TlTTfl ttltrAlTA TsATT.V A V. HCAV 1A 1BOQ
THE HOUR GLASS.
IV ROKEKT IJARR.
i i i
( Copyright , 1S9S , the 8. B , MtCluro Co. )
I I.
Bertram Enstforil had Intended to pass
the shop of his old friend , the curiosity
dealer , Into whose pocket so much of his
money had gone , for trinkets gathered from
all quarters of the globe. He knew It was
weakness on his part to select that street
when ho might have taken another , but ho
thought It would do no barm to treat him
self to ono glance at tbo seductive window
of the old curiosity shop , where the dealer
was In the habit of displaying his latest ac
quisitions. The window was never quite
tbo same , nnd It bad a continued fascination
for Bertram Eastford , but this tlmo ho said
to himself resolutely , he would not enter ,
having , as he assured himself , the strength
of mind to forego this temptation. How
ever , he reckoned without his window , for
In It there was an old object newly dis
played , which caught his attention as ef
fectually as a half-driven nail arrests the
hem of a cloak. On the central ahelf of the
window Blood an hour glass , Its framework
of eomc wood as black as ebony. He stood
gazing at It for n moment , then turned to
the door and went Inside , greeting the an
cient shopman , whom he knew BO well.
"I want to look at the hour glass you have
In the window , " ho said.
"Ah , yes , " replied the curiosity dealer ,
"tho cheap watch has driven tbo hour glass
out of the commercial maikct , and we rarely
pick up a thing llko that nowadays. "
Ho took tbo hour glass from the shelf In
the window , reversed It and placed It on a
table. The ruddy sand began to pour
through Into the lower receptacle In a thin ,
constant stream , as It It wcro blood that
had been dried nnd powdered. Kastford
watched the over-Increasing heap at the
bottom , rising conlcally , changing Ha
shape every moment as little avalanches of
the sand fell tuvay from Its lightening sides.
"Thcro IB no need for you to extol Its
antiquity , " said Eastford with a smile. "I
knew the moment I looked at It that such
glasses arc rare , and > ou are not going to
find mo a cheapening customer. "
"So far from ovcr-pralslug It , " protesting
the shopman , "I was about to call your at
tention to a defect. It Is useless as a meas
urer of time. "
"It doesn't record the exact hour , theu ? "
asked Kastford.
"Well , 1 suppose the truth Is they wcro
not very particular In the old days , and
tlmo was not money as It Is now. It meas
ures the hour with great accuracy , " the
curio dealer went on , "that Is , If you watch
It , but , strangely enough , utter It has run
for half an hour or thereabouts , through
some defect In the neck of the glass , or la
the pulverizing of the sand , It stops , and
will not go again unless the glass Is shaken. "
The hour glass at that moment verified
what the old man said. The tiny stream of
sand suddenly ceased , but went on again
the moment Its owner Jarred the frame ,
nnd continued pouring without Interruption ,
"That Is very singular , " said Kastford.
i"llow do you account for It ? "
"I Imagine It Is caused by some Inequal
ity In the grains of sand , probably a few
atoms larger than the others como together
nt the neck , and s"o stop the percolation. It
always docs It , and , of course , I cannot
remedy the matter because the glass Is her
metically scaled.
"Well , I don't want It as n timekeeper ,
BO wo will not allow that defect to Inter
fere with the sale. How much do you ask
for It ? "
The dealer named his price , and Eastford
paid the amount asked.
"I shall send It to you this afternoon. "
"Thank you , " said the customer , taking
his Icavo.
That night , In his room , Bertram East-
ford wrote busily until a late hour. When
his work was concluded ho pushed away
his manuscript with a sigh of that deep
contentment which comes to a man who
has not wasted his day. Ho replenished
his open fire , drew bis most comfortable
armchair In front of It , took the green
shade from his lamp , thus filling the lux
urious apartment with a light that was re
fleeted from'armor and from ancient weap
ons , standing In corners and hung along
the walls. Ho lifted the paper-covered
package , cut the string that bound It , and
placed the ancient hour glass on his table
watching the thin stream of sand which
his action had set running. The constant
unceasing , steady downfall seemed to hyp
notize htm. Its descent was as silentas
the footsteps of tlmo Itself. ' Suddenly It
topped , as It had done In the shop , and Its
abrupt ceasing jarred on his tingling nerves
llko an unexpected break In the stillness
Ho could almost Imagine an Unseen ham
clasping the thin cylinder of the glass and
throttling li. He shook the tfrgone time
measurer , and breathed again more steadily
when the sand resumed Its motion. Pres
ently he took the glass from the table am
examined It with some attention. H
thought at first Its frame was ebony , bu
further Inspection convinced him it wa
oak , blackened with age. On ono round cm
was carved rudely two hearts overlapping
and twined about them a pair of serpents
"Now , I wonder what thafs for ? " mur
mured Eastford to himself. "An attemp
at a coat-of-nrms perhaps. "
There was no clew to the meaning of th
hieroglyphics , and Eastford , with the glas
balanced on his knee , watched the am
till running , the crimson threads sparkling
in the lamplight. He fancied he saw dls
torted reflections of faces in the convo
glass , although his reason told him the
were but caricatures of his own. Th
great bell in the tower near by with slow
solemnity tolled 12. He counted Its tneas
ured strokes one by one , and then was
startled by a decisive knock at his door
One' section of his brain considered thl
visit untimely , another looked on It as per
fectly usual , and while the two were nrgu
ing the matter out he heard his own vole
Cry :
"Come in ! "
II.
