The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1894-08-23

I
locked; and the heavy hasp resisted his
strength. a pair of scissors were forced |
under it; the lock yielded with loud |
snap. Unbalanced by the recoil. it slid |
from the table with heavy thud, send [
ing toilet bottles rolling over the rug.
The force of the fall burst locked port
folio flap, also; and letters, cards and
photographs scattered about the floor.
But the ammonia was found, and
gradually The blood began to show I'M
der the pallid olive of her skin. Then the
heavy eyelids grew tremulous and
shivering sigh parted the purplish lips;
but the slim white hand the soldiers
chafed gave no returning warmth.
HAS she been subject to these turns?"
he asked Lord Martindale, who was
hastily unscrewing shoppers and shifting
at the bottles.
Scarcely; once before-at Paris, after
one OF our opera suppers with Gen. Ev-
erett. Here's the chloroform."
He poured the fluid literally upon a
handkerchief, and was about to place it
to her lips as Sir Roger Arnyffe pushed
aside the portiere and hastily entered
the room, most apropos.
The surgeon quickly tested pulse and
temperature. Then more anxiously he
tried the heart, saying abruptly:
"Have You used that id stuff? No!
Then throw that handkerchief ont of
the window. Hand me that ammonia.
Cut her stays and get her to bed; we
must geth heart action regular again"
Latour waited in the outer room until
Sir Roger came out and said:
"She is over it now; quite herself and
breathing easily. She sends you word
to go to breakfast, as your last words
she heard reminded her that none of you
had had any"
The Creole marched over to his own
quarters and promptly swallowed
heavy draught of cognac. Fasting since
yesterdays dinner anxiety and exercise
made even his iron nerves shaBy enough
to need the unusual stimulant Then Il
hasty tub, a few brief orders for the day,
and he threw himself upon his divan.
The furnace heat of Egyptian high
noon poured down without but within
the windows closed at dawn retained
the GOODNESS Of the night air. Only faint
sounds crept in from street or court be-
low, mingling soothingly with the bub-
bling of Latour's water pipe. Soon its
tube slipped from his fingers, and he
slept heavily and dreamlessly.
1t was near sunset when he awoke
from long, refreshing sleep. Then he
dined hastily and walked to the hotel.
"Her ladyship is much BETTER" Lord
Martindale replied to his anxious query.
''Sir Roger said it was nervous ex-
haustion-heat and excitement, you
know. Deuced glad you came, though.
The consul general is very urgent for
me to come and give him details of the
capture; and I must keep the thing out
of the papers, really"
81 have nothing to do, and will stay
here gladly" Latour answered quietly.
But his heart beat faster, and his lips
almost formed the words that rushed to
them as the other turned away:
"Poor devil! He loves her, too"
"Shant be gone long," Lord Martin
dale said at the door. Then he turned
suddenly, adding, by Jove | almost
forgot this, really!" He drew letter
from his pocket and handed it to Latour
face upward 1.-THE seal must have
broken with the fall. Devilish forgetful
in Lady Martindale, though. Unpar-
donable, really 1t was in that portfolio
| burstw
of fpp l,n Lott 11n D,,+
as his eye caught the well known signet
the color left his face, and the other
chance words of that noon echoed ia his
brain and numbed his heart.
In hard, effortful voice he began:
81 meant to ask if, while i'll Paris, You
saw much Of But | will not detain
you now"
Though stunned by sudden doubt of
her his chivalrous sense dominated him.
He refused to arraign, even in his own
mind, the helpless, suffering woman
there, who had yielded 50 much for love
of him.
Lord Martindale stared, then left the
room without reply. Latour stood per
fectly still, looking closely at the seal.
Then he turned the letter over and read
the address, For Col. Adrien Latour-
Bey, Army Of the Khedive, Cairo, Egypt,
and, in the corner, Courtesy of Lady
Martindale."
There could be no error. The letter
, was for him; directed in the clear, firm
writing of Dale Everett!
A gasping breath escaped his lips.
, Through his mind flashed the fact that
she had been two weeks in Egypt-ten
I days of them constantly with him. Oven
his face doubt, wondermcnt and pain
, chased one another and in his ears
:. sounded clear her words at Sultan Ber
:, cooks tomb, No; he never mentioned
. your name!"
And ever as their echo came her hus
=. bands words at noon, after one Of oul
: opera suppers with Gen. Everett"
- Then he turned the letter over. The
\ seal--their class ring at West Point
was not broken, as the other man had
said. 1t was perfect, every line of the
signet clear, even the edges of the wax
q unsplintered.
But the letter was opened! Some
- sharpest instrument had passed beneath
+ the seal! And again the mans eyes
contempt struggling with wonderment
in them-sought the doorway of the
next room. Yet again his nobler nature
e his lifelong trust that good blood can
! not ie,' besides his tenderness for tn,
:, woman who loved him so sinfully but st
, we'll n1eo6n1 for her
"Pshaw am weak boyr' he NUT
. tered. 1.-THE letter itself will explain
:, this and its detention by her. Some
Ut cant, warrant, to explain his cowardly
wrong to the girl he swore he loved!'