The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1905-06-02

TALLY at the climate, the place and its
inhabitants At this instant he was
In state Of wild excitement. He was
very tall, very stout, exceedingly red
faced.
Producing tremendous telescope he
vainly endsavored to balance 1t on the
shoulder Of a native servant.
Cant you stand still, you blithering
idiot" he shouted, after futile attempts
to focus the advancing boat, ''or shall
steady you with a clout over the
carp
His companion, the army man, was
looking through pair of field glasses.
"By Jove," he cried, IT can see Sir
Arthur Deane and girl who looks like
his daughter! There's that internal
scamp, Ventnor, too"
The big man brushed the servant out
Of his way and brandished the tele-
scope as though 1t were bludgeon.
1.-THE dirty beggar! He drove my lad
to misery and death, yet he has come
back safe and sound. Wait till meet
him. I'll'- -
"Now, Anstruther! Remember your
|
nor. My vengeance has first claim.
What! BY the jumping Moses, 1 do
believe Yes. 1t is. Anstruther!
Your nephew is sitting next to the
girlv'
The telescope fell on the stones with
crash. The giants rubicund face
suddenly blanched. He leaned on his
| friend for support.
you are not Mistaken he almost
whimpered. Look again, for Gods
sake, man! Make sure before you
| speak. Tell mel Tell mer'
"Calm yourself, Anstruther. 1t Is
Robert, as sure as I'm alive. Don't you
| think l know him, my poor disgraced
friend, whom l, like the rest, cast off
In his hour of trouble? But had some
excuse. There! There! didn't mean
that, old fellow. Robert himself will
be the last man to blame either of us.
Who could have suspected that two
people-one Of them, God help me, my
wife-would concoct such a hellish
plotw
The boat glided gracefully alongside
the steps of the quay, and Playdon
sprang gracefully ashore to help Iris
to alight. What happened immediate
" afterward can best be told in his
own words, as he retailed the story to
an appreciative audience in the ward
room.
1--WE had Just landed" he said, land
some of the crew were pushing the
coolies out of the way when two men
jumped down the steps, and a most
fiendish row sprang up-that is, there
was no dispute or wrangling, but one
chap, who, 1t turned out, was Colonel
Costobell, grabbed Ventnor by the shirt
front and threatened to smash his face
in if he didn't listen then and there to
what he had to say. 1 really thought
about interfering until l heard Colonel
Costobells opening words. After that
l would gladly have seen the beggar
chucked into the harbor. We never
liked him, did WEI"
ASK no questions, Pompey, but go
ahead with the yarn" growled the first
lieutenant.
"Well it seems that Mrs. Costobell
Is dead. She got enteric a week after
the Orient sailed and was a goner In
four days Before she died she owned
up.'
He paused, with base eye to effect
Not q man moved a muscle.
"All right" he cried. II will make
no more false starts. Mrs. Costobell
begged her husbands forgiveness for
her treatment Of him and confessed
that she and Lord Ventnor planned the
affair for which Anstruther was tried
by court martial. 1t must have been
beastly business, for Costobell was
sweating with rage, though his words
were icy enough. And you ought to
have seen Ventnors face when he
signed by Mrs. Costobell and by sever
al Chinese servants whom he bribed to
give false evidence. He promised to
marry Mrs. Costobell If her husband
died, or, in any event, to bring about
divorce when the Hongkong affair had
blown over. Then she learned that he
was after Miss Iris, and there is no
doubt her fury helped on the fever.
Costobell said that, for his wife's sake,
he would have kept the wretched thing
secret, but he was compelled to clear
Anstruther's name especially as he
came across the other old johnnie
"Pompey, you are incoherent with ex-
element. Who Is the other old John
nieT" asked the first luff severely.
Didn't tell you? Why, Anstruther's
uncle, Of course, heavy old swell
with just touch Of Yorkshire in his
tongue. I gathered that he disinherit-
ed his nephew when the news Of the
court martial reached him. Then he
relented and cablcd to him. Getting
no news, he came east to look for him.
He met Costobell the day after the
lady died, and the two vowed to be re-
venged on Ventnor and to clear An
struther's character, living or dead.
Poor old chap! He cried like baby
when he asked the youngster to for
give him. 1t was quite touching.
"Well, Costobell shook Ventnor of at
last, with the final observation that
Anstruther's court martial has been
luashed. The next batch Of general
orders will reinstate him In the regi-
nent, and II rests with him to decide
whether or not criminal warrant
shall be issued against his lordship for