The door opened , and the discussion be
twcen the government and the opposition I
his mind ceased to consider tbo untlmell
ness of the visit , for here In the vlslto
hlmielf stood another problem. He wa
a young man In military costume , his unl
form being that of an officer. Eastford re
tnembered seeing something llko it on the
toge , and knowing llttlo of military affairs ,
thought perhaps the costume of the visitor
before him indicated an officer in the Na
poleonic war.
"Good evening , " said the incomer. "May
I Introduce myself ? I am Lieutenant Sen-
tore of the' regular army. "
"You are very welcome , " returned bis
host. "Will you be aeated ? "
' "Thank you , no. I have but a few mo
menta to stay. I have come for my hour
glass , if you will bo good enough let me
have It. "
' . 'Your hourglass ? " ejaculated Eastford , In
j t surprise. "I think you labor under a
ft. misapprehension. The glass belongs to me.
. I bought it today at the old curiosity shop
In Finchnlore street. "
"I admit that , technically , rightful posSession -
Session of tbo glass rots with you , but ,
taking you to be a gentleman , I venture .
to believe that a mere statement .of my
priority of claim will appeal to you , even
i III' I I I l
lough It might have no effect on the tnlndn
f a Jury of our countrymen. "
"You mean to say that the gloss has been
olcn from you , and has been sold ? "
"It has been sold , undoubtedly , over and
vcr again , but never stolen , so far as I
ave been able to trace Its history. "
"If then the glass has been honestly pur
posed by Its different owners , I fall to sec
ow you can possibly establish any claim
o It. "
"I have already rfdmlttcd that my claim
s moral rather than legal , " continued the
Isltor. "It la n long story ; have I your
ermlsslon to tell It ? "
"I shall bo delighted to listen , " replied
JasUord , "but before doing so I beg to re-
ew my Invitation , and ask you to occupy
ils easy chair before the fire. "
The officer bowed In silence , crossed the
oem behind Eastford , and sat down In tbo
irmchalr , placing his sword across his
cnees. Tha stranger spread his hands bo-
ere the Ore , and seemed to enjoy the com-
ortlng warmth. Ho remained for a few
moments burled in deep reflection , qutto
gnorlng the presence of his host , who ,
lancing upon the hour glass In dispute
lion his knees , seeing the sands had all
un out , silently reversed it , and set them
unnlng again. This action caught the corer -
er of the stranger's eye , and brought him
o a realization of why he was there. Draw-
ng a heavy sigh , ho began his story.
III.
"In the year 1706 I hold the post of lieu-
cnant In that part of tbo British army
ommandcd by General Trelawny , the su-
iremo command being , of course , In the
lands of the great Marlborougb. "
Eastford listened to this announcemcnl
vlth the idea that there was something ab-
urd about the statement. The man sit
ing there was calmly talking of a time
192 years past , and yet ho himself could
not bo a day more than twenty-five years
old. Somewhere entangled In this were the
elements' of labsurdlty" Eastford found him
self unnhlq o unr/vveljhem / , but the more
he thought of the matter the more reason
able It began to appear , and BO , hoping his
visitor had not noted the look of surprise
on his face , he said quietly , casting his
mind brick o'vei"the'1 ' t8torr"of England , and
remembering iWhat.h.Phad learned at school :
"That was during the war of the Spanish
succession ? " '
"Yes , the war had then bpen in progress
four years , and many brilliant victories had
been w&h" , thb greatest of Vhlch was proba
bly the battle , of Blenheim. "
"Quite so , " murmured Eastford.
It was the English , Casper cried ,
Thut put the French to rout ,
But what they killed each other for ,
I never could make out.
* *
The officer lo6ked up in astonishment.
"I never heard anything like that said
about the war , The reason for It was perfectly
'
fectly plain. 'We had to fight , or acknowl
edge France-io be the dictator of Europe.
Still , politics has nothing to do with my
story. General"Trelawny and his forces
were In Brabant- and were under orders
to Join { ha duke of Maryborough's army. We
wore to go through the country as speedily
as possible , for a great battle was expected.
Trelawny's Instructions were to capture cer
tain towns and cities that lay In our way ,
to dismantle the' fortresses , and to parole
their garrisons. We could not encumber
ourselves with prisoners , and so marched
the garrisons out , paroled them , destroyed
their arms and bade them disperse. But ,
great as was our hurry , strict orders had
been given to' leave -strongholds In our
rear untaken , . Everything went well until
wo came to the town of Elsengore , which
we captured without the loss of a man.
