the
( catastrophe happened.
/ "On the right hand was high bank
and into this the driver made to run Be
attia's car.
by a miracle of mercy he could not
turn the steering wheel. overbaIancing
himself and falling out under the wheels
/ in front which passed over his body.
Though bewildered and panic stricken
/ Beattie caught hold of the gear with both
trembling hands and tried to keep the car
/ straight What would have been the re-
/ L..