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jAilitapyomaneeofgoiifcFpica
- CHAPTER XV Continued
You were in too great a hurry old
man said Teddy reprovingly Why
did you not take your time you should
look before you leap Why did you not
ask
What was there to askV Had I not
seen for myself And is not seeing be
lieving I never dreamed that she had
another brother never In any case you
or any fellow would have done just the
jsame
Im awfully sorry said Teddy slow
ly speaking with his eyes meditatively
fixed on the ground sorry for the money
Its a bad business about that
Money its not the money Im think
ing of returned Miles huskily
Oh if you are thinking of Esme shell
be all right rejoined her brother cheer
ifully Once the mistake is known and
you make the amende honorable you need
not be a bit uneasy about her it will be
all right which was Teddys usual way
of summing up most questions
All right How very likely returned
his cousin sarcastically She will never
speak to me again as long as she lives
never Do you not understand that we
were within one day and a half of being
married that the guests were bidden the
dresses and everything in the house all
ithere but the bridegroom I was as I
always am when Im in a rage mad I
never stopped to breathe much less to
reflect or think all I wanted to do was
to put the seas between us
Have you had any letters
Not one line since I came out You
are the first who has opened my eyes to
the awful mistake I have made
I hope Miles said Teddy humbly
that you wont hate the very sight of
me for I was the cause innocently
enough but still the cause of the whole
catastrophe
No no Why should I It was not
your fault it was no ones fault it was
gust sheer bad luck What evil spirit
Induced me to go to Portsmouth that
day of all others he demanded pas
sionately
It is all chance returned Teddy Do
you know that once you were actually
within a hair of finding it out It all
turned upon such a little thing as the
striking of a match It did indeed I
dont know if you remember the last
night you were at Baronsford in August
Well I was there too prowling about
the bushes on chance of seeing Esme
She came running out about nine oclock
I now remember it perfectly inter
rupted Miles hastily I suppose every
one within twenty miles of Baronsford
thinks me the most finished and complete
vBcoundrel and goodness knows I cannot
blame them Appearances are frightful
ly against me I think the best thing you
can do for me Teddy with a grim smile
is to blow my brains out quite accident
ally
Stuff and nonsense If it is Esme you
are so much afraid of I can tell you that
you need net be uneasy she will marry
you all the same
Even if she would which 1 am sure
ehe wouldnt how could I marry with
scarcely anything besides my pay
Pooh Thats easily answered Esme
has never been brought up to luxuries
Shell make a grand poor mans wife
Why she used to turn my ties and patch
my coats
Yes all very well for her to do those
things for her brother but Im different
Why should I bring her to poverty What
right have I to ask her to share my pit
tance Mrs Brabazon would never listen
to it
Mrs B be bothered interpolated
Teddy rudely who cares for her
And she will marry some rich swell
A pretty girl like her a face like hers
will have dozens of suitors and of
course she will marry one of them and I
cant blame her
Not she returned Teddy stoutly
and Ill tell you the reason old fellow
taking his cousin literally by the button
of his red serge coat She wont look
at a duke if shes the girl I take her to
be and I ought to know her pretty well
because smiling and pausing for a mo
ment
Yes with feverish eagerness
Because she likes you Cant you
grasp that
It was about the only pleasant fact that
had been placed before him this morning
and he seized it with avidity And he did
grasp it most gratefully
Of course the loss of the money is a
bore said Teddy but I think you and
Esme would have fancied one another
anyhow without that Old George Brab
azon was certainly touched in the top
story leaving the reversion after six
months to this perfectly unnecessary na
tive college in Calcutta I think we all
are a little queer Uncle Sandy Uncle
George Aunt Jane myself and you with
your rushing out here at three days no
tice have certainly qualified for bring
called eccentric Hullo theres the
breakfast bugle and I must be off Cheer
up oldnnan it will he all right youll
see
Captain Brabazon sir said a rich
Milesian accent breathlessly Mr
Mitchells compliments and would ye
oblige him with the lind of a tin of
cocoa
Yes yes certainly impatiently go
to White
Time for us to be moving too to our
morning meal theres not much to set
before you Teddy but cold stew and
black coffee our rations being of the
least luxurious description
Im not particular about quality as
long as I have quantity and I fancy you
are even better off for grub than we are
Youre sure you dont hate the sight of
me Miles he added diffidently as they
pncemore came near the tents
ThaVs the second tie youve asked
me that Teddy No In fact take It
all around now that I hare got my breath
again so to speak Im very glad to see
you After all thingg are sot so black
