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1
The
Escapade
Bj Cyrus Townsend Brady.
world.
And Strathgate had exactly tfce
same thought for Carrington. Dy
carious mode of reasoning Strathgate
chose to Tislt upon Carrington him
own ill success with Lady Ellen. He
rame to the conclusion that if . Car
rington had not interfered, all. would
hare gone well with his lore affair.
Of course. In a measure Carrington
was repponsible for Strathgate's lack
of success with Lady Ellen, for Ellen
devotedly and passionately loved her
husband; loved him still; loved him
perhaps never more than when with
jealous anguish she saw him in Lady
Cecily's arms. Hut if Carrington had
never crossed Ellen's course, Strath
gate was not the kind of a man that
would have appealed to her. Ellen
was too true, too simple, too direct In
her thoughts of life to tolerate long the
affectations, the sentimentalities and
impurities of a man like Strathgate.
So soon as her eyes were opened, she
would have abominated him; and her
yes, unfortunately for Strathgate, had
been opened the minute he turned to
the west when she would have east
ward gone. But, of course, Strathgate
did not know this; that saving conceit
which keeps some men from despair
was his, and he blamed all his misfor
tunes upon Carrington.
He, too, was early abroad, and
when the carriage drove through the
park gates and was directed by one
of Lord Blythedale's men to a shaded
coppice by a little brook half a mile
from the gate, Strathgate and Lord
Blythedale with a surgeon, one from
the fleet named Nevinson, who was
known slightly to both men, were al
ready waiting on the ground.
Lord Blythedale was a man who
had gono the pace since he succeeded
to the title and fortune. The for
tune was not commensurate with the
title, and his seat and the park
surrounding it, and the wall, like
wise, were in a state of wretched
disrepair. The place that he and
Strathgate had selected for the en
counter was a level bit of sward
which Ulythedale had caused to bo
mowed and rolled the afternoon be
fore. It was shaded from the morn
ing sun by high trees. Neither com
batant could be maneuvered into any
position to get the sunlight into his
eyes. On one side of the smooth bit
of turf ran a little brook, on the other
the spaces between the trees were
filled by a thick, almost impenetrable
growth of underbrush. Although it
was already autumn, the leaves had
cot yet fallen, and the undergrowth,
which was a regular thicket, afforded
secure concealment for any observer.
Blythedale had arranged, as he
thought, that there should be no in
terruptions whatsoever, and early that
morning he had posted his game
keepers in a circle some distance
away from the dueling ground with in
structions to let no one pass. Al
though they were burning with curi
osity to see, themselves, the habit of
obedience was strong upon them, for
Blythedale was rather a heavy-handed
master, and they stayed where they
were placed, their eyes resolutely
turned away from the encounter, keep
ing earnest watch. We have heard
of locking the door after the horse
had been stolen. This was a re
versal of that ancient practice, for
the keepers were posted after the
spectators had arrived.
The reader has divined, although 1
should like to keep him in suspense,
that the spectators were Ellen and
Debbie. They were brought to that
spot by the God of Chance, who has a
habit of working most opportunely in
accordance with a poor author'3
plans.
By some instinct, for which she
never ceased to be thankful, Ellen had
put their boat on the right course
when she hoisted the sail and grap
pled the tiller in that moment when
they had escaped from the Flying
Star. The moon rose late and by the
time it was shining brightly Ellen was
so far in shore toward the east side
of Portsmouth harbor that the Brit
annia, lumbering over toward the
Isle of Wight, had no chance of pick
ing up the small boat.
It was almost morning when Ellen
made a landing. The wind was ad
verse for Portsmouth which did not
trouble her, for she was quite anxious
Finally They Cams to a Lew Place In
the Wall.
not to appear is the streets of that
town In which, ahe was cure bej. hua-
Band, Strathgate and Sir Charles
would soon be assembled. She had
formed no rdan as to the future as yet.
She only wished to get ashore, to get
DUIIlcriiMii& " ... v. r - j
concealed while she thought it over. :
The wind failed and It was not until !
daybreak, or about fqjr o'clock, that j
Ellen ran ashore. j
It was a lonely spot, some miles
to the eastward of Portsmouth. She
aroused Deborah, who had slept most
of the night In the bottom of the boat,
and the two tired women, after tying
the boat to the shore, plodded inland
At a little farmhouse -the farmer's
wife being Just arisen, apparently
they got some bread and milk which
blunted the edge of their appetite it
must be remembered that they had
not eaten anything since the noon be
fore and from the woman they
learned the lay of the land.. .
