Year: 1879

&C But we asked it for the sake of
our honor, general, F" said the command
ant, testify.


"And we do not seem to have asked
1t needlessly," whispered the spiteful
major.


g will not do this thing !" cried the
young ensign, passionately; and he
looked wildly around the group as If he
sought for one face that would compre-
hend and compassionate his misery
The face that looked the kindest was
that of the old general himself, partly
because 1t was not his hospitality that
was outraged, partly because his genial
nature was terribly shocked at finding
anything of his the cause of such a
wretched act of dishonor.


"If the general will come with me to
the ante.room, said the young man,
~ will convince him that have bare
ly touched his box. But this public ex-
posure will not submit to; our consent
was not asked and"-


" Certainly not!" g. Out upon you !"
General, you must not think of in.
dulging his insolent request" were the
only sentences audible in the general
hubbub that rose on all sides.


But the general rose


Gentlemen" he said quietly, "I've
never yet refused to listen to an enemy's
petition. If you can satisfy me, sir,
perhaps your comrades will take nay
word for you"


| There was q murmur of very reluc-
tant acquiescence, as the ensign bowed
and waited respectfully to follow the
general to the ante-chamber. They had
not disappeared behind the heavy cur
tains before all sorts of surmises were
whispered around the table, guesses and
hints so wild and so sinister as to do
credit neither to the heads nor hearts
which originated them. The general
and ensign stayed longer time in the
ante-room than would have sufficed to
search the ensign's pockets twice and
twice over. Not sound could be heard.
If any conversation was going forward,
| 1t must have been in q very low voice.
The two gentlemen were away for near
ly half an hour. All the military SER
wants had been subjected to the COM
mandant's rigid scrutiny, and then dis
missed. 1t might be as we'll that none
"but the gentlemen of the regiment"
should know exactly what the end was
The delay grew first awkward and then
awful. Even the whispers and rumors
| in fn nj tod
watching.


At last the general and the ensign
came out. The ensign's face was still
very pale; what flush remained upon it
had now mounted to the eyes. The old
general was blowing his nose.


Ensign Ransom has thoroughly sat-
isfied me,'' he said, in his most gentle
voice. Never mind my box. 1t has
vanished by one Of those mysterious ac-
cidents that will happen some tines
1t will be found some day. And now,
gentlemen, perhaps as we have been
thus broken up we shall not settle down
again very comfortably tonight. hope
we shall see you all at the castle before
Lady Elizabeth and 1 leave for Lon
don."


General" said the commandant,
drawing him little to one side, " may l
sincerely trust your great generosity has
not led you to-"


"Sir," cried the old general, can you
imagine that any mistaken idea of
kindness would cause me to make you a
companion of thieves? Gentlemen
he went on, seeing that the company
were not aware of this little by-play.-
II pledge you my word that am sat
isfied of Ensign Ranson's honor; and
whoever dares to doubt him makes me
to be his accomplice."


And the old general seized the young
ensign's arm and marched with him
from the banqueting-room, while every
one sat dumfounded, till the spiteful
major remarked that wonders would
never cease.


There was nothing more to be said. 1t
was discovered that Ensign Ransom was
not only invited to the castle with the
other officers, but was also asked there
by himself and actually was believed to
have taken tea with the general and
Lady Elizabeth in their deepest retire
ment. For the generals sake, rather
than his own, his brother officers con.
tinued on courteous terms with him