Jasper County Democrat, Volume 3, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 April 1900 — Captain Brabazon [ARTICLE]

Captain Brabazon

BY B. M CROKER

a/Aili tany. Africa

. CHAPTER VII. But Miles still held the bridle, and declined to accept this broad hint, walking beside his cousin, till Jacky suddenly came to a violent halt at the back gate of a large farm yard, surrounded by high, red-tiled, deep-roofed barns, and a noise of lowing and barking and clucking and crowing. “Oh, Miss Esme, dear!” cried a ruddycheeked, elderly woman, in a large checked apron, who was in the act of feeding a mob of ducks. “She’s been asking for you the whole afternoon. Go in and see ber like a dear young lady. You’ve brought the wool?” "Yes, but I’ve no time to stop, Mary. Jacky has kept me hours on the road. He went half-way into the horrid green pool near the Belle rising, and was going to lie down, only a boy rushed in and dragged him out; and he got loose in the hay field, and I thought he never w’ould have been caught. I’ll give you the fingering, and I’ll coine in again,” evidently anxious to be gone. “Oh, but here is Tom to hold the pony, and you must just run in for a minute, dear. She’s been awful irritable all day, and maybe you’d put her in a good humor for us; you know how she takes to you. Do now,” coaxingly. “Tom, go to the pony’s head!”—to a youth with a shock of red hair. Thus adjured, Esme jumped off Jacky, and hastily went into the farm house, followed by Miles, who found himself in a long, low. tiled kitchen, with small lat-ticed-paned windows and well-stored rafters, and in the presence of a little old woman, who was sitting near the fire in a kind of beehive chair, with glittering dark eyes, lighting up a face as wrinkled as a roasted apple and as sharp as a needle. “Well, so you were not for coming in, missy!” she cried, in a high, reedy voice. “I saw you. My sight is spared to me, though it would be sometimes if It wasn’t, to see the waste going on all around,” glaring at her daughter-in-law and lifting, as she spoke, a large ear trumpet to the ear nearest Esme. “I would have come in, only I’m late, granny,” returned that young lady down the trumpet, in ber most apologetic tone of voice, “and here is the wool,” placing a packet in the old lady’s lap. “It’s gray!” she exclaimed, "I don’t wanjt gray wool. I said brown,” she returned, ungratefully, as she held it up and felt it critically between her clawlike fingers, her eyes all the time fixed on Miles.

“I can change it,” said Esme, making animated signs. “No, no, no; then I would not get it for another long spell. It will have to do,” very crossly. And now, suddenly sitting up quite erect, and still staring hard at Miles, she nodded her head confidentially. “And so this is the young man that has come all the way from the other end of the world, hasn't he—” Esme made a quick sign of assent, unprepared for the sequel, “to marry you.” “No, he hasn’t!” she shouted down the trumpet. “It’s no use you screaming to me, missy,” she returned shrilly. “I never can hear what you say, and it just goes through my poor head,” now planting the trumpet in her lap, and thus cutting off any possible reply, “and it’s no good shaking your head like that. What’s he come for else?” demanded this very terrible old person. “She's a good girl”— In a patrdnizing staccato—“and yoqfll get a pretty wife,” she cried, raising a high, chirruping voice, and addressing herself specially to Miles, who, now that he had seen Esme, was by no means so averse to congratulations as he had been two hours previously. As for his unhappy cousin, who knew from years of experience the extraordinary loquacity of Granny Hogben, and the liberties she allowed her tongue, she got herself—how she never exactly knew —once more out into the yard, and was soon in the saddle. Jacky was stepping homeward at a rapid, consequential walk, when Miles overtook them running, saying, as he got up to them: “Surely you are never going to be so inhuman as to desert me and leave me to my fate in these outlandish lanes? It would be ungrateful, to say the least of it.”

“Oh,” answering him very reluctantly, **l will point you out the road, and you can easily make your way home. You go up this lane,” pointing with her whip, “and take the first turning on the right, then the second on the left, then ” “Then,” he interrupted emphatically, “I shall have lost my way, and shall be rambling about the fields all night Pray spare me this fate!” Miles was amazed at his own persistence and his own flow of language, but the rude avoidance of an exceedingly pretty girl is occasionally a sufficient incentive to put a young man on bis mettle.