They scrambled through' by-paths
for a long time and a little after six
o'clock reached the main road. Be
fore them rose the broken walls of a
gentleman's country seat. The road
was deserted at that hour. Ellen
hardly knew what to do. She did not
know how far it was to the next inn,
nor was she certain, if she did know,
that It would be a safe place for her
to hide. Debbie, out' of whom the
spirit had been almost crushed by the
succession of dazzling adventures
through which she had passed, could
offer no suggestion of value. She
clung to Ellen's arm as if the latter
had been a man, and so far as
help or assistance was concerned was
a mere dead weight.
"One thing I tell you, Ellen," she be
gan at last, "I can go no farther; that
is, I can walk no farther. We must
find some place to rest."
"Well, dear," said Ellen, tired
enough herself, but a man beside poor
Debbie, "let's enter that park, per
haps we can find some one . there
among the servants who will help us
without asking too many questions.
"Those clothes you have on, Ellen,"
said Debbie, desperately, "are bound
to attract attention, or you in them.
I don't know what we are going to do!
I wish I were back in Carrington, or
I wish I was in Boston, or on the Fly
ing Star, or anywhere but here."
"Cheer up, Debbie," said Ellen, tak
ing her by the hand and leading her
forward, ."we'll get into this park and
it shall go hard xrith us if I don't Cud
seme means of succoring you."
The two stumbled along the road
for a quarter of a mile, looking for a
place of entrance. The gate was be
hind them, but Ellen did not deem it
wise to try that. Finally they cams
to a low place in the wall over which
Ellen helped Debbie and followed her
self. The park in which! they found
themselves had been badly neglected.
A mile away, as openings through the
trees gave them glimpses of it from
time to time, they saw the chimneys
and towers of a great house. Toward
it the two painfully made their way
through the undergrowth, meeting no
one in their progress. After half an
hour's struggling, they came to an
open piece of sward, newly mowed it
was evident from the piles of gras9
that had been raked away on the
edges. On the opposite of it a little
brook purled merrily over sand and
pebbles.
Thither the two women staggered,
and kneeling down took long draughts
of the sweetness and bathed their
faces and hands in the cold water.
They were thus engaged when they
heard voices coming from the direc
tion of the hall.
Instantly Ellen seized Deborah and
ran back to the thicket whence they
had just emerged and lay down, en
tirely concealed by the undergrowth,
although able to see everything them
selves that took place on the grass.
"Who is it, think you?" whispered
Debbie, after she had been forced
j down into a prone position.
j "How should I 'know?" answered
J Ellen.
"Well, if it looks like a gentleman,"
continued Debbie, desperately, "I'm go
ing to get up and ask his assistance."
"You'll do no such thing," said El
len In a sharp whisper. '"Be guided
by me. I know men and the world
as you don't."
Indeed, it would have been hard to
choose between the innocence of the
matron and the maid, but Ellen flat
tered herself that her years and her
marriage had made her wise.
"Let me decide what is to be done,"
she added.
"You've decided everything," said
Debbie, resentfully, "and look what a
position we're In."
"Hush!" said Ellen. "Here they
are."
At the same instant a man stepped
into the clearing. Deborah opened
her mouth as if to scream. Ellen
caught her violently by the arm re
peating her caution.
"It's Lord Strathgate!" murmured
Deborah, amazed.
"I see," returned Ellen. "Now, will
you be quiet?"
"I wonder what he's here for?"
whispered poor Deborah under her
breath.
CHAPTER XIX.
A L'outrance. (
' Strathgate was followed by a small
man, rather extravagantly dressed,
who carried a couple of naked swords
under his arm. The small man yawned
prodigiously and appeared to be great
ly bored by the situation in which he
found himself, or by the early hour
at which he had been compelled to
arise. Back of the two came another
man of plainer aspect, with a keen,
shrewd, business-like face He' was
dressed in a naval uniform of blue
and white and carried a strange look
ing, leather covered box,' of which
neither Ellen nor Deborah knew what
to make at first.
