Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1893-12-22
ROMANCEOFTHEWA

The battle at last was finished. The
victory was lost and won. And while
the defeated army had fallen back to
take shelter in the wupds and mountain
passes the victorious host had en-
camped upon the field of action. Athick
misty haze hung over the landscape,
through which the setting SUI shone
like a great copper shield FURNISHED and
ready for combat.
Since early morn the battle had been
in progress, and the carnage was fright
full. Even tho stnrdiest 1t the surgeons
had more than once turned pale as they
worked over their i%mprOvised operating
tables, and all had felt a sensation Of
faintness that they did not care to own.
In one corner Of the field when the
tight had been the hottest, in q little
grove Of half a dozen trees at the angle
of a stone wall, knelt the colonel of a
Now York regiment beside the PROSTATE
form Of his own lieutenant, a young
man Of English birth and a great fa-
vorite among his comrades. His breath
came slowly and painfully, and when he
strUvc to speik the Likelihood welled upin
his throat 80 as to almost choke all utter
ance.
"CIeston, my boy" said the colonel in
the low voice which he always used when
in the presence of suiTcring-for the col
oncl YVES as kind and as gentle asa woman
to the sick-''is there anything more
that I Ear do for yOu-an word or mes
suge that you want to send1 For you
know
Creston's lips parted with n faint and
almost imperceptible motion, and the
colonel bending low caught the words,
.'Lift-me-up."
Raising the dying man to a half sit
ting position, the colonel held him in his
own strong arms and gently wiped the
rcd froth from his lips.
''Coloncl"-the words were weak and
low--"my vest-open-the-the-pocke
-inside"-
The exertion was so great that he could
say no more. The colonel, opening the
vest, dIow from an inner pocket a min
iature, the portrait Of a young and
beautiful girl, so beautiful that even
then the colonel could not help gazing
upon the likeness with interest and adj
iniration.
"And thisY' he questioned as nc held
it up to the eyes of his dying comrade.
The palo face of the sufferer grew
strangely bright when he looked upon
the bit of painted ivory before him.
"In England" he whispered. 'she
lives-Dcnsmond in Devonshire-you'll
remember-take her this, yourself-no
one else. Find here in Densmond, Anne
lia Burton. TeH here
A torrent of crimson hfeblood gushed
from his lips, and all was over. The
colonel arose, folded a blanket and placed
II beneath the head of the corpse. Then
the night winds gathered and whispered
among the trees and brushed with their
dark pinions the bright, cold drops that
stood ON the pale forehead Of Herbert
Creston.
Already the sun was casting long shad.
ows over the landscape around the pretty
English village Of Densmond in Devon.
shire, for Densmond was pretty ant
everybody said so-that IS, everybody
who had ever been there said 80. And
as for those unfortunate beings who had
not been there, they were so very much
in the minority that no n ever cared a
straw what they said or thought.
The day had been hot and sultry, and
with the advent of the cooling breezes
Of evening every one who could pos.
sibly got out Of doors did so, for the ain
was delicious now after the overp0wer-
ing heat Of the day.
Along the dusty highway a man, well
dressed and evidently n stranger in the
country through which he was passing
was walking slowly, evidently ABSORBED
in thought. He was about 40, Of &
bronzed complexion and dark hair, now
slightly tinged with gray. On the whole
he was far from handsome, o did th'
seal Of a saber wound across his fore
head add TO his attractions.
Just now he paused before q cOttagI
that stood somewhat back from the pub
lie road, almost buried in flowers, like
modest and retiring cottage that it was,
Sounds Of happy laughter came from on
arbor, concealed by the surrounding
hedge. Colonel Nathaniel Pember paused
butamoment however. before he opened
the gate.
"Can you tell me, he asked one Of the
party Of young girls that met his view
as he entered, IF you know Of any orc
residing in this neigbborhood by the
name of-Of Amelia Burtonr'
Eyes. indeed" answered one Of tho
young ladies, with a meaning smile, but
You'll have 70 hurry, though, for there