as they were yesterday I might get on
the staff I might have some luck out
here and if Esme will only forgive me
if I thought there was any chance of
that I would be all right
It would not be necessary to describe
the condition of Miles Brabazons mind
at this period unless the term change
able from fair to stormy might be ap
plied to it At one time he was buoyed
up with hopes that rested on Teddys as
surance that Esme was a girl to stick to
a fellow through thick and thin and that
of course it would be all right but
these gleams of sunshine were but rare
generally he was plunged into an abyss
of despair To find that he had thrown
away a wife and fortune entirely through
a case of mistaken identity from ignor
ance of a somewhat transparent family
secret was a maddening reflection He
hated to be alone he hated to speculate
on what might have been He wrote
to Esme of course and also to Mrs
Brabazon and he counted the very days
until the answers would come He
thought with a sinking heart of the meag
er balance at his bankers Two hun
dred and fifty pounds a year besides his
pay was the very most he could scrape
together Ample hitherto for himself and
his modes i wants but for Esme it would
be beggary And now his mind sometimes
dwelt for a very long time with the most
poignant bitter regret on the lost forty
thousand pounds
CHAPTER XVI
What has happened now whence this
beaming face and these seraphicsmiles
inquired Gussie raising her eyes lazily
from her book as her sister entered the
room
Ive just had a letter from Miles re
plied Esme hastily advancing with an
air of bashful elation such a nice let
ter
Oh is that it rejoined Miss Braba
zon in a very wintry tone of voice And
pray what has he got to say for himself
Oh of course he is in a dreadful state
of mind I believe it is really worse for
him now than it ever was for me len
iently
I should hope so with a little angry
sniff I should humbly trust that he
was pretty thoroughly ashamed of him
self and his insane and idiotic behavior
You got out of the business better than
could have been expected thanks to Mrs
Bs presence of mind and talent for in
vention assuring everyone that at the
very last minute Miles had been compell
ed to go on foreign service
That only passed with outsiders said
Esme fhaking her head of course all
the servants and the villagers and the
Bells knew and the way people used to
stop on the road and look after me or
whisper together and point was too too
dreadful
The little trip you took with Aunt
Jane smoothed over matters that and
Mrs Bs courageous fabrications so
dont be ungrateful
Yes dubiously in a kind of way
but still I am always fancying that peo
ple are staring at me and talking about
me
Nonsense my dear Your affair is
forgotten long ago you are not of such
importance as you imagine it was only
a nine days wonder
Yes I dare say you are right Gussie
people have had heaps of other things to
think about Ah now drawing a long
sigh of relief of course it does not mat
ter as its all right
What on earth do you mean de
manded Augusta sharply turning half
round in her chair and surveying her sis
ter critically
I mean that the wedding dress locked
away upstairs will be worn after all
when he comes home said Esme shyly
To this remark there was no answer for
at least a minute and then Gussie said
very decidedly
Esme1 you must be mad you would
not think of marrying him now speak
ing as it were in capital letters
And pray why not regarding her
sister with angry blushes
He did not sav anvthine about it in
Phis letter did he apprehensively
There was no occasion we are as
much engaged as before there is no
change
No change Oh dear no certainly
net by no means sarcastically What
are you going to live upon you goose
Your money is being turned into bricks
and mortar at the other side of the globe
and Miles is a genteel pauper who will
find quite enough to do to keep himself
much less you and your excellent appe
tite with homely candor
But hesitatingly but Gussie I
have some money
Not a penny unless you marry to
please Mrs B and she hates Miles like
poison
I think you are very unkind to say
all these horrid things returned Esme
indignantly and with a suspicion of tears
in her voice This is not the way 1 take
your good news when you have any
and you always pretended to like Miles
so much
So I do my sweet silly sister as a
cousin but not as a brother-in-law Just
sit down here giving a chair a little
push and listen for a few minutes to
sound common sense When Miles was
an eligible parti you would not marry
him your accepting him at all was sim
ply because you saw him do a plucky
thing at Sandborough and carried off
your feet by the emotion of the moment
you said yes and then the wedding was
hurried on and the dresses and presents
were such delicious novelties you had not
the heart to go back But you were nev
er one bit in love with him you would
rather have Teddys little finger than
fifty Mileses
You are wrong quite wrong every
word you have said has been wrong
cried Esme with blazing cheeks be
cause Miles and I did not make an hum
bling exhibition of ourselves and sit hand
ia hand and arm in arm like other
wgiiBa7ijTWii ijiiit i
