Her congratulations were so
warm that they set me on fire."
"They must have been very warm indeed," I remarked.
"`Miss Rosa,' said I," continued Pepton, without regarding my
interruption, "`it has been my fondest hope to see you wear the
badge.' `But I never could get it, you know,' she said. `You
have got it,' I exclaimed. `Take this. I won it for you. Make
me happy by wearing it.' `I can't do that,' she said. `That is
a gentleman's badge.' `Take it,' I cried, `gentleman and all!'
"I can't tell you all that happened after that," continued
Pepton. "You know, it wouldn't do. It is enough to say that she
wears the badge. And we are both her own--the badge and I!"
Now I congratulated him in good earnest. There was a reason
for it.
"I don't owe a snap now for shooting an eagle," said Pepton,
springing to his feet and striding up and down the floor. "Let
'em all fly free for me. I have made the most glorious shot that
man could make. I have hit the gold--hit it fair in the very
centre! And what's more, I've knocked it clean out of the
target! Nobody else can ever make such a shot. The rest of you
fellows will have to be content to hit the red, the blue, the
black, or the white. The gold is mine!"
I called on the old ladies, some time after this, and found
them alone. They were generally alone in the evenings now. We
talked about Pepton's engagement, and I found them resigned.
They were sorry to lose him, but they wanted him to be happy.
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