The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1894-08-03

beautiful white hand with long taper
ing fingers, on one Of which was dia-
mond of unusual size and brillianoy.
In this hand was a small ieweled watch,
and as I was leaving the counter 1
caught few words spoken in a pecu-
liarly musical voice. / was too full
of the thought of Edith's happiness
on receiving my gift even to glance at
the woman's face, and long before 1
had reached the sidewalk she was for
gotten.
cat 6 o'clock I returned, and true
to his promise, the man had the neck
lace ready for me. Placing it in the
inside pocket of my coat, 1 left the
store and had just time to complete a
few remaining arrangements before
going to the station. bought first
class ticket and tipped the guard, af-
ter giving him to understand in my
very best French that I did not want
him to put other passengers in my
compartment. tucked my travelling
rug around my knees, opened French
novel, when the door was opened and
woman hurriedly entered the com
partment and took the seat next the
window on the other side of the car
Iglanced at my unwelcome companion !;
she was dressed in mourning of the
richest material and in perfect taste.
As was noticing these details some
thing by her side that I had at first
taken for fur cape moved. Improved
to be black French poodle, and as he
sat up and turned his head toward me
1 saw that around his neck he wore a
broad silver collar from which de-
pended peculiar heart.shaped pad
lock.
Turning to my novel, I soon for
get the intruders, nor did l again
think of them until perhaps half an
hour later, when 1 was startled by feel
ing something cold and wet pressed
against my hand. 1t was the poodle's
nose. He had crawled across the seat
and was evidently DESTROYS of making
my acquaintance.
Chico, come here exclaimed a
singularly familiar voice.
"The dog paid no attention to his
mistress, but wagged his tail conten-
teddy as 1 stroked his curly head.
"'You must excuse my dog, sir,
said my companion. He Is a great
pet and expects every one to notice
him. am afraid he will annoy you.
81 protested that he would not, and
added that 1 was fond of dogs, poodles
in particular. Perhaps my answer was
due, in part, to the fact that the
woman was young and very beautiful.
1 had oply that minute become aware
of this, the light having been too dim
in the station to let me see her face.
Her voice, too, affected me singularly A;
it was low and sweet and l was sure
that somewhere l had heard it before.
sat for some time vainly trying to re-
call the circumstances of our meeting,
but the more 1 pondered on it the
more hopeless seemed the task.
ga little later, on looking up, ]
found that my companion was without
books or papers, so taking an illus
trated magazine from my satchel of
fered it to her. She thanked me and
smiled sweetly. After time L grew
tired of my novel and resolved to at
tempt little conversation with my
neighbor. l asked her if she was go.
ing to Nice. She replied that she
IVES, and went on to say that her sister,
whom she had expected would go with
her, had disappointed her at the last
moment. She, however, could not
wait until the following day, as he1
father, who was at Nice for his health,
had wired her to return at once.
"She spoke of her dislike for travel.
ing alone, particularly at night, and
explained that as the compartment
reserved for ladies was full she had
been obliged to enter mine. She was
sorry to intrude, but the train wa:
about to start and the guard had tolc
her all the other seats were taken.
fastened to assure her that / was glaC
of the lucky chance that had given mt
so charming a companion. She smiled
and asked me if was to be long al
Nice. She chatted on about the place
mentioning the names of many we'll
known people who, she said, were hel
friends and whom 1 should no doubt
meet.
Gas the evening wore on she opened
a basket containing a dainty lunch
Would [ share il with her? The cool
evidently had ridiculous idea of he
appetite. Why, there was enough fol
six = This seemed to be the case so
as we were by this time very we'll &C
quainted, I accepted her invitation
and we were soon doing justice to