The National tribune., 1894-02-01

tions, except their hostess, whose "Ich " was
perhaps again travelling, for she lay back mo-
tionless in her chair with the big feather fan
interposed between her face and the tall lamp
beside her.
"Why had the italian not complained ?"
"Did her parents believe herr" the other
ladies asked, eagerly.
"They made your first demand without salts
factory reply, and then themselves answered
your second question negatively" Lieut..
Brown continued "There had been, it seems,
previous difficulty concerning the necklace.
as, on leaving town for the seaside. her parents
had wished the girl to send the jewels with the
family silver to some trusted bank, but she did
not wish to be parted from her mothers
legacy. and under promise not to wear it where
it might tempt the Summer burglar she was
allowed to take it with her.
Her story of its loss was that on the evening
before the widows departure she had gone to
her friends room for midnight chat Thither
she had brought her treasured necklace. The
widow had admired it with ecstacy, and finally
clasped it around her own lovely throat! Thus
resplendent, she had plunged into the conf
Dental mysteries Of such meetings, and the
small hours were come before the Italian rose
to 90. To her surprise, the widow still retained
the jewels; the door was reached before the
embarrassed girl reminded her friend that she
still wore the necklace. Why, of course do! =
that lady replied gayly. In such place as
this hotel / wear il where it cannot be scent
| is 80 much safer ,"
This time the Lieutenant's pause was caused
by an outburst of cries from his feminine hear
ers, in the midst of which his hostess leant for
ward until her hard bright eyes met his level
gray glance with almost fierce directness.
You don't mean 10 tell us that the girl let
her keep the necklace ?" she asked. MAN,
woman, or devil should not take my diamonds
from me! !"
"You are a woman of-experieneei" Lieut..
Brown said, with enigmaticai smile. "And
my poor little heroine was q timid and lonely
child Of 10! Almost faint with mingled terror
and amaZement, she was pushed from the
widows room. She wandered aimlessly about
the dimly-lit corridor until, straying past her
mothcr-in-law's balfopen door, the sound of
her light step brought rather stern reminder
that she should long ago have been in bed.
What the slecpless hours which lay between
that solitary girl and dawn must have held of
miserable misgiying to her, who felt herself
friendless in this strange land, may be guessed
even by one unimaginative as myself. But
it is not cheering to dwell upon. The result
was that, feeling her incredible tale would never
be believed, aud knowing that her accusations
would be entirely without proof she resolved,
even at the cost of her beloved jewels. to keep
silence until her husbands return. The event
of the ball had forced her miserable secret from
prised that she was not believed. This all hap
pened more than two years ago. The husband
returned home, and, of course, heard at once
both his wife's version of the affair and the sad
story Of his mothers lack of faith.
50 He is friend of mine!" the Lieutenant
parenthesized abruptly. He trusts his wife,
but he knows that unless the truth of her state
ment can be established his mother will con-
time to think that the poor child sold her dia-
monds to crafty some unworthy extravaganza,
or that she lost them through culpable negli-
gence, and in either case accused an innocent
woman to screen herself He shudders when
he looks at his wife's pathetically changed face.
where shrinking depreciation has replaced the
old glad confidence He realizes what those
two years, lived in an atmosphere of stern mis-
trust have meant to her of silent suffering
aye, silent, because this little coward (?), who
had not the courage to defend her property,
found the strength to endure uncomplainingly,
so that her husbands forced absence might not
be embittered by knowledge of her misery.
Ny friend has separated her from his parents
forever-unless an almost-hopeless proof can
be obtained. But he has found that in spite of
those years of cold disbelief not all his love aud
trust can comfort his wife for the loss of the
mothcr-faith and affection, to which she had
once felt herself drawn near, only to be cast
forth with shame.
"Surely, you will not end there?" somebody
cried, as the Lieutenant arose.
mot l. indeed The end is with woman's
conscience! Perhaps if the fair enchantress
should ever know that a happiness is at stake
nay, even life, for my friends wife is far
from strOng-she may endeavor to set
wrong right"-
"Never!" interrupted his hostess, also
rising. She held her feather fan in both
hands. neither of which she offered to him as
he bowed before her with q murmured GOOD
night"
"A bad woman, Lieut. Brown, is even harder
than bad man. Have We not the wise worlds
word for it?" she said. And the widow in
your story is a bad woman!"
81 am not sure-yet!" the Lieutenant an
swered and so departed at that best moment
for story teller when his audience had still
other questions to ask of him.
Lieut.. Brown did not sleep well, and when
he arose he was consumed with impatience for
the arrival of the morning mail.
"If it were done, it were we'll it were done
quickly!" he quoted restlessly. THAT woman
has learned long ago that delay cannot make
a bitter task sweet" Then he gazed wistfully
with him. Are you praying to all your
saints, my poor little girl?" he murmured.
There was one letter for him-a letter with
the Washington p0stmark and the date of that
days first collection on it:
/ stole your wifes necklace In the manner she
yoursl Many would read no further but he
who could conceive The possibility of magnsnimty
In such woman as be knows that am must
himself he maguanimousl
You will listen To my plea that was driven to
desperation TO pay certain claims of my past with
out which payment had vowed to die rather than
burthen the good mau who has since married mel
You can undersiand what il to II
10 have had ali the world against her for years,
and at last to find interposed between her and that
world a strong arm, unfaing courage, and
heart great enough to have faith ia her?
That Is what l am risking to give your wife back
her peace oil mind though | cannot restore her
neeklacei
To you I trust the good name which my hus-
band has given me, for you are strong know, and
/ believe you mercifull-RosE RODNEY.
-TogGs.
Our Art Portfolio No. 8, which is just issued.
is said by competent judges to be even grander
and richer than the preceding ones if such a
thing were possible. Read advertisements else
where of "Sights and Scenes of the World"