The Marshall republican., 1909-02-26

without Giles getting a shilling. The
next heir 10 Giles was another cousin,
remote from both him and Sir Thomas.
one Capt. Philip .Overton Of the
Guards, who was as much disliked by
Sir Thomas as was Giles. Giles, who
had been at sea since his twelfth
year, knew little or nothing q Capt.
Overton, although ne swore many
times in a month that he meant to
marry the first woman who would
take him, for the purpose OF cutting
of Overton's hopes; but IL occurred
to me, young as ! was, that Giles was
not the man to give up his liberty to
the first I'M who was willing to
accept OF II.
We were fitting for the Mediter-
ranean, and the ship lay in the inner
haTbor at Portsmouth, waiting her
turn to go in dry dock to he %coppered.
There was plenty for the seniors to
do, but not much for the midshipmen
at that particular time; and we had
more runs on shore than usual. The
rest of us were satisfied with Ports
mouth, but Giles was always raving OF
London and the London playhouses.
Knowing how long l had lived In
London, he said to me one day:
"Were you ever at Drury Late thea
ter, my lad?"
I said no, I had never been to the
playhouse: and I blushed as I said II.
not desiring my messmates to know
that I had been brought up by Betty
Green, a corporal's widow.
Then, child" he cried, whacking
me on the back, you have yet to live.
Have you not seen Mistress Trenchard
the divine Sylvia-as Roxana, as
Lady Percy, as Violetts? Oh, what n
galaxy of parts! Oh, the divine
c%reature!"
He threw himself across the mess
table at that, for we were in the cock
pit at the time. l laughed. boylike, at
his raptures, and he groaned loudly.
Such a face and figure! Such a
foot and ankle. Such a melting eye!
Such a luscious voice."
own that this outburst did more
to make me realize that Giles, after
all, was but 10 than anything that
had gone before; for / knew that older
men did not so rave
And" he cried, wildly, Il can not
see her before We sail. BY heaven, ]
will see her! 'Tis IA miles between
me ard her angel face. 1t can be lone
in Z hours and 20 minutes. l can get
"a hours leave-but not a word OF
this, you haymaking son of a farmer"
No sooner had Giles said this than
with the determination to be known
as a man of spirit Il was, as | said, but
14), l concluded / would go to Lon
don, too. On the day that Giles Yer
non got his "a hours leave, I also got
the same. Mr.. Buxton looked a little
queer when / asked him for Il, and
said something about not allowing the
midshipmen to leave Portsmouth; but
l answered readily enough that I
wished very much to go on a little
expedition with Giles Vernon, which
would last overnight. AS the other
midshipmen had been allowed similar
liberty, | got my request; and next
morning, as the Phoebus coach for
London rolled out of the stables into
the inner yard, l approached. Giles
Vernon was also on hand. His sur.
prise was great when he saw me.
You take a risk, my lad" he said.
mo more than you do" I replied,
stoutly. "And l, too, love a roguish
eye and a blushing cheek, and mean to
20 to the playhouse with you to see
Mistress Trenchard." At which Giles
roared out one of his rich laughs, and
cried:
Come along. then, my infant Don
tsN.an
ITO bA Continued