The capture of the , town , however , was ot
little avail , for In the center ot it stood a
strong citadel , which we tried to take by
assault , but could not. General Trelawny
a very irascible , hot-headed man , but on the
whole a just and capable officer , impatient
at this .unexpected delay , offered the garrison
risen almost any terms they desired to evac
uate the castle. But having had warning
of our coming , they had provisioned the
place , were well supplied with ammunition ,
and their commander refused to make terms
with General Trelawny. ,
" 'It you want the place , ' said the French
man , " 'come and take It. '
"General Trelawny , angered at this con
temptuous treatment , flung his men again
and again at the citadel , and that without
making , the slightest Impression on it
"We were in no wise prepared for a long
siege , nor had we expected stubborn re
sistance. Marching quickly , as was our
custom beretcfore , we possessed no heavy
artillery , and so were at a disadvantage
when attacking a fortress as strong as
that ot Elsengore. Meanwhile General Tre
lawny sent mounted messengers by different
roads to his chief , giving an account of
what had happened , explaining bis delay
In Joining -the mala- army , and asking for
definite Instructions , He expected that one
> ' >
or two at least of thV'mounted messengers
sent awar everyday would reach bis chief
and be enabled to return. And that is
exactly'what happened7or one day a dusty
horseman-came General. Trelawny's bead-
quarters with abrlef _ note from Marlbor-
ough. The commander-In-chief said :
" 'I ' Is
think the Frenchman's advice
good. We want the place , therefore , take
It. '
"But be sent .aa .b av . artillery to aid
us In this task , for he could not spare his
(
big guns , expecting , M he did , an Important
battle. General Trelawny , Jutting his
l/ork thu * cut out for him , nettled down to
accomplish It as best ho might. Ho quar
tered officers and mm In various parts of
the town , the more thoroughly to keen
watch of the citizens , of whom good Inten
tion * , If the siege were prolonged , we wcro
by no means sure. It fell to my lot to be
lodged In the house of Burgomaster Scldcl-
mlcr , of whoso conduct I have no reason ( o
complain , for ho treated mo well. I was
given two rooms , one a large , low apartment
on the first floor , and communicating di
rectly with the outside by means of a hall
nnd n separate stairway. The room was
lighted by n long , many-pancd window ,
leaded and filled with diamond-shaped glass.
Beyond this large drawing room was ray
bed room. I must say that I enjoyed my
stay In Burgomaster Scldclmler's house , not
the less so because bo had an only daugh
ter , a most charming girl. Our acquaintance
ripened Into deep friendship , and afterward
Into but that has nothing to do with what
I have to tell you. My story Is of war and
not of love. Gretllch Seldelmler presented
me with the hourglass you have In your
hand , nnd on It I carved the Joined hearts
entwined with our similar initials.
"So they nro initials , are they ? " said
Eastford , glancing down at what ho had
mistaken for twining serpents.
"Yes , " said the officer , "I was more ac
customed to a sword than to an etching
tool , and the letters are but rudely drawn.
Ono evening after dark Gretllch and I wore
whispering together In the hall , when we
heard the heavy tread of the general com
ing up the stair. The girl fled precipitately ,
and I , holding open the door , waited the
approach * of my chief. Ho entered and
curtly asked me to close tbo door.
"Lieutenant , " ho said , "It Is my Intention
to capture the citadel tonight. Get together
twenty-five of your men and have them
ready under the shadow of this house , but
give no one hint of what you Intend to do
with them. In one hour's tlmo leave this
place as quietly as possible and make an
attack on the western entrance of the cita
del. Your attack Is to be but n feint and
to draw off their forces to that point. Still ,
If any of your men stiscocd In gaining en
trance to the fort , lh"y shall not lack re
ward and promotion. Have you a watch ? "
"Not ono that will go , general ; but I
have an hourglass hero. "
"Very well , set It running. Collect your
men and exactly at the hour lead them to
" " GASPED "THERE IS YOUR CITADEL. "
"THERE , GENERAL , I , .
the west front ; It is but five mlnutea'-qulcl :
march from here. An hour and five minutes
from this moment I expect you to begin
the attack , and the moment you are'before
the western gate make.as much noise as
your twenty-five men are capable of , so as
to lead the enemy io believe that'the at
tack is a serious one. " ,
Saying this , the general turned and made
his way , heavy footed , through the "hall
and down the stairway. . . , . . < .
I set the hourglass running , and went
at once to call my men , stationing them
where I bad been ordered to.place .them.