“Come, then, if you like,” was the grudging answer; “but you must walk fast, or we shall be late for dinner.” “I’ll run the whole way. I’ll be your eyes, as If you wore in India,” he returned eagerly. "Only don't leave me!” “To hear you, ono would imagine you were one of the babes In the wood,” returned his cousin, contemptuously, glancing doww on her companion as she spoke. “What an amiable person Mrs. Hogben’s aged parent seems to be.” be* remarked, irrelevantly. “I quite lore her.” "Do you? You must be susceptible indeed.” Yes. be certainly had a look of Teddy when he laughed. “I wanted to say something to you,’’ continued Miles, nervously flourishing hjs cane about in a manner that excited tie Ire of Jacky; "and all the way np frpm the fields I was cudgeling my brains, put 1 could not say it. I wanted to spealkto you about—about—this will, and yonder worthy old woman broke the ice for me at one plunge. You know— ’’ "I know,” interrupted his companion, hastily, with averted face, "that if ever you break it Any further, I shall never

speak to you again. Also, that I shall leave yod here to find your own way home as best you- can.” “May I not say one word on the subject?” "Not one. Please put the whole affair out of your mind. If you even hint a— I—l—shall hate you.” Here was a threat! He had no recourse but to obey this imperious young lady; but he made a solemn mental resolve to bring forth the subject on some future occasion. “And what may I talk about?” he asked. “What topics are uot labeled dangerous?” “Oh,” pricking Jacky with her whip, “talk of the weather, the crops, the new moon, anything; talk of Burmah.” And thus encouraged he lamely began to make some conversation. But even under their peculiar circumstances young people of their age were sure to find subjects of conversation; and he, perceiving he had an eager and intelligent listener, launched forth about the wonders of Mandaley, that impostor the white elephant, the hill reported to be composed Of solid silver. Then he gave a few Burmese legends, a short sketch of Bangkok, said to be the richest city in the world, with its huge golden altar, streets full of gamblers, and jriver cheery with the celebrated singing fish, when, to his and Esme’s astonishment, they found themselves already at the back gate at Baronsford. Do not suppose that she had been silent aU the time. She had, after her interest was aroused, and feeling a conviction that she had overawed and silenced the young man beside her, thawed and thrown in remarks, questions, and nods just as plentifully as opportunity occurred. He had a look of Teddy. Only for this one great point in his favor she would never—so she assured herself—have opened her lips to him, even once. And yet in what did the likeness lie? He was dark and sunburned, and not muchabove middle height; while Ted was tall knd fair. “Why, we are actually at home!” he exclaimed in surprise. “We must have come by a short cut. How quick we have been.” “Yes,” returned Esme, "those stories of yours made the time pass. I don’t mean to flatter you,” she added quickly, “but those descriptions of Burmah were so interesting, and 1 do like to hear about other countries —having seen so little myself —no matter from whom; and of course no one, however stupid, goes about the world for nothing.” , In this cruel manner did she qualify her compliment; but Miles accepted it, concurring in the time-honored adage that half a loaf is better than no bread. “We have only ten minutes before dinner,” said Esme, glancing nervously at the yard dock— “No, no,” waving her cousin away impatiently. “I always dismount alone; but,” jumping down, gathering up her skirt and commencing to run, “if you like to follow me in by the back door you may,” she called to him condescendingly over her shoulder. “It saves time.”

CHAPTER VIII. Under a shady bank, overhung by two nut trees, a clump of lilacs and a very ancient mulberry, the summer house at Baronsford seeks to screen itself from the vulgar gaze. Its kind old friend, the nut tree, spreads its leafy arms above its pointed thatched roof, and conceals its wigwam proportions from strangers’ eyes. Who is the girl in white huddled up on the wooden seat that runs all round the Interior, a girl with her dress tightly gathered round her, and the tips bf her shoes merely resting on the ground, her whole attitude bespeaking distrust of the insect inhabitants, and with her eyes bent on a young man in uniform, who is sitting on the venerable and rickety table, with his forage cap over one ear, and his arms akimbo? They are Esme and Teddy, of course. He is brown, broad-shouldered and soldierly looking, and in his sister's eyes as well favored a young man as ever wore spurs. She is far prouder of his personal appearance than she is of her own; his mustache she considers simply perfect, and her vanity is divided between that and the thre«t-cornered white patch on his forehead usually covered by his jaunty forage cap. It is duskish in the summer house; not a single moonbeam penetrates from outside, thanks to the careful nut tree. “You will never guess where I supped and slept last night, Esme,” Teddy was saying. “At Aunt Jane's!’ “I don’t believe you,” returned his sister, politely, after a minute’s pause. “Nevertheless it is a fact all the same. I went down in tear aud trembling to wait upon the old Indy. When she snw me she stared very hard for about half a mlflute, aud then cried, 'Goodness, mercy, gracious! why, it’s Teddy!' She had not expected to see me in uniform, -you know; in fact, she had not expected to see me at all. Well, then she ptyt up her anna and drew me down and kissed me—first time. I’ll bet, she ever kissed a mustache—and then she turned me round and round as if 1 was on a pivot, and then looked me all over; and then she kissed me again and made me sit down beside her and teH-her all about myself aud my career, as she called It. And 1 did; 1 showed her my three stripes, and told her of my prospects, and how you had stuck to me through thick and thin, and then — oh, incredulous young woman—she killed the fatted calf and told me I was not to dare to go back to Mrs. Bwoffer, but to stay with her. She presented me with fifty pounds, and once I’m promoted I’m to have a large allowance; and for the future I am to consider myself her boy, and by a few little hints she let fall, I fancy you are her girl!” "Not I,” cried Esme, with a laugh of incredulity. • “Howeves, as long as she is good to you she Is doubly good to me,” emphatically. “And now, Esme—to turn to another