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pie expressively you imagine that we
that I dont care for him l ao very
much
I was not
talking of love I was talking of sense
my strong point you will please to re
member This time next year my beauti
ful impulsive sister I shall have you up
to London and marry you to some very
nice rich and if you are very good titled
young man Think of that
Marry anyone you like yourself my
dear Gussie but as far as I am concern
ed I shall never marry anyone but Miles
never
And yet in this very room and not so
very long ago you raved and stamped
and all but tore your hair out and declar
ed that dragged to the foot of the altar
you might be but become his bride nev
er And ah I see you remember the
episode I have just one little question
to ask and only one Supposing now
for the sake of argument that he wont
marry you what then
Ah this was a phase of the matter that
Esme had never contemplated but al
though she made prompt and cheerful an
swer to herself to her sisters query she
vouchsafed no reply beyond what might
be called a superior smile and loud and
triumphant poking of a most offensive
fire
Gussies allusion to Mrs Brabazon was
timely Esme well knew That lady had
always been antagonistic to her nephew
when he was a moneyed man and was
not likely to be any fonder of him now
that he was as poor as a church mouse
Quite lately she had awakened to a due
appreciation of the unusual personal gifts
of her younger step daughter and thor
ough understanding of her marketable
value a coronet Esmes visit to Brigh
ton her appearance at all the winter
country balls had given her quite a rep
utation and a certain young honorable
the eldest son of -Lard Mangei Wurzle
was constantly finding his way over to
Baronsford He was received by Gussie
with open arms by Esme with smiles for
he had been one of what Mrs Brabazon
would have called Teddys boon com
panions He was a pleasant ruddy faced
young gentleman with a cheery voice
frank unaffected manners and was real
ly very much enamored of the beautiful
Miss Brabazon Of course he heard that
she had been engaged to her cousin but
it was all broken off months ago and the
dear girl had never really cared about
him it was a family business so Mrs
Brabazon had whispered confidentially tos
Lady Mangei Wurzle and she looked for
ward to a double wedding before long for
Gussie had accepted her long suffering
Freddy who had come in for another
fortune and already as she remarked
complacently the presents had been both
numerous and costly Now here was
this odious tiresome Miles Brabazon
coming to the surface again and writing
Mrs Brabazon a long letter from some
outlandish camp in South Africa What
was to be done with him What a worry
and affliction he had been from first to
last What a good thing it would be if
the Boers were to kill him thought this
amiable lady Should she answer his
letter or not After some very grave
reflection she decided that she would re
ply and by the next mail in a friendly
spirit giving him largely of her forgive
ness and sympathy but appealing to him
forcibly to release Esme from her pres
ent ridiculous engagement The epistle
took some time to put together and as
she was sitting biting the end of her pen
in the throes ofcomposition Esme came
into the room with her hat on and said
she was going to the village with -the
post bag
I am not quite ready yet but in ten
minutes time I shall have finished I ant
writing a rather difficult letter to Miles
Yes returned Esme coloring and
looking at her interrogatively
Of course I forgive him freely but the
engagement must not be talked of justl
at present as matters are it would be too
imprudent You see my dear although
he is very nice himself he has nothing
to marry on now
But we can wait Mrs Brabazon
Ah yes you are only twenty you
have written to him too
Yes holding up a letter
Oh dear me you might have inclosed
mine and saved me sixpence it is not
stamped though I see
Not yet Im taking it to the post
Then give it to me it can go in mine
there is plenty of room in my envelope
and I have a stamp
Esme handed it over with a little reluc
tance She would have liked to have post
ed it herself but she did not one moment
doubt her stepmothers honesty of pur
pose and was firmly convinced ten min
utes later as she walked down to the
village with elastic springing steps that
she was carrying it over the first stage of
its long long journey and that in five
weeks it would be m Miles own hands
Deluded young damsel The instant she
had left the room Mrs Brabazon had
taken up her epistle had turned it overj
meditatively and said to herself This
billet doux will encourage him and that
would be fatal to all our hopes probably
she is telling him she will wait for him
for years smiling contemptuously No
no we cannot have any of that kind of
nonsense so this right minded honorable
lady deliberately walked over to the fire
poked an open place among the coals in
to which she carefully dropped the mis
sive for a second it lay seemingly star
ing at her like some living thing with
its clear address confronting her thus
Captain Brabazon
2d Battalion Royal Marchers
With the army in the field
South Africa
Then it became a delicate biscuit color
