The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1891-07-19
CHAPTER VII.

iyJ}M71 ~ g y e
ssI'LL DO BETTER AND SHOW YOU HER
PHOTOGRAPH"
Clothed in my right mind, and, what
is better stiA, soon to see the dear ones
at home. 1t is pretty hard for a man tc
lose five of his best years--to feel that
there is blank there which can never
be filed in-but it is something to have
made such friends as You have been.
The speaker was Jack Kinsey. You
would scarcely have recognized in hin,
the Ansil Berner who WAS accused of
the murder of Nine Armand. though
you might have recognized him as the
Jason Brigham Of the Memphis Ava
lanche staff A couple Of weeks had
done wonders for him Through the
active. efforts of our friend the judge, to-
gether with the intercession OF Dr.. De
Costa, it had been matter of small
trouble to secure full exoneration for
him. We were going north together,
and had chosen that most delightful Of
all the luxurious methods Of travel
steamer on the Mississippi.
The wires had told the story OF his
long absence to the old folks at home,
and had brought Jack the glad news
that there we're no vacant places in the
home he had left. Better than thaG,
they had brought him plenty of money,
for Jacks father was retired Philadei-l
phia merchant So we journeyed north
ward. If it had been wholly left TO
Jack we would have gene up by rail.
but had a reason of my own for urging
the river route, and as yet | had not
taken the object Of my solicitude into
my confidence. We were sitting on the
cabin deck smoking our cigars when
Jack-whom Jones would persist in call
ing Brigham, because he said this thing
of man having so many names per-
picked him = uttered the words with
which this chapter opens.
"We have only done what you would
have done in like circumstances" I re-
Piled ''But it does seem hard to lose
those years."
"You cannot imagine how grotesque
it all seems, said Jack. s'Why, it ap-
pears to me as though it was only last
week that left home a mere STRIPPING.
1t seems as though it was only yesterday
that the colonel handed me my commits
sion as lieutenant. cannot realize that
the war has closed, that the armies have
left the field, and that the country is
now at peace. All this is a grotesque
fancy to me. And then to think what 1
have done all this intervening time
that not a memory survives of any Of
those apparently lucid pc DDS. But I
suppose the doctor was right, and that
each time the pressure upon my brain
grew too great it was like the sudden
letting down Of the curtain upon an act
N play. It plotted out from memory
all that had preceded"
eve had very excellent evidence of
that" replied Jones, when our friendly
advances were coolly repealed. But
am off TO interview the pilot, and you
fellows can sit here and philosophize or
ruminate all you want to-
When our companion had gone /
turned to Kinsey and said, 'sThere was
one thing have not yet spoken to you
about, and it is high time you knew it. "
Don't look so serious, old fellow" he
replied. 'sIt was not very bad, was it?'
''That depends on how you look at it,"
retorted THE fact is you were guilty
Of very grave breach of faith at Mem
phis, and / want you to make repara-
ton
IF / wronged any man will do him
ample Justice"
But it was worse than that"
"Worses''
Yes; you stole o woman's heart-the
heart of q very sweet and arniable WON
en- too. In fact, You made love to her
desperately, won her affections. secured
her pledge to marry you, and then disap-
peared on the very night on which you
declared your Affection
''You are not serious?r
II was never more SO in my life.
''But this is really too much. l can't
marry woman whose acquaintance
would have to make all over again.
''Not SO fast, not SO fast. Who knows
that she will want to marry you? Wom-
en- are tickle creatures. To make sure Of
marrying them you must keep them in
the humor. One cannot raise the siege
an instant This woman, az have said,
is sweet and amiable. But, mark you,
she has plenty Of spirit, is as high met
tied as Kentucky colt. She has suitora
by the score, and though she appeared
hcartbroken at your mysterious disap-
pearance, she may be wearing some other
| gallant's heart upon her sleeve ere now. /"
well, tell me whether she was fair or
| plain. I'd like to know what kind Of
taste / displayed during the time when
my brain was playing such tricks with
me-"
''Tll do better and show You her pho
tograph," responded, taking it from