The man in uniform selected a con
venient spot about the center of the
sward, wen in iat knece or tzc trees, t
deposited his box, opened it, knelt
down and busied himself over ltB con
tents, which so far as the women
could make out consisted of bottles,
bandages and shining instruments of
some sort. Lady Cecily would have
known instantly what was about to
occur, but it was some time before
either Deborah or Ellen divined that
they were to be the spectators to a
duel.
"I wonder where they are?" the
little man carrying the swords yawned
out, looking vaguely about the clear
ing. Strathgate pulled out hla watch.
" Tis not yet the appointed hour,"
be answered.
"What the devil made you get up so
early, then?" asked the small man,
grumpily.
"I always like to be beforehand in
affairs of this kind, Blythedale," re
turned Strathgate.
"Well, I wish the others would come
so we can have it over and get back
to breakfast, or more like to bed,"
growled Blythedale, crossly.
Strathgate laughed at him.
"They'll be here on time. You
needn't worry. Carrington is a fool
where women are concerned, but he's
not afraid of any man, I take it, and
you'll see him in due course."
"Well, I wish he'd hurry up." grum
bled the bad-tempered baron as Strath
gate turned and walked over toward
the doctor.
"Have you got everything ready, Dr.
Nevinson?" asked the earl.
"Everything, my lord," replied the
doctor, gravely. "I hope, however,
that you gentlemen will give me little
to do."
Strathgate laughed again.
"If it depends on me, doctor, you'll
have nothing to do but certify to a
death."
"1 didn't mean it that way, my
lord," said the doctor, gravely.
. "But I do," asserted Strathgate,
turning away.
Every word of the conversation had
been heard by Ellen and Deborah. The
whole situation was now clear to
them both. This was to be a duel.
Carrington and Strathgate were to
meet. Strathgate's deadly puvpes?
was evident from his grim remark to
the surgeon. ' Ellen could not doubt
but that Carrington shared the saino
ruthless feeling to the full. llewas
coming to battle about her. Her
heart leaped at first at the thought
and then contracted like a lump of ice
at' the possibility of disaster and
death which lay before the man she
loved.
Her first impulse was to rise, dash
into the clearing and denounce Strath
gate, but a second thought assured her
of the folly of that purpose. Those
men were bent on fighting. They
would only fight the harder and more
fiercely if she interfered. She. would
simply be removed from the scene of
action and the duel would go on.
The situation was an intolerable
one whichever way she turned, what
ever she did. That she should He
quiet in a thicket and watch her hus
band fight for his life was unbearable.
That she should burst out and inter
rupt them and then simply be removed
and the battle be waged the more
fiercely was also unendurable. Yet,
she would have chosen the latter
course had it not come across her
mind like a flash of intuition, that her
appearance at that juncture would
probably greatly agitate her husband,
and that his chance for life would be
worse in that he would be less cool
than Strathgate. She had sense
enough to see that Strathgate would
welcome her arrival, and how easily
he could turn it to his own advantage
by claiming, in spite of any protest
she might make, that she was there
by her own contrivance and at Strath
gate's request.
She dug her feet into the ground
and locked her teeth in anguish. The
sweat stood out on her brow. But
there was nothing to do but lie still
and keep watch.
It was Debbie who broke the silence
by approaching her ear and whisper
ing: ""Lord Strathgate is going to fight a
duel with Lord Carrington. Let us go
out and stop it."
"We can't." answered Ellen. " 'Tis
Impossible."
"Are you going to lie here and
watch them kill each other?" asked
Deborah, to whom the situation did
not present itself as it did to Ellen.
"There's nothing else I can do," re
turned Ellen. "Don't you see if they
were here, they would simply take us
away and continue the fight, and if
we came out now, it would appear as
if we had been with Lord Strathgate.
It would unsettle Bernard so "
"Oh!" said Deborah, turning to look
closely at her wretched comrade.
What she saw moved her to in
stant pity. - She drew closer to Ellen
and reached her arm around the
other's neck.
"My poor girl!" she murmured,
kissing her softly.
"There's only one thing we can do,
Debbie," whispered Ellen.
"What's that?"
"We can pray that no harm will
come to my lord."
