The Glenwood post., 1909-05-22
CHAPTER VI.

AS Overton had said, the meeting
was delayed exactly "a hours.
My courage always has an odd way
Of disappearing when I am expecting
to use 1t, although l must say, when |
have had actual occasion for it I have
always found it easily at hand. l can
not deny that was very much fright
ened for Giles on the morning Of the
meeting, and, to add to my misery, |
heard that Overton was considered
one of the best shots in England.
The dreary breakfast gulped down;
the postchaise rattling up to the door
i had hoped until the last moment
that it would not come; the humping
along the road in the cool, bright sum-
mer morning; the gruesome, long, mar
row box that lay ON the front seat of
the chaise; the packet of letters which
Giles had given me and which seemed
to weigh a hundred tons in my pocket
all these were so many horrors to
haunt the memory forever. But must
say that, apparently, the misery was
all mine; for never saw Giles Vernon
show so much as by the flicker of an
eyelash that he was disturbed in any
way.
About half way from the meeting
grosnd we left the highway and turned
into a by-road; and scarcely had we
gone half mile when we almost
drove into a broken-down chaise, and
standing on the roadside among the
furze bushes were the coachman, the
surgeon-a most bloody-minded man
/ always believed him-Mr. Buxton
and Overton.
Our chaise stopped, and Giles, put
ting his head out of the window, said
pleasantly: "Good-morning, gentle.
men; you have had an accident, see.'
"A bad one" replied Mr. Buxton
who saw that their chaise was beyond
help, and who, as he said afterward
was playing for a place in our chaise
not liking to walk the rest OF the dis
tance
Giles jumped out and so did l, and
the most courteous greetings were ex
changed.
The two drivers, as experts, ex
amined the broken chaise, and agreed
there was no patching it up for ser
vice; one wheel was splintered.
Mr.. Buxton looked at Giles mean
ingly, and then at me. and Giles
whispered to me:
Offer to take 'em up. By Jupiter
they shall see we are no shirkers."
Which I did, and, to my amazement
in a few moments we were all lumber
ing along the road; Overton and Mr.
Buxton on the back seat, and Gile.
and l with our backs to the horses
while the surgeon was alongside tht
coachman on the box.
Nothing could exceed the politenes.
between the two principals, about the
seats as about everything else. Over
ton was with difficulty persuaded tt
take the back seat. Mr.. Buxton seated
himself there without any introduction
Il hope it will never again be my for
tune to negotiate so delicate an affail
as . meeting between gentlemen will
one so much my superior in rank a!
Mr.. Buxton.)
May ask, Mr.. overton, II you pre-
fer the window down or up?" asked
Giles. with great Difference.
Either, dear sir" responded Over
ton. "I believe it was up when yol
kindly invited us to enter"
True; but you may be sensitive Il
the air, and may catch cold"
At which Mr.. Buxton grinned in
heartless manner. The window re
manned up.
We were much crowded with tn,
two pistol-cases and the surgeons bo,
Of instruments, which to mo appeared
more appalling than the pistols.
At last We reached the spot
small, nat place under sweetly
blooming hawthorn hedge. with SOM
serdant oaks at either end.
Giles and Overtoa were 70 scrupu
jsos about taking preesdsacs 81 saal