Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1909-04-15

three of us were huddled together in
the porch of a church, some distance
away from the scene OF the fracas.
Neatly done" remarked Overton
with Il smile, to Giles. Il should have
been in that brawny fellows clutches
now, but for the clip over the head you
gave him
You did your share, sir" politely
responded Giles.
But time presses and our affairs
must be settled" said Overton; here
is my card. 1t is too dark to read it.
but l am Capt. Philip Overton, of the
Second Life Guards"
And l." replied Giles, "am Midship-
man Giles Vernon of the Ajax, ship
of the line, now at Portsmouth"
BY the dim light of a lantern in
the church porch l saw the expression
of astonishment upon Overton's face.
Then" he stammered, "we are re-
lated"
"Yes," replied Giles, smiling, "and
If you pierce me through with sword
or pistol, it will be worth one of the
finest estates in the kingdom to you,
Thomas Vernon, does not marry and
have children in spite of u.s."
Overton reelected, half laughing and
half frowning.
''If only you had not passed a blow!
Anything else. there could be an ac-
! commodation for. 1t was most un-
fortunate"
Yes, as it turns out" responded
Giles; but the question is, now, when
and where can we meet?"
Just then the great bell of st.
Pauls tolled out the half before mid
night, and !, who had been an almost
unobserved listener, spoke out of the
fullness of my heart
Giles" said /, the coach leaves at
-. If we do not get to, Portsmouth in
time, we are deserters. Let Capt.
Overton write to you and fight after
ward"
"Out of the mouths of babes and
sucklings comes wisdom" replied
Overton, smiling; and so in two min
utes it was settled, Overton agreeing
| to come to Portsmouth to fight, if
| Giles could not get leave to meet him
halfway between Portsmouth and
London. We then bade him good-by,
and ran off as fast as our legs could
carry us. and barely made the coach.
We travelled all night, Giles sleep
ing soundly and snoring very loud, in
| one corner. / felt great uneasiness
about the coming meeting between
| him and Overton, although | believed
| there was no hostile feeling between
! them. But when two men face each
other with arms in their hands, there
is always the possibility of awful
| catastrophe.
The roseate morning broke when we
were still some distance from Ports
mouth. The sight Of the blooming
hedge-rows, the birdsongs, and all the
fair beauty of the morning made me
long to be outside, and at the last
stage-my companion still sleeping
got out and with a shilling to the
coachman, got the box seat. There
were only two or three persons, be-
sides the guard, on the coach.
Once up there, | could not rest sat
isfied without handling the ribbons.
| L llitt HtNCl even uIlFcu d uOUktS Ill
my life, but, nevertheless, | aspired to
drive four fresh roadsters. The coach.
man, a good-natured, foolish fellow,
| gave me the reins down perfectly
smooth lane. | seized the whip, too,
and brought it down across the wheel
ers backs, and, the next thing | knew
the coach was lying ON its side on the
road, and | was on the ground
1t was over in wink and it seemed
scarcely longer before it had been
righted; for the load was extremely
light and no one was hurt except
Giles. He scrambled out Of the coach
window, his arm hanging down, not
broken, but out of joint. | pointed
to it.
Your sword arm" said.
There was nothing for it but to
make for Portsmouth as fast as pos
sible. Giles was in extreme pain; he
said nothing, but great drops came out
upon his forehead. When we reached
the town, at once put off in search of
a surgeon, while Giles remained at the
inn. | soon fetched the surgeon, who
got the arm into place. When the
man had finished, Giles asked when
he could use his arm for pistol shoot
ing.
(TO BE CONTINUED)