I returned to have a word with Gretllch
before I departed on what I knew was a
dangerous mission. Glancing at the hour
glass I saw that not more than a quarter
of the sand had run down during my ab
sence. I remained in the..doorway where
I could keep an eye on the hour glass , while
the girl stood leaning her arm against the
angle of the dark passageway , suppgrfjng
her fair heek on her open palm , and , standIng -
Ing thus In the darkness , she talked to me
in whispers. We talked , and JaJVeden
gaged in that sweet , endless conversation
that murmurs in subdued tone round the
world , being duplicated thatt momentat , who
knows how many places. Absorbed as I
was In listening , at last there crept Into my
consciousness the factthatthe , , sand , la the
upper bulb was not diminishing as fast as
it should. This knowledge was fully in
my mind for some time before I realized
*
its fearful significance. Suddenly the dim
knowledge took an actuality. I sprang from
the door lintel , saying : _ _
"Good heavens , the sand In the1 hourglass
has stopped running ! "
IV. *
I remained there , motionless , all action
struck from my rigid limbs , gazing at thu
hourglass on the table. Gretltch peering
In at the doorway , and looking at the hour
glass and not at me , having no suspicion of
the ruin Involved In the stoppage of that
miniature sand storm , said presently :
"O , yes ; I forgot to tell you it does that
now and then , and so-you must shake-the
glass. "
She bent forward as if to do this vrh.en the
leaden windows shuddered--and the bouse
Itself trembled with the sharp crash of our
light cannon , followed "almost Immediately
by the deeper detonation of the heavier guns
from the citadel. The red sandjln the glass
' "
began tofall again , and' ltT" llberatlon
seemed .to unfetter , my paralyzed limbs.
Bareheaded as I was , I rushed like one fran
tic along the passage and' own the stairs.
The air was resonant with tbo quick follow
ing reports of the cannon , and the long ,
narrow street was fitfully llV'tip as if by
quick flashes of summer lightning. My
men were still standing where I had placed
them. Giving a quick word of command , I
marched them down the street and out , into
the square , where I met General Trelawny
coming back from the futile assault. Like
myself , he was bareheaded , and his white
hair bristled with rage. His military coun
tenance was begrimed wth | powder smoke ,
but he spoke to me with no trace of anger
In his voice.
"Lieutenant Scntore , " be said , "disperse
your men. " , . s. <
I gave the word to disband my men , and
then stood at attention before him. _
"Lieutenant Sentore , " ht said in the same
level voice , "return to your quarters and
consider yourself under arrest. Await my
coming there. " Iturned _ and obeyed his
orders. It seemed incredible thai the sand
should still be running In the hourglass , for
ages had passed over my head since last
I was In that room. I paced up and down
awaiting the coming of my chief , feeling
neither fear nor regret , but rather dumb
despair. In a few minutes his heavy tread
wan on the stnlr , followed by the measured
tramp of a file of men. Ho came Into the
room , and with him WAJ a sergeant and four
soldiers , fully armed. The general was
trembling with rngc , but held strong con
trol over himself , an was hi * habit on se
rious occasions. "Lieutenant Scntore. " ho
said , "why wcro you not at your post ? "
"The running sand In the hourglass" ( I
hardly recognized my own voice on hearing
It ) , "stopped when but halt exhausted. I
did not notice Its Interruption until It was
too late. "
The general glanced grimly at the hour-
lass. The last sands wcro falling through
.o the lower bulb. I saw that ho did not
x'llovo my explanation.
"It seems now to bo In perfect working
rder , " be said at last.
He Btrodo up to it and reversed it , watch-
ng the sand pour for a few moments , then
ho spoke abruptly :
"Lieutenant Sentore , your sword. "
I handed my weapon to him without a
word. Turning to the sergeant , he said :
"Lieutenant Scntore Is sentenced to death ,
lo has an hour for whatever preparations
he chooses to make. Allow him to dispose
it that hour as he chooses , so long as ho
emalns within this room and holds con
verse with no one whatever. When the last
; ands ot this hour glass are run Lieutenant
Sentore will stand at the other end of this
room and meet the death merited by
raltors , laggards or cowards. Do you un
derstand your duty , sergeant ? "
"Yes , general. "
General Trelawny abruptly left the room
nnd we heard his heavy steps echoing
hroughout the silent house , and later more
faintly on the cobblestones of the street.
When they had died away n deep stillness
set In , I standing alone at one end of the
room , my eyes fixed on the hourglass , and
, ho sergeant with his four men , llko statues
at the other , also gazing at the same sinis
ter object. The sergeant was the first to
break the silence.
"Lieutenant , " ho said , "do you wish to
write anything "
Ho stopped short , being an unready man ,
arely venturing far beyond yes and no.
"I should llko to communicate with ono
n this household , " I said , "but the general
has forbidden It , BO all I ask Is that you
shall have my body conveyed from this
room as speedily as possible after the execu
tion. "
'Very good , lieutenant , " answered the
sergeant. *
After that , for a long time , no word was
spoken. I watched my llfo run redly
through the wasp waist of the transparent
0laBS , then suddenly the sand ceased to
flow , half in the upper bulb , half In the
owor. "It has stopped , " said the sergeant ,
'I must shake the glass. "
"Stand where you are , " I commanded
sharply. "Your orders do not run to that. "
The habit of obedience rooted the ser
geant to the spot.
