Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1908-07-01

| WC4C S4AlAAdHs
Il must thank You heartily for a
pleasant morning" he said to the
captain in excellent English. will
you give me the pleasure Of your
company at dinner tomorrow night
We are staying at the Great Britain. .
The officer was about to demur
when he caught sight OF the girls
blue eyes fixed anxiously upon him.
Thank you; I shall be delighted
he answered quietly-"that is, if you
will not mind my coming in uniform
as am going to ball." he added
hesitatingly.
Not in the leasti" replied the
count heartily. We shall be all the
more omplimented-shan we not,
Vera?"
i Vera assured the captain that ii
was so; and after impressing upon
st. Aubyn the dinner hour at the
hotel, brother and sister babe him
good-by and left the cabin with their
friend. the officer who had invited
them on board.
Il don't like that Russian Johnnie,
Phil" remarked Cecil St. Aubyn, as
he gazed olg OF a gun embrasure and
watched the guests departure in a
boat
why not? He seems a pleasant
enough fellow" observed his brother
carelessly.
%, he asked jolly sight too many
questions for my taste! But he got
precious little change out of me, you
bet! It's my private opinion the
mans a spy" said the boy, turning
and confronting the captain
What rot you talk" returned st.
Aubyn irritably, Because a man is
intelligent and desires to improve his
mind does it necessarily follow that
he must be a spy? Really, Cecil,
think am quite capable of manag-
ing my own affairs. You had better
clear out if you cannot. talk sense, "
said the captain stiffiy. his brow
darkening ominously.
The following day, having some oc-
casion to hold Official intercourse
with the officer who had invited the
visitors of to church, st. Aubyn re
marked casually:
See you at the Zullenofss tonight
! suppose, Smith,"
The officer in question looked
slightly uncomfortable.
! mo. sir" he replied quietly.
''Why, how's that? It's rather i'll
bred of the man to leave you out of
the invitation"
Well, to tell you the truth. sir,
really know little about the cullen
OFFS" the lieutenant began hesitating.
ly. Perhaps it was indiscreet of
me to iny'te them here. met the
man and mis- sister at Spezzia when |
was there last year with the fleet
and | encountered them again day
or two ago in the Strada Reale. when
the count asked me point black to in
vite them of to the ship"
"Well, tn seemed nice enough
people" said the captain .ndulgentiy.
Especially the giIl," he added. as if
by an a'terthought.
Eyes, especially the girl" reiterated
the lieutenant respectfully.
That evening the captain of the
Tremendous With his boat cloak
thrown over his ball uniform, left the
ship in his galley and was landed at
the custom house steps. Stepping
into one of the small carriages, which
were ubiquitous, and whose noisy
drivers piled necessarily for hire, he
was driven rapidly in the direction o
the hotel.
Two hours later the officer of the
watch was surprised at his return g
the ship in a Maltese waterman :
boat.
/ He went to meet the captain at the
anyway. touching his cap as he do
SO and the latter, upon stepping ON
to the quarter deck, returned the sa'
Lutte, and( mutteriag that he had for.
gotten soraething, diyed down to mis-
cabin. I was a dark night, but the
officer saw the captains face quite
plainly by the flash Of a lantern. His
peaked cap, with the gold oak leaves,
was drawn we'll together over
his forehead, and his face was pale
and strange. Happening to eneoun
ter Cecil ST. Aubyn a few moments
later the lieutenant informed him OF
his brothers return.
That's rummy, siri" said the boy
opening his eyes wide. HE as go.
ing on to the gunners' ball after he
had dined with some friends won
der what's up?'
He said he had TO: sJtten some.
thing; but he certainly did not look
we'll Perhaps you had better 60
below and see if he requires any
thing"
The boy waited no second bidding
but ran quickly down the after laf
der
/ Cnceremoniously he burst into the
fore cabin. which. however, was
empty. But there was a light in
the after one. and, pulling back the
curtain. Cecl saw his brother. stand
ing with his back towards him. rum
uaging for some papers in a tin
dispatch box
Hello. Phil! You have got back
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