The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-10-28

shastened to arrange everything and
closed the secret drawer. At that mo-
ment the doorbell rang. Just In time!
It was probably his wife, who had for
gotten her key. He felt q sharp twinge
In his heart at the thought Of meeting
her face to face, but he hurried to let her
In. Instead of his wife, whom he ex-
pected, a strange man confronted him.
who addressed him by his own name.
Sir" said the visitor, 81 wish to speak
to you particularly, and 1 shall be
obliged if you will give me an interview
Of five minutes-if do not disturb YOU"
This speech puzzled Louis, but he
made motion for the stranger to enter.
He closed the door, and they sat down in
the parlor.
The visitor was tall and sturdily built.
His face, sunburned and weather beat
en-, showed that he was accustomed to n
life in the open air. A red ribbon in his
button hole indicated that he was an Of
ficer in the navy.
he cast sweeping look about the
room. then his face lighted up, and he
said:
81 hope you will excuse this intrusion,
sir, but the matter was of so much I'M
portance to me that sought out your
address and FASTENED here. / will come
straight to the point. beg that you
will sell me, at any price, your ebony
secretary"
Louis started in surprise and STAN
mered out:
"Sir. what do you mean?"
ooh, know that my proposition is a
strange one, but when you understand
my motive you will pardon me. That
piece of furniture which you bought
from the dealer, who gave me your name,
was sold at time of need by person.
Here the voice of the stranger trembled,
by person who through my fault
was passing through painful crisis.
She had just lost her husband, who had
squandered her fortune to the last penny.
and she was forced to sell everything,
even to the smallest trife. This secre-
tary, which has been in the family for a
number OF years, went with the rest.
But she would only consent to part with
it on condition that it could be bought
back Mt the end Of year. AS she did
not appear at that time it was purchased
by you. was out of France at the pe-
Rod. Well, came back and found nv
unhappy friend. Our first thought was
to find the dealer and recover the secre-
tary. learned through him where it
was, and here am. 1 trust you will ac-
cede to my request, strange as it may ap-
pear"
"Sir," said Louis, unfortunately that
piece of furniture belongs to my wife,
and she has filled itwith her own things.
1 could not possibly disarrange it with
out consulting her."
The stranger grew pale. Then he said
to Louis i'll n choking voice:
"Sir, do you know if your wife discov-
cred secret hiding place in the secre-
tary?"
What hiding place are you talking
about" exclaimed Louis, with feigned
establishment.
The stranger sprang toward the secre-
tary and in moment had opened the
secret drawer, pointing at the same time
to the package of letters
"You will understand by this why I
cherish this piece of the furniture.
Those letters were written by me to the
woman who today became my wife"
The words had hardly left his lips be-
fore Louis was feverishly tossing out
pellmell the many trifes that filed the
drawers and compartments.
Take it," he cried. "Take it away,
sir. am only too happy to give it to
you'll"
When his wife entered few minutes
afterward and saw the parlor in such
disorder and her secretary gone, she ut
tered cry of dismay.
Console yourself, my darling" said
Louis, drawing her close to his heart.
"That piece of furniture revived unpleas-
ant memories. promise you another
another more beautiful"
And he smiled through his tears SO
tenderly that she grew calm, not under
standing his grief, but feeling that what
had been done must be, after all, for the
best.-Adapted From the French For
Short Stories.
The Taupau Dance OF Samoa