"Send one of your men to General Trel
awny , " I said , as If I had still the right to
be obeyed. "Tell him what has happened ,
and ask for Instructions. Let your man
tread lightly as he leaves the room. "
The sergeant did not hesitate a moment ,
but gave the order I required of him. The
soldier nearest the door tiptoed out of tbo
house. Probably moro than halt an hour
had passed , during which no man moved ,
the sergeant and his three remaining sol
diers seemed afraid to breathe , then wo
heard the step of the general himself on
the stair. I feared that this would glvo
the needed Impetus to the sand In the glass ,
but when Trelawny entered the status quo
remained. The general stood looking at
the suspended sand , without speaking.
"That is what happened before , general ,
nnd that Is why I was not at my place. I
have committed the crime ot neglect , and
have thus'deservedly ' earned my death , but
I shall die the happier'It my general be
lieves I am neither a traitor nor n coward. "
The general , still without a word , ad
vanced to the table , slightly shook the hour
glass and the sand began to pour again.
Then he picked-It .up in his hand , examined
It minutely , as If it were some kind ot u
strange toy , turning it over and over. He
clanced up at mo and said , quite In his
usual tone , as it nothing In particular had
como between us :
"Remarkable thing that , Sentore , isn't it ? "
"Very , " I answered grimly.
He put the glass down.
"Sergeant , take your men to quarters.
Lieutenant Sentore , I return to you your
sword , you can perhaps make better use of
it alive than dead. I nm not a man to bo
disobeyed , reason or no reason. Remember
that , and now go to bed. "
Ho left me without further word , and
buckling on my sword , I proceeded straight
way to disobey him.
V.
I had a great liking for General Tre
lawny. Knowing how he fumed and I
"STAND WHERE YOU ARE ! '
raged at being thus held helpless by
an apparently Impregnable fortress In
the unimportant town of Elsvrigore , 1
had myself studied .the citadel from all
points , and had come to the conclusion
that it might be successfully attempted
not by the great gates that opened on
tbo square of thej town , nor by , the In
ferior west gates , but fey scaling the roem-
ingly uncllmbablo cliffs at the north tide.
The wall at the toprof this precipice vas
low , and owing to thd height of the beetling
cliff , was Inefficiently .vratched by one lone
sentinel , who paced i the battlements from
corner tower to corner tower. I bad made
my plans , Intending ! to ask tbo general's
permission to risk thm venture , but now
I resolved to try it'tolthout ' his knowledge
or consent , and thus aretrleve , if I could
my failure ot the foregoing part of the
night Taking with into a long , thin rope
which I had In my room , anticipating such
a trial for It , I rMMd five of my picked
men , and silently wo made our way to the
foot of the northern Cliff. Here , with the
rope around my waist , * ! worked my way
diagonally up along a cleft in the rock
which , like others parallel to it , marked the
face of the precipice. A slip would be fatal
The loosening of a stose would give warning
to the sentinel , whose slow steps I heard on
the wall above me , bat at last I reached a
narrow ledge without accident , and standing
up In the darkness , my chin was level with
the top of the wall on which the sentry
paced. The shelf between the bottom of the
wall and the top of the cliff was perhaps
three , feet in width , and gave ample room
for a man careful of hisfooting. Aided by
the rope , the others , less expert climbers
than myself , made their way to my side one
by one , and the six of us stood on the ledge
under the low wall. 'We were all In our
stocking feet , some of the men , In fact
ot even having stockings OB. A * the sen
tlncl paused , we crouching In the dnrknrns
under the wnll , the most stalwart of our
party sprang up behind htm , The soldier
bad taken oft his jacket , and , tiptoeing bo *
lilnd the sentinel , ho threw the garment over
his head , tightening It with a twist Hint
nearly choked the man. Then selling hln
gun so that It would not clatter on the
stones , held him thus helpless while wo flvo
climbed up beside him. Feeling under the
jacket I put my right hand firmly on the
sentinel's thront , and nearly choking the
breath out ot him , said :
"Your life depends on your actions now.
Will you utter a sound If I lot go your
throat. "
The man shook his head vehemently and
I released my clutch.
Now , " I said to him , "where Is the pow
der stored ? Answer In a whisper and
speak truly. "
"Tho bulk of the powder , " ho answered ,
"Is In the vault below the citadel. "
"Where is the rest of it ? " I whispered.
"In the lower room ot the round tdwer
by the gate. "
"Nonsense , " I said , "they would never
store It In a place so liable to attack. "
"Thero was nowhere else to put It , " re
plied the sentinel , "unless they left It < n
the open courtyard , which would bo quite
as unsafe. "
"Is the door to the lower room in the
tower bolted ? "
"Thcro Is no door , " replied the sentry ,
"but a low nrchway. This archway has not
been closed , because no cannon balls overcome
como from the northern side.
