The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1914-09-09


glare Of the southern days travel tx
tending along the four sides Of this
hall was a gallery leading TO suits of
rooms, and It was lighted from the top
Still no bell was to be seen.
Faith" said the captain hating.
ashamed Of the clanking Of his boots
this is a ghostIy beginning!"
He started back and felt his face
turn white. In the gallery looking
down at him stood the French officer
the officer whose picture he had car
ried in his mind so long and so far.
Compared with the remembered orig
inal at last-in every lineament how
like IL wasl
He moved and disappeared, and Cap
tain Richard Doubledick heard his
steps coming quickly down into the
hall. He entered through an archway.
There was a bright sudden look upon
his face, much such look as II had
worn in that fatal moment at Bada-
Jos.
M. lie Capitaine Richard Double
dick? Enchanted to receive him! A
thousand apologies! The servants were
all out in the air. There was little
fete among them in the garden. In
effect 1t was the fete day of my daugh
ter, the little cherished and protected
of Nine. Taunton.
He was so gracious and so frank
that M. lie Capitaine Richard Double
dick could not withhold his hand
1T is the hand Of brave English
man." said the French officer, re-
tanning it while he spoke. IL could
respect a brave Englishman even as
my foe, how much more as my friend.
l also am soldier
HE has not remembered me as
have remembered him. He did not
take such note Of my face that day as
took Of his" thought Captain Rich
ard Doubledick. How shall l tell
himY
The French officer conducted his
guest into a garden and presented him
to his wife, an engaging and beautiful
woman, sitting with Mrs. Taunton in
whimsical old fashioned pavilion.
His daughter. her fair young face
beaming with joy, came running to
embrace him. and there was a boy
baby to tumble down among the or
ange trees on the broad steps in max
ing for his fathers legs. A multitude
Of children visitors were dancing to
sprightly music, and all the servants
and peasants about the chateau were
dancing too. 1t was a scene of limo
cent happiness that might have been
invented for the climax of the scenes
Of peace which had soothed the cap
tains journey.
He looked on, greatly troubled in his
mind, until resounding bell rang. and
the French officer begged to show him
his rooms. They went upstairs into
the gallery from which the officer had
looked down, and NJ. lie Capitaine Rich
ard Doubledick was cordially wei
coined to grand outer chamber and
a smaller one within, all clocks and
draperies and hearths and brazen dogs
and tiles and cool devices and elegance
and vastness.
You were at Waterloo?' said the
French officer.
Il was" said Captain Richard Dou-
bledick. And at Badajos''
Left alone with the sound of his own
stern voice in his ears he sat down to
consider. What shall | do and how
shall | tell him? AT that time unhap-
PLY many deplOrable duels had been
fought between English and French
officers arising out of the recent war.
and these duels and how to avoid this
officer's hospitality were the upper
most thought in Captain Richard Dou-
mind.
He was thinking and letting the time
run out in which he should have dress
ed for dinner when Mrs. Taunton
spoke to him outside the door asking
II he could give her the letter he had
brought from Mary. His mother.
above ALL the captain thought How
shall tell herr"
You will form friendship with
your host. | hope" said Mrs. Taunton,
whom he hurredly admitted. that will
last for life. He is 50 true hearted and
so generous, Richard. that YOU can
hardly rail- to esteem one another. IL
ne had been spared"-she kissed. not n
tears, the locket in which she
wore his hair-"he would have appre-
'iated him with his own magnanimity
ma would have been truly happy that
Inc evil days We're past which made
such man his enemy"
she left the room, and the CAPTAIN
walked first to one window. whence he
'ould see the dancing in the garden.
men 10 another window, whence he
,ould see the smiling prospect and the
peaceful vineyards.
spirit Of my departed friend" said
re- lis 1t through thee these better
thoughts are rising in my mind; Is II
nou who hast shown me. all the wayI
ave been drawn to meet this man tbe
blessings of the altered time? Is n
nou who hast sent thy stricken moth.
u TO me- to stay my angry handq IL
from thee the whisper comes that