Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1905-05-11
VII.
IN WHICH MY LADY HATH NO


for this. the chance of looking in upon
a drinking bout you will not wonder
that l went aghast and would have fled
for very shame had not sudden weak
ness seized me. But in the midst l
heard a mention of my name and so
| had leave. thought. to stay and listen.
1t was one of the late-comers who
gave me this leave; a man we'll on in
years grizzled and weatherbeaten; Il
seasoned soldier by his look and garb,
| Though his frayed shoulder knot was
only that of captain OF foot. twas
plain enough he ranked his comrade.
and the knight as we'll.
You say you've bagged this Cap
tain Ireton? Who may he be? Surely
not old Rogers SOM"
The same said the baronet. short
! ly. and would be filling his glass again.
He could always drink more and feel
| 1T less than any sot / ever knew.
But how the devil came he here?
The last l knew of him-'twas some
think-he was Il lieutenant in the Royal
Scots"
Mine enemy nodded. so he was.
But afterward he cut the service and
| leNanted to the continent"
The questioner fell into a muse; then
he laughed and clapped his leg.
'Ecod. do remember now. There
about him. When he was in the Blues
they used to say his solemn face would
stop merry making. Well. after he
had been In Austria a while they told
this on him: that his field marshal had
him listed for Il majority, and so he
was presented to the empress. But
when Maria Theresa saw him she
shrieked and cried out, III est lie pere
aux tetes rondes, lui meme. lie portez-
vous dehors.' SO he got but Il cap
taincy after ALL ha, ha! ha."
Now this was but a mess room gibe
as he had said. cut out of unmarried
cloth at that. Our Austrian Maria
ever had 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 even when the man
behind 1t would be kindly SO when
they laughed and chucl1led at this Jest.
fingered on and listened with the bet
ter grace.
What brought him overseas. Sir
Francis" Twas not the grizZled TEST
er who asked, but the younger officer
his comrade.
Falconnet smiled as one who knows
thing and will not tell, and turned to
Gilbert Stair.
What was it, think you. Mr. Stair ,"
he said. passing the question on.
At inns they an looked to the master
OF AppiepS hundred, and looked. too.
He was not the man / should have hit
upon I'm amy throng as the reaver of my
fathers estate: stlll less the man who
might be Marsery's father. He had
the race of all the Stairs of Ballan-
trae without its simple Scottish rug
gedness; sort of weasel face it was
WIN pale-sray eyes that had Il trick
of shifty dodging, and deep- furrowed
about the mouth and chin with lines
that spoke of INDIGESTION. 1t was not OF
him that Margery got her firm round
chin. or her steadfatt eyes that knew
not now Ia quail nor aught of anything
she owed father save only her pater-
nifty, you'd say. And when he spoke
the thin falsetto voice matched the
/ weak chin to a hair.
~? Damme. Sir Francis know not
/ why he came-how should know >" he
\ qlaNefed. Appleby Hundred is nina
mime. tell you. His title was we'll
hanged on q tree with his damned rebel
J. father.
laugh uproarous from the three
soldiers greeted his petlllant outhurst
after which the baronet enlightened the
others.
AS you know. captain John. Appeby
hundred once belonged to the rebel
Roger Ireton and MIR. Stair here holds
but confiscator's title. IT'S likely the
son heard of the war and thought he
stood some chance to come into his own.
| again"
ooh, aye; sure enough" quoth the
elder officer, fitting his bottle afresh.
And them "Of course he pronntlv
listed with the rebels when he cameo
Trust Roger Iretons son for that"
My baronet waggcd his head assent
ingly to this. then cinched the lie in
l g
"Of course; we have his commission.
He is on Dekalbs staff detached for
! special duty
A spy" roared the jester And vet
you haven't hanged him"
Sir Francis shrugged like any
ifenchmah. Al I'm good time. my
dear Captain. There We're reasons why
!, did not care TO Knot the rope myself
Besides. we had a little disagreement
Years agone across the water. twas
about = woman oh. she was no mis-
treSH OF his. do assure you, this to
quench my testers laugh incredulous.
he was keen upon me for satisfaction
IN TINS old quarrel. and | gave 1t him
thinking he'd hang the easier for a
llttie biooding first.
here me actor-lawyer cut in anx-
lousy; But you VIII hang him, Sir
rlhhris You We promised that, YOU
KNOW.
dld no, hate my enemy the more be-
'huse ne tufhed a shoulder To this little
o'ooah n,, ana quite ignored the in
'erru .
80 we lought IL out one morning in
VIZ. olali WOOD neld, and he had what
ne came Tor, NOT 70 give him chance
~ esoare' we nfoush, MN here. and
as 9ooii as ne NJ 10 ride III
ae sn, nun 70 the colonel Iarleton
WIN give nm snort shrift, l
plol.'ise YOU ana then this to the
, mas ,;., VI nppieps fiundrea,@t then
Soui tltlc VIII ne ven uuleted, Mr.