Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-20
CHAPTER TX.
John Hardy Gives an Order.


Hardy in faint on Brighton sands
Hardy waking on down bed in Cayendisn
Square-the transition is rapid, but that is
what in fact occurred.
Captain Macleod, though gashed over the
chest, woke to consciousness before John.
John had his constant wound inside his
chest, and gave signs of it in the form of
those pathetic, clandestine coughs of his.
He woke wheeling with asthma. Besides
this, he had scratch on his brow from q
shel-splinter
No. liza Cavendish Square had been the
town residence of Hardy's race for some
genera tons, and here, in solitary state the
young man lived when in London.
London, lately, had seen good deal OF
him, though he liked the country when on
shore. This new attractiveness of London
was concentrated for John i'll u certain
house In Hampstead
When he opened his eyes, torn by
cough, they met two others bending low
over him-old ones, surrounded by wrinkles;
anxious ones, full of solicitude. 1t was
80 o'clock.
well, Bobbie," said John with a smile,
and stretched a little.
II am pleased to see you so mitch your
self, am sure, Master JOHN said Boobie,
how are you feeling now?
Il, Bobs? Much the same as Hsral, L sup
pose. Where on earth am l p
''You are in Cavendish Square. sir-in
your own chamber"
'.Oh ay-I see that. l remember now
Robbie The battle, Ell? and the swim,
CHI? The old Jupiter did not do so badly,
after all Did any of the enemy escape?
And Captain MacIeod-how Is he. Bobbie?'
.'IIe Is said to be doing fairly well, Master
John He has a wound in his chest, which
is not serious. He is better off than you,
am thinking. Ii WAS he who brought you
''When?'
about in the morning, SIR
"Ah, ! fancy I recollect something of It,
Well. that's all right, then, Bobbie.'
'Ah, Master Jonn, not all right, perhlps
When-when, sir, will you learn to take
care OF that chest, sir?"
''Oh. bother the chest, Bobs, boy. A
fellow has got to do his duty suppose
John Hardy's eyelids lifted as he said
this, and he turned upward the pure eeru-
lean azure of Ids eyes in clear open query
umou old "Bobbie, the aged butler OF his
father and grandfather.
"Well, sir-well-if you put it in that way
of course. But still, there is this to be
said: 1t was not, so to speak, your duty
to go through this; you had not, as one
might say, any right 10 be there
mo. Bobbde, but l was there, you see
And being there, IT was natural that ore
should do what little one could for the old
country don't you thnk--
..What little. sir?" cried Rob5ie. "Ah
that is like your way of speaking, sir-like
your father before you, Master John! TINS
is proud day for poor Ola Boppie, Master
John-forglve me for these tears, sdr, the
tears come quickly when We are old, Master
John-a proud day, and the tiptop hour in
the life of your fathers old servant, Master
john making dying easy to him from this
day EDWARDS, sir. 1t was what l predicted
of YOU and today you have made true your
old Boobies word before all the world,
Master John. England this morning is
ringing. sdr with the name of Hardy, ay,
and France, too sir and Europe and Amer
lea: and the servants down at the hall have
sent a telegram to poor old Bobbie, Sir
all of them in a body, congratulatfng me
on the man you have shown yourself, and
It's proud day, SRA proud day-for poor
old Robert Mason, Master john, is this that
you have brought me.
Roberts flow of words was choked by
sobs John put out his hand, drew him
nearer to the bedside, and laid one arm
round the stringy old neck. the boys affec-
donate nature overfowiRg in murmured
words.
Il am so glad, Bobbie, If I have made
Won happy" he whispered. "You know
would do anything to do that, wouldn't :?
But what is 1t all about, Bobote? Have
done anything very extraordinary, then?
England was bound to beat those mounseer
people, anyway. wasn't She"
Robbie disengaged himself hurriedly. He
had his proofs with him-chapter and verse
He had been porting all the morning over
q score of newspapers, weeping as he only
wept over his old Bible. He had brought
them. He Haunted them In the face of
John.
Read those, if you want to know what
you have done, Well. ITS a proud day-a
proud day-for poor. old Bobbie. that's all
/ can sayr he cried in a weak. broken
voice, treading woebegone about, his face
In his hands.
john glanced through three or four of the
papers, half sitting up, while Bobbie held
ever and again to his lips glass of egg
and milk.
The Times concluded an article by saying:
Assuming that the account to hand de-
rived from the statement OF Captain Mac
Leod be correct. what words of eulogy shall
We lind In our English tongue to extol and
glorify the very young man to whom Brit
ain this day owes her immunity from the
shame OF an invading foot. In ancient
Rome, the people would have been acutely
conscious OF their inability to invent any
dignity equal to their sense of obligation
to such a deMverer This young man
would have been proclaimed savior OF
his country, and would have been In
trusted with the supreme direction OF
afsairs-nayal, military and political
with the injunction to see to It ne res
publica damnum capiat. How will Eng
land adjust herself to this new-found per-
sonality In her midst? We wait with some
anxiety to see what shall be done BY the
government to the man whom the nation
delighteth to honor.
The Daily Chronicle lost itDeaf In ailu-
sion ana metaphor. 1t aid: what Nelson