Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1914-08-12

look as he sat there, heavy lonely
figure, that bright morning. 1t had
slipped to his face with the news OF
the arrival at Damory Court. He told
himself that he felt queer.
Suddenly he seemed to hear elm
voices close to his ear:
(Which was 1t she loved? Valiant
or Sassoon?"
It was so distinct that he started,
vexed and disturbed. Really. it was
absurd. He would be seeing things
next! "Southall may be right about
that exercise" he muttered; "Tll walk
more" He began the projected re-
form without delay. striding up and
down the room But the little voices
presently sounded again. shouting like
gnomes inside hill:
Which was It? Valiant or Sas-
soon?"
81 wish to God l knew!" said the
major roughly, standing still. 1t 81
fenced them, but the sound OF his own
voice, as though 1t had been a pre-
concerted signal, drew together hun.
There was the well-ordered garden OF
Damory Court-it rose up, gloomy
with night shadows, across his great
clothes-press against the wall-with
himself sitting on rustic-bencn
smoking and behind him the candle
lighted library window with Beauty
Valiant pacing up and down, waiting
for daylight. There was a SUM-
lighted stretch between two hemlocks.
with Southall and he measuring the
ground-the grass all dewy sparkles
and an early robin lettering on a
thorn-bush. Eight - nine - ten - he
caught himself counting the PAGES.
He wiped his forehead. Between
the hemlocks now we're two figures
facing each other, one twitching un-
certainly, the other palely rigid; and
at one side, held screen-wise, raised
umbrella. In some ghostly way he
could see right through the latter
see the doctors hand gripping the
handle, his own. outstretched beyond
it's edge, holding handkerchief ready
to futter down. A silly subterfuge
actual witnesses to the final act of
"gentlemen's meeting"! A silly code
the whole of it, now happily out
grown! The scene blurred into a sim
gle figure budding down-huddling
down
Which did she lover" The major
shook his head helplessly. 1t was,
after all, only the echo. become all
at once audible on shallow woman's
lips, Of a question that had always
haunted him. 1t had first come to him
on the heels Of that duel, when he
had stood, somewhat later that hate
full morning, holding saddled horse
before the big pillared porch. 1t had
whispered itself then from every NOV
ing leaf "Sassoon or Valiant?" II
she had loved Sassoon. of what use the
letter Valiant was so long penning In
the library? Buff it were Valiant
she loved? The man who, having
sworn not to lift his hand against the
other, had broken his sacred word to
her! Who had stained the unwritten
code by facing an opponent maddened
with liquor! Yet, what was there a
woman might not ccndone in the one
man? Would she read. forgive and
send for him?
The major laughed out suddenly,
harshly, In the quiet room, and looked
down as If he expected to see that
letter still lying in his hand. But the
laugh could not still regular pulsing
sound that was in his ears-elf1n like
the voices, but as distinct-the sound
Of horses hoofs going from Damory
Court
He had heard those hoof-beats echo
In his brain for thirty years!
(TO BE CONTINUED