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Page 62
"Faith, and there is no breakfast lost, that I can
perceive," chuckled the doctor, seating himself
unceremoniously at the table, and commencing upon the
remains of the bear ham, and prairie hen.
"I fear the tea and coffee are cold," said Mrs. Elmsley;
"let me get some hot for you?"
"By no means, my dear Mrs. Elmsley, I could not think of
such slops with generous claret at my elbow. Nay, do not
look offended. Your tea and coffee are always of the
best, but they do not just now, suit my taste. Miss
Heywood, how do you do this morning? How is your gentle
mother? I have called expressly to see her. Elmsley,
where is that runaway, Ronayne?"
And where indeed was he? They had not walked more than
three or four paces, when Mrs. Headley, after some little
hesitation, addressed him thus:--
"Mr. Ronayne, notwithstanding your evident desire to
conceal the fact, I can plainly see that you were not
within the Fort last night. I can fully comprehend that
your motive for absenting yourself, has been praiseworthy,
but you must also admit that the reproof you met with
this morning, was not altogether undeserved. Pray do not
start or look grave, for, believe me, I am speaking to
you only as a friend--indeed it was to have the opportunity
of convincing you that I am such, that I asked you to
escort me."
"Really, Mrs. Headley," interrupted the young officer,
little divining to what all this was to tend, and feeling
not altogether at his ease, from the abruptness with
which the subject had been introduced, "I feel as I ought,
the interest you profess to take in me, but how is that
connected either with my asserted absence, or the reproof
it entailed?"
"It is so far connected with it, that I wish to point
out the means by which any unpleasant result may be
avoided!"
"Unpleasant result! Mrs. Headley?"
"Yes, unpleasant result, for I have too good an opinion
of you not to believe that any thing tending to destroy
the harmony of our very limited society, would be considered
such by you."
"I am all attention, Madam. Pray, proceed."
"The pithiness of your manner does not afford me much
encouragement yet I will not be diverted from my purpose,
even by that. You have had the Commandant's lecture,"
she continued, with an attempt at pleasantry, "and now
you must prepare yourself for (pardon the coinage of the
term) that of the Commandantess."
"The plot thickens," said the ensign, somewhat sharply--
"both the husband and the wife. Jupiter Tonans and Juno
the Superb in judgment upon poor me in succession. Ah!
that is too bad. But seriously, Mrs. Headley, I shall
receive with all due humility, whatever castigation you
may choose to inflict."
"No castigation I assure you, Ronayne, but wholesome
advice from one, who, recollect, is nearly old enough to
be your mother. However, you shall hear and then decide
for yourself."
"Although," she pursued, after a short pause, "we women
are supposed to know nothing of those matters, it would
be difficult, in a small place like this, to be ignorant
of what is going on. Hence it is that I have long since
remarked, with pain and sorrow, the little animosity
which exists between Headley and yourself--(I will not
introduce Mr. Elmsley's name, because what I have to say
has no immediate reference to him), and the almost daily
widening breach. Now, Ronayne, I would appeal to your
reason. Place yourself for a moment in my husband's
position. Consider his years, nearly double your own--his
great responsibility and the peculiar school of discipline
in which he has been brought up. Place yourself, I repeat,
in his position, and decide what would be your sentiments
if, in the conscientious discharge of your duty, you
thought yourself thwarted by those very men--much your
juniors both in years and military experience--on whose
co-operation you had every fair reason to rely."
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