Her under lip trembled piteously as
she buried her face in her hands! It
was a strange prayer what strange
prayers we make in hours of distress!
an appeal to God that one of the two
men about to battle for life might be
spared. There was no thought of the
necessary inference from the prayer,
and in Ellen's distracted mind she
did not even think to pray that the
duel itself might be stopped. She
poured out her whole soul in an
guished petition that Carrington,
whom she loved, might come to no
hurt, and in that petition with less
fervency, but with true Puritan zeal,
Debbie unhesitatingly joined. What
would Elder Brewster say, .she
thought, If he could see her now pray-
ing for one duelist, wnen both, in ac
cordance with her iron creed, would
be equally guilty?
The course of the prayers was
broken by Blythedale's voice.
"Here they come!" he cried, a note
of relief and pleasure in his speech.
"Yonder."
He pointed to a carriage slowly mak
ing its way across the drive.
"How will they know how to get
here?"
"I have stationed men who will
fetch them."
"The carriage has stopped. Yes,
here they are."
(Note Think Elder Brewster died
a century before this time.
Instantly, as Parkman, followed by
Carrington, appeared on the scene,
Blythedale lost his languor. Carring
ton stopped at the edge' of the clear
ing. Strathgate immediately turned
and walked to the opposite side. Park
man and Blythedale ceremoniously
approached each other. All the punc
tilios of such an occasion were most
scrupulously regarded. The gentle
men doffed their hats and bowed
most profoundly. Then they chatted
awhile in the gravest and most sol
emn manner.
"I suppose," said Blythedale, more
because it was proper and customary
than because he bad the slightest idea
that it could be brought about, "that
no accommodation of -this quarrel is
possible?"
"None, my lord," returned Park
man. "Your principal, of course, is not
disposed to apologize for the insult
ing epithets he applied to mine," con
tinued Blythedale.
"It is so far out of the question," an
swered Parkman, "that if he had a
chance, he would repeat them with
such added emphasis as reflection
might enable him to give."
"Very well," returned Blythedale.
"And I am instructed by my princi
pal," continued Parkman, ceremonious
ly, "to say that no apology of any sort,
i
v I
- It
Strathgate Attacked as Furiously ai
Ever.
if he should be pleased to nake any.
would be entertained by Lord Carring
ton from Lord Strathgate."
Blythedale laughed.
"That goes without saying," he an
swered, "but there's no need for ui
to get embroiled in the affair person
ally, Parkman."
The two were old acquaintances.
"Certainly not, Blythedale. So w
had better proceed to business. You'vt
brought swords, I see."
. "A pair of my own. Andrew FerrarE
steel. They have been used a greal
many times in little affairs of honoi
like this, and there isn't a hair's
breadth of difference between them
Still, you may have your choice."
Parkman took the two swords anc
turned to Carrington. The latter ex
amined them carefuily, tested them
weighed them, and finally selectee
one. Parkman returned with th
other, which he handed to Blythe
dale.
"I suppose," said Blythedale, "there's
nothing now but to let them go at it.
"Nothing," answered Parkman.
"You will give the word, Parkman
and we will both see fair play."
"Very well," answered Parkman. "
take it we are to interpose the mo
ment one or the other is wounded."
"By no means," said Carrington
who had drawn nearer and who had
heard this last suggestion. "It is mj
desire that you will not interfere sc
far as I am concerned until one oi
the other of us is incapable of con
tinuing the fight. Unless, of course
Lord Strathgate desires different ar
rangements."
"Blythedale," said Strathgate, sharp
ly, "you may say that Lord Strathgate
is entirely satisfied with any proposi
tion which may be made."
"Very well, gentlemen," said Blythe
dale, much amazed at this very un
usual interference of the principals ir
an affair of this kind. "You may take
your positions. You will first take oil
your coats, waistcoats and shoes. II
is a mere matter of form, but I shall
have to inspect you, Lord Carrington
and Lieutenant Parkman will have
the same privilege with my principal."
At the word the two men divested
themselves of their coats, swords and
waistcoats, which Dr. Nevinson kindly
picked up and piled on the edge of the
clearing out of the way. They kicked
off their shoes, too, and. stood forth
in their stocking feet. In shirts and
trousers. Blythedale rapidly ran hii
hand across the body of Carrington to
see that he had on no illegal garment
which might turn or ward a blow.
"You have a locket there, my lord,"
he said, stopping in his search.
"I had forgotten it," said Carring
ton, turning crimson.