"How much powder Is there In this room ? "
"I do not know ; nine or ten barrels , 1
think. "
It was evident to mo that the fellow , In
his fear , spoke the truth. Now the ques
tion was , how to get down from the wall
Into the courtyard and across that to the
nrchway at the southern side. Cautioning
the sentinel again that If he made the
slightest attempt to escape , or glvo the
alarm , Instant death would be meted to htm ,
I told him to gulilo us to the archway , which
ho did , down the stone steps thnt led from
the northern wall Into the courtyard. They
seemed lo keep loose watch Inside , the only
sentinels In the place being those on the
upper walls. But the man wo bad captured
not appearing nt his corner In tlmo , Ills
comrade on the western sldo became
alarmed , spoke to him , nnd obtaining no
answer shouted for him , then discharged
his gun. Instantly the place was In an up
roar. Lights flashed , and from different
guardrooms soldiers poured out. I saw
across the courtyard the archway the sen
tinel had spoken of , and calling my men
made a dash for It. The besieged garrison ,
not expecting an enemy within , had been
rushing up the stone steps at each Bide to
the outer wall 'tb ' mart the "cannon they had
so recently quitted , .and lt was some min
utes before a knowledge of the real state
of things came to them. These few min
utes were all wo needed , but I saw there
was no chance for a slow match , while If
wo flrcd the 'mine wo probably would die
under the tottering tower. By the tlmo we
reached , the archway and found the POT , dor
jurrcls , the bc'slegedr ' finding everything sl-
cnt outside , came to a realization of the
true condition of affairs. Wo faced them
with bayonets fixed , * whlle Sept , the man
who had captured th'e sentinel , took the
latchet he had brought with him at his
girdle , flung 'over dno of the barrels on Its
side , knocked in the head of it , allowing
: ho dull black powder to pour on the cobble
stones. Then filling his hat with the ex
plosive ho catne.out toward us , leaving a
; hlck trail behind him. By this tlmo we
were sorely beset , and one of our men had
gone down under the fire of the enemy , who i
shot wildly , being baffled by the darkness ,
otherwise all.of . us had been slaughtered. I
seized a musket from a comrade and shouted
to the rest :
'Save yourselves , " and to the garrison in
French I gave the same warning , then I
fired the musket into the train of powder ,
and next Instant found myself half stunned
and bleeding at the farther end of the court
yard. The roar of the explosion and the
crash of the falling tower was deafening.
All Elsengore was aroused by the earth
quake shock. I called to my men when I
could find my volce'abd Sebt answered from
one eide .and two more from another. To
gether we tottered across the debris-strewn
courtyard. So'rher wOOdwbrk Inside the cita
del had taken Are and was burning fiercely ,
and this lit up the ruins end made visible
the great gap In the wall at the fallen gate.
Into the square bejpw we saw the whole
town pouring , soldiers and civilians alike
coming from the narrow streets Into the'
open quadrangle , j made my way , leaning
on Sept ] over the broken gate and down the |
causeway into" the square , and there , fore
most of all , met my general , with a cloak
thrown round him , to make up for his want
of coat : "
"There , general , " I gasped ; "thero Is your
citadel , and through this gap can we march
to meet Marlborough. "
"Pray , sir , who the devil are you ? " cried
the general , for my "face was llko that of a
Blackmoor ; -
"I am the lieutenant who has once nloro
dlsoEeye'd "your"orders' , "general , In the hope
of retrieving a former mistake. "
"Sentore ! " he cried , rapping out an oath.
' "I Bh'all h'a you"courtmartialed "
vt court-martialed , sir.
"I think , fc-eneral , " I said , "that I am
court-martialed already , ' for I thought then
that thoVand of leath was upon me , which
shows the effect of Imagination , for my
wounds were not serious , yet I sank Aovfa
at the general's feet. Ho 'raised me in his
arms as if I hod been his own son and thus
carried mo to my rooms. Seven years later ,
when the war ended , I got' leave of absence
and came back to Elsengore for Gretltch
Seldelmler and the hourglass. "
As the lieutenant ceased speaking East-
ford thought he heard again the explosion
at the tower , and started to his feet In
nervous alarm , then looked at the lieutenant
and laughed , while ho said :
"Lieutenant , I was startled by that noise
lust now nnd thought for the moment thnt
I wan In tlrabnnt. You have made goo.I
jour claim to the hourglass nnd you are
welcome to It , "
But as ho spoke he turned his eyes to
ward the chair In which the lieutenant hail
been seated nnd found It vacant. Gazing
round the room In halt somnolent dismay ho
naw that ho was Indeed alone. At his feet
was the shattered hourglass , which had fal
len from his knees , Its blood red sand
mingling with the colors on the carpet.
astford said , with an air ot surprise :
"By Jove ! "
MIGHT JOIN REGULAR ARMY
to Serve Tliclr Conn-
trr Ilnvc mi Excellent Chance
to Got In There ,
"It's most surprising to mo that so many
men nro seeking to enlist In the volunteer
regiments from various states , white few ap
ply for admission to the regular army , " said
an army officer ot high rank to a Bee re
porter today. Continuing , he said : " 1 sup-
posd Its because they do not understand the
conditions surrounding enlistment In the
regular army In tlmo of war. Most men
think that If they go Into the regular army
now they will have to serve the regular
period of enlistment , but this Is nil wrong.
