Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1910-07-22

ferred with Rogers.
By this time the whole garrison had
become absorbed in the game This 10
one who knows anything about army
life at frontier post will not be as
tonishing. Day after day goes by with
little to do aud still less to talk about
and often no amusement. Here was
a case well calculated for both 1t
seemed to me that the especial pains
every one took to perpetrate the fraud
would defeat it. Too many people
were going out of their way to call
me Rogers. making all sorts of very
thin excuses to do so. then often stuffine
their handkerchiefs into their mouths
to avoid exploding with laughter.
Miss Edgerton seemed oblivious to
it all But she was such chidlike
little thing that no one had much fear
of her suspecting any deception. and IL
she did suspect it there was no way Of
confirming it. Was not Rogers shut
up in his quarters, not daring to show
his face outside, both on account of
military discipline and because he did
not wish to spoil Mrs. Seymour's mat.
rimonial plans for him?
Notwithstanding Miss Edgerton's In
nocence it struck me that she was a
bit of a flirt. At any rate, 1t seemed to
me at times that she was flirting with
| me. l suppose in such affairs there Is
more or less Of a game going on be-
tween the parties interested. | men,
ton this as some excuse for myself for
entering upon a process calculated to
win the heart Of an innocent girl, es-
pecially when l was not sure that
was doing II for pastime.
One morning the mail brought an
order from Washington to dismiss the
charges against Lieutenant Rogers and
release him from arrest. A bombshel
thrown into the garrison could not
have produced as much CONSERVATION.
Mrs. Seymour was in a terrible guam
dairy. having laid no plan for such
juncture. All the officers and officers
families, who had been calling me
Rogers. began to think of the position
they would occupy toward the girl
they had conspired to fool.
AS soon as Rogers appeared for duty
he solved the problem. He was to be
Lieutenant Boynton. and l was to re-
main Lieutenant Rogers. This satisfied
Mrs. Seymour, who invited US both to
dinner, and so great was the interest
of the others in this complicated affair
that before the dinner came off she in
vited all the officers and their wives.
l was still supposed to be in especial
attendance upon Miss Edgerton and
took her in to dinner The first words
spoken by Rogers caused consterna-
ton.
II say, Rogers" he said to me- II
congratulate you on your release from
arrest. What did you want to make q
beast of yourself for?
AS soon as | could regain my equa-
nimity turned upon him with feigned
severity and said:
what do you mean, sir, by thus ac-
cusing a brother officer"
81 mean that Lieutenant Alfred Rog-
ers at the last hop got ripsy on three
glasses of champagne and a pony Of
brandy. called the major names and
was arrested and confined to his
quarters. Charges were preferred. and
Lieutenant Rogers father. being a
senator. succeeded in having them
dropped. Now. who is Lieutenant Rog-
ers if he is not you? Are you in the
army under an assumed name to hide
some former disgrace?
Up spoke Miss Edgerton. During
this harangue she had drawn away
from me as far as possible, regarding
me with a singular expression. Then
she turned to Mrs. Seymour.
| he 64-
manded.
Mrs. Seymour was so agOniZed that
she couldn't find either voice or words
for reply Miss Edgerton left her seat,
went to her friend and put her arms
about her. Then. standing by her. she
said:
THE farce is ended Let those laugh
best who laugh last Soon after my
arrival here | saw at window an off,
Ger whom | had met last summer at
West Point and whose name knew to
be Alfred Rogers. We chatted. and he
confessed that he was confined to his
room under arrest for getting tipsy
and being dlsrespectful to the major.
! l had no difficulty IN getting out of
him this scheme to substitute Iieuten-
ant Boynton in his place. Since that
time the real Lieutenant Rogers and I
have been carrying on clandestine
, correspondence"
During this revelation to those who
: had supposed themselves to have been
| deriving amusement at Miss Edger-
tons expense. of how she and Rogers
had outwitted the whole of us. there
| was an attentive audience. When she
= ceased speaking some smiled, others
= blushed. while few looked irritated.
( My friends" said Rogers. accept
, my heartfelt thanks for your kindness
t in shielding me from the consequences
+. of my weak head for wine. And to
} you. Boynton. l am under especial
r obligations for personating a wine
, hihbar -