He reached his hand up, unbuttoned
e
A Great. Sacrifice SaDe
From this Date Until
Everything in this biff department .store
will be sold at a sacrifice price. Special
attention is called to our millinery de
partment, where over three huddred
stylishly trimmed hats will be $old at
half price. All must be sold by July 4th
if even at your own price. All our fine
summer dress goods will be included in
this sale. Remember our Gent's Cloth
ing Department, where you can buy that
new suit for the 4th. Of course you will
celebrate in Plattsmouth.
i FAWGER. the pAt C0TEST MAt
SAVE YOUR CASH REGISTER RECEIPTS.
Fools All His Friends
Some two weeks ago last Saturday,
Sheriff C. D. Quintonand Miss Mary
Karvonek, for a long time deputy re
corder of deeds, quietly departed for
Omaha and from thence to Caroll,
Iowa, where they procured license and
were married, taking the next train for
Omaha, and returned to their home
here, keeping their friends in ignorance
of the fact that they had married. No
one was made the wiser of the fact
until last Saturday evening, their
secret became burdensome and they
told some of their near friends. This
morning it became generally known.
The Journal wishes them an abundance
of joy and happiness in their new es
tate, and hopes that they may be as
abundantly able to eliminate all the
troubles of this life as they were in
keeping the fact of their marriage from
the public.
Old Friends Meet
The last issue of the Elm wood Leader
Echo contains the following: "Wm.
Buster and wife were very agreeably
surprised Saturday by a visit from their
old friends and neighbors of 40 years
ago, H. L. Oldham and wife, of Mur
ray, whom they had not seen in 20
years. They were also visited by Mr.
and Mrs. O'Strander, of Sterling, who
were near neighbors when they lived at
Sterling. Their children, , Bert Buster
and Mrs. Ola Hoffman and two children,
Fern and Floyd of Ashland, were also
here, and to say they had a fine visit
with them all would be putting it mild
ly. They shook hands and had a short
talk with Mr. Buster's friend and can
didate for president, Colonel Wm. J.
Bryan. Mr. Buster regrets that the
Colonel could not stay during the after
noon, as he intended hitching up his
sixteen to one mare and driving Mr.
Bryan over the prettiest town in Neb
raska. Mr. and Mrs. Buster enjoyed
the visit of their friends immensely,
and unite in declaring it one of the
happiest days of ther lives.
Miss Fannie Biddlecom, ofllavelock,
is visiting in the city, the guest of Miss
Helen Travis.
v.-: A-s.
W orry: V' i vr : f
on Key- mr If
F. 6. FRICKE & CO. Druggists, Agents.
DOC
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Help make Plattsmouth lively
and awake by whooping her up
ON THE FOURTH
Buy where you can get good
fresh and reasonable priced
FIREWORKS
WE'VE GOT THE GOODS!
u
n
mm
o
i THE
IPC
ML
Affther the 4th of July!
-PAY YOUR BILLS-
with a check instead
of cash. Then you will
have both a record ot
4
your payment ana a
receipt as well. Checks
of the Bank of Cass
County are good as
gold. You can secure
a book of them b'
opening up an account
there. You avoid lots
of trouble and dignify
your business by their
use.
The BANK OF GASS COUNTY,
PLATTSMOUTH, NEBRASKA.
George Cunningham, of Shanandoah, j
Iowa, was a visitor in the city last 1 )
Saturday and yesterday. j ;
Earl York and sister, Miss Floy York,
of Osmond, this state, departed this
morning, after havieg visited in the
city the guests of their uncle, J. C.
York and family, for ihe the past few
weeks. Mrs. T. B. Bates, who was called to
Grant City, Missouri, several weeks
since, on acconnt of the death of a
neice returned home last evenir.er-
While absent she visited a sister and1
family at Ridgenay, Mo., and hermoth-j
er and a sister at Chariton, Iowa !
Miss Allie York, of Idaho Falls,
Idaha, who has been visiting in the
city for the past few weeks, the guest
of her uncle, J. C. York and family, de
parted for her home this morning, go
ing by the way of Lincoln where she
will visit for a few days before contin
uing her way homeward. ' !
Hon. R. B. Windham returned thi J jj!
morning from Greenwood, this county,! J
where he was during the Fourth and, 0
yesterday. He delivered the addren'
of the day at the celebration which wtff?
held at that place last Saturday, and
reports a large and enthuastic crowd.', $
wth an excellent time being had by all
DOC
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DRUGGISTS.
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