President McKlnley has Issued a letter ,
stating that nil those who Join the nrmy
now , In response to his call for troops , will
bo given nn opportunity to secure their hon
orable discharge at the end ot the war. I
am sure the bulk of the men who want to
go to war do not understand this. At the
end of the war the soldiers In the regular
army will have a chnnco to leave
the army If they so desire , nnd
there will necessarily bo n reduction In the
numbers , because after the war Is over the
first thing that will bo done probably will
bo to cut down the size of the standing
army. Even should congress decide to have
n larger regular army than w.o hnvo had In
the past thcro will still bo some cutting
down to bo done.
"Tho ono thing that probably attracts so
many more men to the stnto troops than to
the regular army Is n desire for association
with one's friends. If it company IB going
to bo sent from your home town and all the
fellows you have gone with arc going with
It , It Is natural that you should prefer to
go with that company. But there arc ad
vantages , It seems to pie , In being In the
regular army that will outweigh the matter
of association In the state troops.
"If n man Is anxious to see active service ,
If he really wants to get to the front , his
chances are much better In the regular
than In the state troops. - Of
course , I do not know .anything
about the movements that may be made , but
It looks very much as' though the regulars
would bo sent to the front first. ,
"Another thing In favor of < snllstlntj In
the regular army Is that a "uian U under
experienced officers , and Is. apt to have better
care taken of him than In the other troops.
Ho will bo better fed al&o , ns tbo icmpany
cooks hnvo had years of experience in feudIng -
Ing soldiers. A further attraction Is In
the company funds ' In the regular army.
These funds are taccummu.latud from tbo
canteen , and often 'times the funds of n com
pany run from $500 up as high as 43,000.
This money Is used Jar buyln-j vegetables
'
and other things fo'r the t.ib'.o ' that hVo not
provided In the rations that mo. served.
When the soldier In , the ' jitate troop * wants
something extra he w'llf have to RO down
Into his pocket and pay for It , . 1 am net
saying anything against enlisting in tbo
state troops , but I think It Is because the
conditions In the regular army are not
understood that so few ileslro to enlist.
I The pay Is Just exactly the same whether n
! ' man serve In ono of the stlto companies
or goes Into tho- regular army , nnd except
for the one clement of association all I he
circumstances In connecllon with the regular
army nro more desirable. "
One Minute Is not long , yet relief Is ob
tained in half that time by the use of One
Minute Cough Cure. H prevents consump
tion and quickly cures colds , croup , bron
chitis , pneumonia , la grippe and all throat
nnd lung troubles. '
Incrcnuc In Dlnnrdcrly Fine * .
As a result ot the ordinance fining Inmates
and keepers of disorderly houses , 223 fines
have been paid Into the city treasury so
far this month. This number Includes the
fines paid by inmates of "housed , ' keepers of
bouses and keepers of houses of assignation.
The fine Imposed on Inmates Is (5 and costs.
1 Keepers pay $17and. . costs and keepers of
\ houses of assignation pay $37 and costs.
i The total number of fines' patd last' month
i was 215 , but the police hope to bring the
number far above that this month. "Several
raids on wine rooms and music halls have
brought women into court who eluded the
fine last month and the fine Is being rigidly
enforced on all-persons who in any way con
tribute to the support 61 UUch houses. -
Warden * Capture a Seine.
The fish wardens who are working around
Cut-Off lake under the direction of Sheriff
McDonald have made a haul. While patrol Ing
the shores of the lake .they saw a , couple ot
men putting In a seine and upon giving
chase the men escaped by hiding In the
brush. The wardens fired a number ot
shots and beat about tho'underbrush for a
time , but failed to locate tbeir men. They
then turned their attention to the seine and
upon pulling It onto the bank Jound that It
was about 400 feet long. As soon as an
order can be secured from the court it will
be destroyed.
InillniiH in Police Court.
Four Indians , Allen Jones , Joseph John
son , Reuben Hill and U. S. ' Grant were ar
raigned In police court on a charge of dis
orderly conduct. The Indians are attending
federal court , and ns , they were not drunk
and no ono seemed to be able to tell any
thing they bad done out of the way , they
were released on their own recognizances.
Maps ot Cuba at The BeeAfflce Omaha
Council Bluffs or South Omaha. Cut a
coupon from page 2. Address Cuban map
" *
dept
Finest Flavor and
Fragrance
are found In a cup of
Japan Tea
Absolutely the Purest. Cleanest ,
' Most Wholesome.
OFFICIALLY INSPECTED BEFORE EXPORTATION.
11 Invigorates in tbe morning , refreshes
at night , " good at all times.
VUlt the Jipan Tu Garden at the Omaha ExpotHlom
Seat
Grocer *
ff" .
Everywhere.
"THOUGHTLESS FOLKS HAVETHE HARDEST -
EST WORK , BUT QUICKWITTED
PEOPLE USE
SAPOLIO
* - '
See That Stamp !
