|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 60
"No; they brought home dead men," and the lieutenant
looked searchingly into the face of his companion, dwelling
on every word, moreover, as if he would convey that he
(Ronayne), knew perfectly well what freight the boat had
brought to the Fort.
Further remark was prevented by their arrival at their
destination--the front-door being open, and revealing
the little party within. The first upon, whom the young
officer's eye fell, was Mrs. Headley, of whose intended
presence, his friend had not thought of apprising him.
Still smarting under a keen sense of the severity of
reproof of his commanding officer, and falling into the
common error of involving the wife in the unamiability
of the husband, Ronayne would have retired, even at the
risk of losing his breakfast, and, what was of far more
moment to him, of delaying his meeting with her to whom
his every thought was devoted. But when Mrs. Headley,
who had remarked the movement, came forward to the door,
and gave him her hand with all the warmth and candor of
her noble nature, the pique vanished from his mind, and
in an instant, he, like Elmsley, evinced that devotion
and regard for her, which her fascinating manner could
not fail to inspire.
The sense of constraint being thus banished by the only
one whose presence had occasioned it, the party, after
a few minutes low conversation between the lovers, sat
down gaily to a meal--half-break fast, half-luncheon, at
which the most conspicuous actor was the lately reprimanded
ensign.
"Really, Mr. Ronayne, you must have met with a perfect
chapter of adventures during your absence last night.
You have devoured the last four fresh eggs, my cook says,
there were in the house--three limbs of a prairie fowl,
and nearly the half of a young bear ham. Do, pray, tell
us where you have been to gain such an appetite? Indeed
you must--I am dying to know."
"My dear Mrs. Elmsley," he replied, coloring, "where
should I have been but in the Fort?"
"True! where SHOULD you have been, indeed; but this is
not the point, my hungry gentleman. Where WERE you? If
I was, I KNOW WHO," she added, significantly, "I should
have my suspicions, unless, indeed, you have already
confessed within the few minutes you have been in the
room."
"Nay, do not imagine I have so much influence over the
truant, as to compel him to the confessional," said Maria
Heywood. "I assure you I am quite as much in the dark as
any one present."
"Come, Mr. Ronayne, recount your adventures," added Mrs.
Headley. "Recollect you are not on parade now, or exactly
before the sternest Court of Inquiry in the world, and
should therefore, entertain no dread of punishment on
your self-conviction."
"Thus urged and encouraged," said the ensign, during one
of the short pauses of his knife and fork, which, in
truth, he had handled as much to study what he should
say, as to satisfy his hunger; "who could resist such
pleading, were there really any thing to communicate;
but I am quite at a loss to conceive why so general an
opinion seems to prevail that I have been out of the
Fort, and in quest of adventure. Why not rather ascribe
my tardiness at parade to some less flattering cause--a
head-ache--fatigue from night-watching--indolence, or
even a little entetement, arising from the denial of a
very imprudent request I made to Captain Headley last
evening, to allow me the command of a detachment for a
particular purpose. Pardon me, I have made quite a speech,
but indeed you compel me."
"Let us drown this inquisition in a bumper of claret,"
interposed Elmsley, coming to the assistance of his
friend, whose motive for thus parrying inquiry into his
conduct, he thought he could divine. "I say, my dear
fellow, you may wish yourself a head-ache--fatigue--
indolence, or even a little entetement every morning of
your life, if it is to be cured in this manner. This is
some of the most splendid Lafayette that ever found its
way into these western wilds. Look well at it. It is of
the clearest, the purest blood of the grape--taste it
again. A bottle of it will do you no harm if you had
twenty guards in charge."
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|