The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1905-05-12

-
; some foothold in the wall; an
when looked within L saw no weddin
guests. no priest. no altar: only this:
table in the midst With bottles on i
and round it five men iounging at thei
ease and drinking to the king. OF thes
five two, the baronet and the lawyer
were known TO me. and l have mad
them known to you. \ third [ guesse
for Gilbert Stair. The other two wer
"
MI.
IN WHICH My LADY HATH NO
PART.
Seeing that l had taken n mans lt'
for this, the chance of looking in apo
a drinking bout. you will not wonde
that | went aghast and would have flee
for very shame had not a sudden weak
ness seized me. But in the midst
heard a mention OF my name and ST
had leave, l thought, to stay and listen
1t was one of the late-comers who
gave me this leave; a mar we'll on ii
years. griZZled and weatherbeaten: {
seasoned soldier by his look and garb
Though his frayed shoulder-knot was
only that of a captain OF foot, twas
plain enough he ranked his comrade
and h knight as well.
You say you've baggcd this Cap
N'.'A t'N'' = Aaa HS w. A'at'i
not old Rogers SON."
The same" said the baronet. short
~. and would be filing his glass again
He could always drink more and fee
it less thar any sot 1 ever knew.
But how the devil came he here:
The last l knew of him-'twas some
half-score years ago. though, come tc
think-heW was a lieutenant in the Royal
Scots"
Mine enemy Nodded. S he was
But afterward he cut the service and
levanted to the continent"
The questioner fell into a muse: then
he laughed and clapped his leg.
"Ecod! l do remember now. There
was a damned good mess-room joke
they used to say his solemn face would
stop a merry-making. Well. after he
had been In Austria n While they told
this on him: that his field-marshaI had
him listed for a majority. and so he
was presented to the empress. But
when Maria Theresa saw him she
shrieked and cried out. IL est le pare
aux tetes rondes. lui-meme. lie porter
Nous dehors!' So he got but a cap
taincy after all; ha! ha. hal"
Now this was but a mess-room gibe.
as he had said, cut out of unmarried
cloth, at that. Our Austrian Maria
ever had a better word than round
head for her soldiers. But yet it
stung, and stung the more because
had and have the Ireton face, and that
is unbeloved by women and glum and
curst and solemn ever when the man
behind it would be kindly. SO when
they laughed and chuckled at this jest.
l fingered on and listened with the bet
ter grace.
"Wha brought him overseas. Sir
trancis??' Twas not the grizzIed Jest
er who asked, but the younger officer.
his comrade.
Falconnet smiled as one who knows
a thing and will not tell. and turned to
Gilbert Stair.
VIVA was it. hin you. MIR. Stair"
he said, passing the question on.
AT this they all looked to the master
Of Appleby Hundred. and 1 looked. too.
he was not the man l should have hit
upon IN any throng as the reaver OF my
father's estate: still less the man who
might be Marsery's father. FIe had
the face OF all the Stairs of Ballan-
trae without its simple Scottish rug
ness a sort of weasel face it was.
with pale-Slay eyes that had a trick
OF shtfty lodging. and deep-furrowed
about the. mouth and chin with lines
thai spoke of indecision. 1t was not of
nm that Marscry got her firm round
chin, or Fer steadfast eyes that knew
not how to quail. nor aught of anything
she owed a father save only her pater-
nlty, you'd say. And when he spoke
the thin falsetto voice matched the
weak hin to a hair.
Il? Damme, Sir Francis, / know NOT
why he came-how should l knowo" he
auave:ed. "Appleby Hundred is mine
mine. tell you! His title was well
hanged on Il tree with his damned roh,N
father."
a laugh ~uproarious from the three
soldiers greeted his pGtulant outburst.
after which the baronet enlightened the
others.
AS you know. Captain John, Applebv
Hundred once belonged to the rebel
Roger Ireton. and Mr.. siair here holds
but a c~onfiscator's title. 'Tis likely tho
son heard of the war and thought he
stood some nance to come into his own
again."
oh. aye; sure enough" quoth the
elder officer, fitting his bottle afrosh
And then: 'Of course he promptiv
listed with the rebels when he came
Trust Roger Ireton's son for that"
My baronet wagged his head assent
ingly to this; then clinched the lie i'm
words.
of course: We have his commission
lie Is on Dekalb's staff, detached for
special duty"
TX J.altI. .AtlO Vet
you haven't hanged him."
Sir Francis shrugged like any
Trenchman. "All in good time. nv
dear Captain. There were reasons WHY
| did not care to knot the o myself.
Besides, we had a little Disagreement
years agone across the water: twas
about a woman-oh, she was no mis-
tress of his. do assure you!"--this TO
luench my TESTERS laugh in%credulous.
lie was keen apo me for satisfaction
in this old quarrel. and | gave it him,
thinking led hang the easier for a
little blooding first
Here the. factor-lawyer cut in anS-
iously. But YOU will hang him. Sir
Francis: You've promised that, YOU
know
did not hate my enemy the more be-
cause he turned a shoulder to this little
bloodhound and quite ignored the in
terruption.
so we fought 1T out one morning in
MI. Stairs wood-tield. and he had what
he came for. Not to give him a chance
to escape, we brought him here, and
as soon as he is fit to ride I'll
send him to the colonel. Tarleton
will give him a short shrift,
promise you. and then"-this to the
master Of Appleby Hundred-"then
your title will be we'll quieted. Mr..