Charlevoix county herald., 1907-10-26
THE SHOE
By N. w. JENKINS
Copyright. by Daily Story Pub. Coz

One morning, who should call on
him but daphne, darkly yelled, and
accompanied by her maid, who looked
a modish duenna in her Frenchified,
black garb.
Daphne had been talking to mu-
tual friend, brother officer of Dare's.
and this conversation had led her to
look more leniently upon Dare's Of
Tense. He was brave, single-heart.
ed, heightened fellow, the friend had
said; singularly inexperienced in the
ways of the world, and, where photo
graphs were concerned, scarcely re-
! sponsible for his actions. In this
case, his error might be visited with
severe punishment-even his dismis-
sal from the service. Daphne had
vainly endeavored to persuade her
papa to withdraw his charges. And
now-would the captain give her the
unfortunate picture, that she might
at once destroy it?
Amyas sighed deeply; however, he
brought out the picture, beautifully
developed and inclosed in an envelope.
He gave it to Miss st. Cyr, who gave
it to her maid to carry 1t did not
seem to occur to her that another
any number of others, could be print
ed from the film. Whether she de-
stroyed it at once, or at all, who can
say?
The officers appointed to act upon
the case of Capt. Amyas Dare,
charged with conduct unbecoming an
officer and gentleman" had met, re-
ceived all the evidence collected, and
were about to make their final de-
cision.
Bound to the strictest justice and
impartiality, they did not propose to
let any feeling of sympathy for the
accused influence their verdict. They
had the dignity of the service to up
hold, with all its immortal traditions;
and Dare's conduct had been in the
last degree inconsistent with these.
An unfavorable verdict seemed immi-
nent; when, to the surprise of all, the
captain, who had had very little to
say in his own behalf asked that
witness be summoned. 1t was sup
posed that all available testimony had
been gathered. But Dare explained
that the only real witness for the de-
Tense was the ankle photographed on
the fatal occasion.
A short discussion followed, which
ended in dispatching a messenger to
the st. Cyr residence few blocks
away.
The messenger returned lin haste,
and with grin handed Hon. Ever
ards reply to the officer whose adj
dress it bore. 1t was a defiance, pure
and simple, of military tribunals in
general and of this one in particular.
1t contained an absolute refusal, in
language more forcible than polite, to
send Miss st. Cyr's ankle.
What was to be done? The officers
conferred together, and one of them
undertook to call on Hon Everard,
and use his persuasions.
He soon returned, discounted; and
Amyas, feeling fate against him, was
obliged to waive the appearance of
his witness.
He had nearly given himself up to
despair, when the door softly opened,
and a trim little yelled woman en-
tered. 1t was Ceasarine, Daphne's
maid. She held in her neatly gloved
hands dainty little box. She looked
about her for an instant, then laid it
in the hands of a gray-haired colonel,
the Oldest officer present.
"Je viens de Mdlle. st. Cyr. Ellie
present ses compliments respectueux
ces messieurs."
And she took her place at the
colonel's elbow, as guardian of the
treasure.
The colonel united the cord that Sc
cured the box, and removed the wrap
pings, one of silver paper and one of
tissue He reverently drew forth
the ankle-and placed it on the table
before him. All came forward to in
spect it. No one spoke.
1t was a wonderful ankle In a few
seconds it had cast spell over the
entire company.
The colonel was near-sighted he
adjusted his glasses and bent little
lower over the object of interest
The silence was broken by the voice
Of Capt. Dare.
Gentlemen, l ask you-looking at
this shoe, with Her foot in it, was ]
to blame?"
Colonel" said the youngest mem.
Der of the tribunal, rising, have you
ever read 'Ninety-Three?
Perhaps / have" said the colonel.
"If so, l don't remember it. What of
it,"
only this: I am going to emulate
Sergt. Radoub. If any man, with eyes
in his head and a heart in his body,
could preserve entire sanity while