It Is the Government
Internal Ucvcmtc Stamp
over the Cork nnd Cup.
Bulo of every tx > tt1e of
\
Certifying to the Age and Purity of the
Whisky.
NOTR. It Is the Government's Guar
antee thnt gee * with this bottling. See
that the name W. A. CAMS A CO. ls printed
on the stomp.
ALL DEALERS SELL IT
It's not a "patent" medicine , but Is prepared
direct from tuo formula ot E. E. Unrton , M. U. ,
Cleveland's most eminent Bpeclollrt.bylijnlraor
O.IicnsonPh.D.H.S. llAU-IiKNlMhourcnU
cst known restorative and Invlgorator. It cro
tc solid llosli , iniKclo nnd nlrrnglli , clears
the brain , trmltcH the blood
lure and rich and causes a
general fcrllntr of health ,
strength nnd renewed vital *
Ity , whllo the Rcnonitlvo or-
Bans nro helped to rcinln ; their
ncrmnl po crs and the suf
ferer Is nulclily made eon-
Kclous of direct benefit. O o
box will worU wonders , t > lz
Rliould perfect n euro. Full
directions In every Imx , or fill
out the dlnpnosls Khcet you
find enclosed , uid wo will rtivo
your case special attention will out extra
charge. HAK-lliN is for halo n < all dm ?
stores , n no-dotio Imx for fiO n nt i , or w o wilt
mall It securely ncnlcd on receipt of price. ,
DllS. HAKTONAND11KNSON.
01 Uar-llciillloclt , Cleveland , O.
For Bale by Kuhn & Co. , 15th mid Dons-
las ; J. A. 1'Hiller & Co. , H02 DoilKlns St. ,
and Graham Drill ? Co. , 10th and Knrnam ;
KlnK IMinrmncy , 2"lh nnd Leaven worth ;
I'pyton'H I'lmrmacy , 21th and Lpnvcnwortli ;
13. J. Seykorn , South Otnalm , nnd nil other
duipKlstH In Omaha , South Omaha , Council
ItlufTH.
I .COOK REMEDY CO.
BLOOD
POISON
A SPECIALTY.
Frlmtrr , B condary or TertUrr BLOOD
POISON perminentljr ,
Cured in 15 to 35 Days.
Tou can b * treated * t horn * for WIM
prlet und r iam > ruaranty. It you pnftr
to comt here w will contract to pay rail
road rare and hotel blile , and no oharf *
It we fall to cure.
IP YOU HAVE
taken mercury. Iodide potaih and still
have achta anil palm , Muooua 1'atche * In
moult ) . Bore Throat , Flmplr * , Copper Col.
9rvd Spots , Ulcers on any part ol the
body. Hair or Eyebrows folllii * out. It le
this Secondary
Wi Guarantee ( o Cure
W * solicit the meet obstinate oases ) and
challenge the worlj for a emu we cannot
cure. This disease has always baffled the
kill of the uott eminent phyilctane.
1500.000 capital behind our unconditional
guaranty. Absolute proofs aent sealed
on application. 1M pate book sent ( re * .
AddreM COOK REMEDY CO * 14D1
Masonlo Tempi * , CUloatTO , III.
COOK REMEDY CjO
wmnr ormnu AT OOMVI/T
DOCTORS
8earle ft Searlea
H.
SPECIALISTS
OMimB t emre. pcedllr a * *
llr all JTKfcVOBi , CHRONIC AAS >
raiVATB aiioioa of Men and woasoate
WEIK MEN SYPHILIS
EXUALI/r. cured ( or llf .
WlCht Emissions , Lost Manhood. Bra
trootle , Vtrlcocele , Oonorrboa , Oltet , Sypi-
111 % Itrlctur * . Piles , Fistula and Rectal
UlJirs , BlabatM. Bricht'a Dlstas * eurtA
Consultation Free.
SfrloluraindQleeK.u "
by new method without pain or outtlnr.
cillon or addrssa with stamp. Tr * Um * |
y i
" " '
X SURUi < * * *
Relieves Kidney >
& Bladder *
troubles at once.
Cures In
8 Hours ail ;
URINARY
DISCHARGES
Erch Can-
iu eBra ( or ]
Beware of rotmterf ii * .
MADE ME A MAN
.
OtamannretDar , bailBew or mamas * .
Frejeat Intuit ; and Coniamptlen If
e. TBelroMLehews lomodlate tarer * .
For aale In Omaha , Nib. , by Jj. ForsyUt , * M
N. 16th ; Kuhn & Co. , leth and Doutlas ; ao4
ID Council Bluff * by O. H. Drown. Drug-fist * .
Cklekoelet'e Kit * * MejM < Brae. * ,
P 1EHNYROYAL PILLS
nt
Cw Km ej far aaaa
flKSartes. t f
Irrlutlou r _ . .
e mmm. el e e s
i e weutUe. FeTileee. as4 ael.
, . ( est * releesew.
