The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1906-06-15


one exception Col. Raleigh was a CON-
parative stranger. But he was a like
able old fellow, full of stories of the
wild, free west, an excellent listener
besides, who always stopped a goodly
distance on the right side of what is
known in polite circles as the bore's
dead-line. Warburton held for him a
deep affection, martinez though he was,
for he was singularly just and merci-
Eul
They had either drunk the cocktail
or had set it aside untouched and had
emptled the oyster shells, when the
ordeal of the soup began. Very few of
those seated gave any attention to my
butler. The first thing he did was to
drop the silver ladle. Only the girl
saw this mishap. She laughed; and
Raleigh believed that he had told his
story in an exceptionally taking man
ner. My butler quietly procured another
ladle, and proceeded coolly enough. l
must confess, however, that his cool
ness was the result of physical ef-
fort. The soup quivered and trem-
bled outrageously, and more than once
he felt the heat of the. liquid On his
thumb. This moment his face was
pale, that moment it was red. But,
as l remarked, few observed him,
Why should they? Everybody had
something to say to everybody else;
and butler was only machine any
way. Yet, three persons occasionally
looked in his direction: his late colonel,
Mrs. Chadwick and the girl; each from
different angle of vision. There was
scowl on the colonel's face, puzzle
ment on Mrs. Chadwick's, and don't
know what the girls represented, not
having been there with my discerning
eyes
Once the American countess raised
her lorgnette and murmured: What
a handsome butler!"
Karloff, who sat next to her, twisted
his mustache and shrugged. He had
seen handsome peasants before They
did not interest him. He glanced across
the table at the girl, and was much an
noyed that she, too, was gazing at the
butler, who had successfully completed
the distribution of the soup and who
now stood with folded arms by the
sideboard (How l should have liked
to see himD
When the butler took away the SOUP
plates, Col. Raleigh turned to his host.
George, where the deuce did you
pick up that butler?"
Annesley looked vaguely across the |
table at his old comrade. He had been |
far away in thought. He had eaten
"What?" he asked.
81 asked you where the deuce you
got that butler of yours"
"Oh, Betty found him somewhere.
Our own butler is away on vacation.
had not noticed him. Why"
well, If he doesn't look like q
cub lieutenant of mine, was born
without recollection of faces"
"An orderly of yours, lieutenant,
did you say?" asked Betty. with smol-
iering fires in her eyes.
EYES,"
THAT is strange" she unused.
Eyes: very strange. He was Q dare
levil If there ever was one"
"Ah!"
YES best bump of location in the
'egiment, and the steadiest nerve,"-
lropping his voice.
The girl leaned on her lovely arms
Ind observed him interestedly.
"A whole company got lost in
You know that on the
prairie a snowstorm means that only
compass can tell you where you are;
md there wasn't one in the troop
bad piece of carelessness on the cap
aims part. Well this cub said he'd
ind the way back, aud the captain
wisely let him take the boys in hand"
go on" said the girl.
Interested, eh?"
81 am soldiers daughter, and love
he recital of brave Deeds"
well. he did it. Four hours later
hey were thawed out in the barracks
.itchen. Another hour and not one of
hem would have lived to tell the tale.
The whisky they poured into my
ub-"
did he drink" she interrupted.
Drink? Why the next day he was
Ding to lick the men who had poured
he stuff down his throat. A toddy
nee in while, that was all he ever {
ook. And how he loved a fight! He
ad the tenacity Of a bulldog; once ]
e set his mind on getting something,
e never let up till he got it," {
The girl trifed thoughtfully with
ose IL
WAS he ever in an Indian fight?' '
he asked, casually. c
"Only scraps and the like He went +
Ito the reservation alone one day aad (
rrested chief who had murdered { S
leep-herder. 1t was volunteer job /
nd nine men out Of ten would never
ave left the reservation alive. He b
as certainly a cool hand" n
'tI dare saw "-zutilinp She wanted | n