subject for a change—what about thig chap, Miles Brabazon?” 5 “Oh, I was going to tell you, Ted; I got • desperate fright this morning, what our Irish laundrymaid calls ‘a regular turn.* I was talking to him down by the river “About what?” Interrupted Teddy, inquisitively. “Never you mind; I was down by the river, and in pulling out my handkerchief I dragged out that new photo you gave me last night; it fell precisely at his feet. Tableau!” “Tableau, indeed!” grinning. “And what did he say? what did he do,?” “Of course I pounced on it at onee, but he was too sharp for me; he got hold of it first, and handed it back without looking at it; but he did not appear to be over and above well pleased.” “And pray why not*/” “Why not? you ridiculous wooden-head-ed Teddy; because I believe he thought it was some lover of mine.” “The deuce he did!” puffing out clouds of smoke. - “And I rather fancy that he could be jealous.” “You don’t say so! Well, and so could I if I was engaged to a girl and caught her carrying other fellows' portraits about her person. I suppose he asked you no questions, and you told him no —ahem, fibs?” “No.” “I say, Esme,” confidentially, are you going to marry him? to come to the point,, as they say.” “I don’t know,” she replied, with perceptible hesitation. “Don’t know! what rubbish. You know your own mind, sufely, by this time.” “I’m to give him an answer in a week,” said his sister, in a low tone. “And now, Teddy, I want to know if you will grant me a great favor,” in a coaxing tone, standing up and laying her hand imploringly upon his arm. “Let me tell Miles.” "No; sorry to refuse you, my dear child, but that is just the very thing I cannot allow you to do. Can’t you hold on a bit? There’s no hurry.” “Oh, but there is,” she returned, eagerly. “So many things must seem so strange to him—my rushing out and hugging him by mistake, as I told you; that photograph this morning, and other things. It’s like living in a powder mill —any moment there may be an explosion. Do, please, please, let me tell him!” she pleaded eagerly. “If”—becoming extremely red, but the kind darkness concealed the fact—“if I —he,” stammering, “we are to be married, the sooner you know one another the better; and 1 should like to introduce you.” “I dare say,” scornfully, “and walk up to him with me in tow, and. say, ‘Permit me to present my brother Teddy, alias Sergt. Brown, of the Prince’s Lancers,’ and I would have to salute him and call him ‘Sir,’ as would befit a non-com-missioned officer, and it would be a very pretty little picture altogether. I could never feel the same to him if I met him by and by on an equal footing. It may seem ridiculous nonsense and vanity to you, but it is just my one weakness, and I should like to put my best foot foremost, and appear to the best advantage to your husband, old lady, when we meet as brother officers, and there’s no yawning gulf between us; and,” with a sudden start of surprise, “here he is; at least, I suppose that this is he, this fellow in evening clothes coming, down the middle walk.” “It is, it is!” she gasped. “Oh, Ted,” creeping closer to her brother, and speaking in an agouized undertone, “what shall we do if he discovers us?” “Keep cool,” returned Teddy, imperatively. “Get well behind the table and don’t sneeze or crunch the gravel with your shoes. It’s as dark as pitch in here to anyone outside. Imagine his face,” he continued, in a smothered whisper, “if he were to walk in and find his pretty Esme tete-a-tete with a sergeant of Lancers! ’ His feelings would be what you might call mixed! I suppose he would murder me!” “If he does find us, Teddy, you must tell!” returned his sister hysterically, crowding still nearer to her companion, and scarcely daring to breathe, as she sat with her gaze riveted on the unconscious cause of her trembling trepidation. (To be continued.)