Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-06-15

"'Omel La bas? C. est impossible"
 ''It Is true," he burst in, for the swish of silken skirt was heard down the long passage. 'sIl est mort-mort," he whispered, mastering up what lit tie French he knew and then cursing himself for an imbecile.
 "MortI O cielri The words came with a shriek of anguish from the lips of the elder woman and were echoed by scream from beyond. In an in- stant, wild-eyed, horror-stricken, Emi- lie Lascelles had sprung uR to her tot tering mothers side. .'
 "When? What mean you?" she gasped. f-
 Mime. Lascelles," he sadly spoke, ''I had hoped to spare you this, but 1t is too late now. Mir. Lascelles was found lying on the sofa in his library this morning. He had died hours before, during the night"
 And then he had to spring and catch the fainting woman in his arms. She was still moaning and only semi-con- scious when the old family doctor and her brother, PieEre d'Hervilly, arrived
 Half an hour later Cram astonished the aids-de-camp and other bored staff officials by appearing at the gen eral loahng room at, headquarters To the chorus of inquiry as to what brought him up in such a storm he made brief reply, and then asked i'm mediately to speak with the adiutant general and Lieut.. Reynolds, and, to the disgust and mystihcation of all the others, he disappeared with these into an adjoining room. There he briefly told the former of the murder, and then asked for . word with the junior. Reynolds was a character. Tall, handsome and distinguished, he had served throughout the war as a volun- teer, doing no end of good work, and getting many a word of praise, but, as all his service was as staff officer, it was his general who reaped the reward of his labors. He had risen, of course, to the rank of major in the staff in the volunteers, and everybody had prophesied that he would be appointed B major in the adjatant or inspector generals department in the permanent establishment. But there were not enough places by any means, and the few vacancies went;to men who knew better how to work for themselves. ''Take a ieutenancy now, and we will fix you by and by," was the suggestion, and so it resulted that here he was three years after2the war wearing the modest strap of a second lieutenant, l doing the duties and accepting the responsibilities of far higher grade, and being patronized by seniors who [ were as much his interiors in rank as | they were in ability. during the war days. Everybody said it was shame, and nobody helped to better his lot. He was a man whose counsel was valu- able on all manner of subjects. Among ! other things, he was well versed in all | that pertained to the code of honor as | 1t existed in the ante-bellum days had himself been "out," and, as was well known, had but recently officiated as second for an officer who had need of his services. He and Waring were ' friends from the start, and Cram counted on tidings of his absent sub- altern in appealing to him. Great, \ therefore, was his consternation when in reply to his inquiry Reynolds promptly answered that he had neither seen nor heard from Waring in over forty-eight hours. This was facer | "What's wrong, Cram?"
 Read that, said the captain, placing a daintily-written note in the aid-de | camps hand. 1t was brief but explicit | "CoI- BRAxToN: Twice have I warned yo, | that the attentions of your Lieut. Waring tC \ Mme Lascellcs meant mischief This morn ing, under pretcnse of visiting her mother sh' | lctt the house in cab, but in half nn hour wal II seen driving with MT. Warng This has been \ as have reason to know, promptly carried tt ! M Lascellos by people whom he had cm ! p'oycd for the purpose ] could have told yol | ,it night that M l1aScellCs' friends had noti l lied Lieut. Waring that a duel would be exact l cd should ho be seen with madame again, ant I now 1t will certainly come, You have sccn ii | to scorn my warnings hitherto the result is or | your head "
 There was no signature whatever.
 "Who wrote this rot?" asked Reyn
 olds. Ut seems to me I've seen tha
 hand before"
 ''So have I, and pitched the trasl
 into the fire, as do everything anon
 ymous that comes my way. But Bra!
 says that this Is the second or third
 and he's worried about 1t, and think
 there may be truth in the story"
 "As to the duel, or as to the devo
 tions to madame2" asked Reynolds
 calmly.
 Well. both, and we thought yor
 would be most apt to know whether
 fight was on. Waring promised to re
 turn to the post on taps last night IT
 stead of that, he Is gone-God know
 where-and the old man, the repute
 challenger, lies dead at his home
 Isn't that ugly?"
 Reynolds face grew very grave.
 "Who last saw Waring. that yo
 know ofp"
 My man Jeffers Left him on Cans
 street just after dark last night. H
 was then going to dine with friends g
 the St. Charles-"
 '"rhe Allertons2"
 "YeA"
 "Then wait till see the chief. an I'll go with you. Say nothing abor this matter yet"
 Reynolds was gone but momen A little later Cram and the aid wel |, at the St Charles rotunda. their carc ! sent up to the Allertons' rooms. Pre- , ently down came the beh-boy. Woul the gentlemen walk up to the parlol This was awkward. They wanted : see Al1erton himself, and Cram fe morally confident that Miss Flo, . Gwendolen would be on hand to we