then it curled at the edges and suddenly
shot up in a bright flame and in another
moment a few black fragments lazily
sailing up the chimney were all that re
mained of Miss Esme Brabazons foreign
letter
To be continued
Mascagni as director of the conserv
atory at Pesaro the heir of Rossini
wants the Italian Parliament to pass
a law exempting the Barber of Se
ville the copyright of which has ex
pired from the operation of the copy
right law
Hearing that the little son of one of
her tradesmen was suffering from a
needle Imbedded in one of his arms
Queen Victoria sent her sympathy ana
a book of aniamls
Near the Caspian Sea there ire sot-
era eternal fires sa called by the- na
tives where natural gas Issues from
the ground and has been on fed fas
age
1
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SCENES AND CHARACTERS IN CHINESE WAR
TfTI E N -T S I Vj SCW
N TEQIOR O F THE WA iLg t CITY
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LISCUM AND DAVIS KILLED
Colonel of Ninth Infantry and Captain
of Marines Fall at Tien tsin
The Navy Department Monday morn
ing received official confirmation from
Admiral Remey of the reverse of the al
lied forces at Tien Tsin on the morning
of the 13th The dispatch is dated Che
foo and says
Reported that allied forces attacked
native city the morning of the 13th Rus
sians were on the right with Ninth in
fantry and marines on the left Losses
allied forces large Russian 100 includ
ing artillery colonel Americans over
thirty British over forty JaDanese fifty
eight including colonel French twenty
five Col Liscom Ninth infantry killed
also Capt Davis marine corps Capt
Tiemley Lieuts Butler and Leonard
WBrm W 1
If nmUL f
COLOKEL E H IISCUM
wounded At 7 evening allied attack on
native city was repulsed with great loss
Returns yet incomplete Details not yet
confirmed REMEY
V K 7T Hi X3St VmJrl J Mrs it
WvqCpngevlj Cogger 1 j Omej
UNITED STATES MINISTER CONGER WIPE AND DAUGHTER
RKVE3f GE IS THE CRY OF EUROPE SPREAD OF THE REBELLION
Fate of ForetKuers in Pekin Stirs War
Spirit in England
Revenge to day mourning to morrow
is practically the universalcry of Europe
but it is sorrowfully admitted that there
can be no revenge to day nor perhaps
for many to morrows for the incredible
barbarities that are reported to have
marked the last scenes within the lega
tions at Pekin Nothing is clearer a
London dispatch says than that the anti
foreign conflagration is rapidly permeat
ing even hitherto quiescent provinces and
the fate of the capital appears to threat
en other towns like Tien Tsin Chefoo
and even Shanghai The defeat of the
allied forces at Tien Tsin seems to place
that town in desperate straits and if re
treat to Taku is necessitated observers
consider that it will be likely to decide
the policy of wavering viceroys
Boxer Uprising Has Taken Hold of
Points in Southern China
A dispatch from Chefoo says Prince
Tuan has mobilized 030000 men divided
into different corps The northern corps
has been ordered to expel foreigners from
Amur The Pekin army is divided into
four corps the first of which is to oper
ate against Mukden and occupy the
roads between Pekin and
the second is to concentrate at
Tien Tsin and the third at Pekin whence
a column numbering 40000 will be sent
to and Tsin Tau while the
fourth corps will concentrate at Nankin
There are now 23000 Japanese troops in
China
The rebellion has taken hold of south
ern China The foreigners at Chu Chau
and In Chau have been attacked and are
fleeing panic stricken
-x
fi i rY T TTVT1T T 4 m fHTTIV mT
M Direction of attack by American B ritish Japanese and French troops 2 i Point to which Americans retired 3
Direction of Russian attack 4 Chinese position reported captured July 9 by the allies
At 2 oclock on the afternoon of the
13th 7000 of the allied troops attempted
to storm the wall of the city The Chin
ese on the walls were estimated conserv
atively at 20000 They poured a temnc
hail of artillery rifle and machine- gun
fire upon the attackers
The Americans suffered terribly lne
chief surgeon of the Ninth infantry said
a conservative estimate was that 2o per
cent of the Americans were hit Col
Wilson H Liscum was mortally wound
ed as he was walking in front of the
troops
grggmga
WAR AGAINST RUSSIA
Chinaa Hostile Acts Considered Tanta
mount to a Iteclaration
Chinas acts of hostility in Manchuria
are considered tantamount to a declara
tion of war against Russia The Chinese
seized a Russian transport boat laden
with munitions near Aigun on the River
Amur killed almost the entire Russian
escort and next made a sudden attack
upon Blagoveschensk bombarding the
town The garrison held out bravely but
were overwhelmed
twatChirm Xaukin announces
that Prince Tuan has
ordered a great
military movement owing to the appear
ance of the Japanese in China The vice
roy of Nankin has informed the foreign
consuls there that he cannot be
answera
ble for -events in Chao Sin
Chu Chau The foreigners
arefleeing to
Shanghai The position is alarming Six
teen foreigners have- arrived at Nankin
from where theousesof for
eigners have been burned and mission
aries horribly maltreated
IITW
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