The Republican., 1896-12-17

He spoke with angry emphasis, and
afterward there was an ominous silence
between them for some moments. 1t
was at last broken by the girl saying
with passionate reproach:
"Oh, it is cruel of you, Gerald. to
speak to me like this, to want to quarrel
with me in these our last moments to-
gether; to leave me with angry words
upon your lips, making me so unhappy"
Her voice trembled and broke, and her
hands went up to cover the tear-laden
eyes. In a moment he was at her side,
all the severity had vanished from his
face, and with his arms around her he
was murmuring in pleading accents
the words of penitence and love which
made his peace for him before he left
her.
A week had passed since Gerald Joce-
| lyn had bade farewell to his young wife
and started on his journey through the
| desert TO join the troops in advance.
The still, blue heat of an Egyptian day
| brooded over the quiet villa, which from
| its lack of sign or sound of life seemed
to be prolonging its midday siesta into
| the evening hours. The clatter of hoofs
outside aroused the attention of the
solitary inhabitant of the veranda. a
1niddle-aged woman, whose strongly
marked features and keen dark eyes
! proclaimed her person of intelligence
and decided character. She threw aside
! the book she was reading, and advanced
| toward the flight of steps where the
rider, an artillery officer, was already
| dismounting from his horse. As he
caught sight of her, the dark cloud of
sorrowful anxiety which hung over his
countenance was visibly lightened.
"Ah, Mrs. Tailyour, l am indeed
thankful to see you! You are the very
| person who can help me-" he cried.
"Anything wrong, Capt. Ferguson?'
she asked, eagerly. as he joined her in the
shade. Then taking in the details of his
horses heaving sides and his own heated
and worn appearance. she added, with
increased apprehension: You have
ridden fast-no bad news I trust?''
"Yes, very bad news: the worst, as
far as | am concerned! Poor Jocelyn-
my greatest friend, as you know-such
a good sort he was. | never was so
cut up about anything in my whole
life"
He sank beside her on a seat with the
air of detected melancholy, and passed
his hand weariIy across his brow.
Has there been skirmish already 2"
Mrs. Tailyour asked, breathlessly. Il
| Il E.,rI
ed yet; the colonel reported all quiet
in his last; is poor Maj Jocelyn wound
ed?"
He is dead, poor fellow! There has
been no fighting; but it was an acci-
dent-with one of the guns, imagine,
but the telegram only said: accident.
Jocelyn killed; meet train tonight.
That is all | know"
Good Cod" Mrs. Tailyour eX-
| claimed. Gerald Jocelyn killed. How
shocking! l am terribly grieved. His
poor Young wife! only married six
months," The tears rose in her eyes
as she spoke.
Yes, his wife!" Capt Ferguson an
swered, anXiously. 81 rode out at once
hoping to find you here and that you
would kindly break the news to Mrs.
Jocelyn and relieve me of the painful
sponsibility. ! have not the courage
to do it, though | don't suppose she
will feel it much"
He spoke with some bitterness, and
Mrs. Tailyour answered him quickly.
You misunderstood her-indeed you
do, Capt. Ferguson. Poor child. poor,
pretty child. she is but a child. after
all. The shock will be enough to kill
| her; a thoughtless. frivolous creature
she may be, but l believe her love for
Gerald is genuine and far deeper than
anyone suspected, deeper even than she
herself is aware"
"She has a curious way of showing it.
then. | must confess" Capt. Ferguson
replied, with acerbity. 81 never liked
her. you know that, Mrs. Tailyour. y
brainless, selfish coquette without a
spark of real feeling for anyone but
herself. am sure pitied poor Jocelyn
for the life she led him last winter in
! Cairo. flirting with every man she met!
And then that poor fellow Cummings
shooting himself, that was a horrid
| business. However, this will sober her
if anything will. Where is she now?"
"She is out riding with Lord Perez
VAL they started soon after breakfast
and may return at any moment"
THAT fellow Perceval! Brute.
wonder Jocelyn did not put his foot
down there Capt. Ferguson frowned
and relapsed into gloomy silence.
See that little cloud of dust. That is
their party, no doubt"
Mrs. Tailyour pointed to the distant
undulating line in the desert. Il dread
this business! Poor little soul, she is
not of the stuff for bearing trouble
well. God knows how she may take it."
Some few minutes later the little
cavalcade rode up, laughing and joking,
to the villa, all unconscious of the two
people who awaited its arrival in sor-
rowful silence, dreading the moment
when their sad intelligence must be
made known. Maud Jocelyn sprang
from her horse and ran lightly up the
steps toward them with a laugh on
her lips-then something in the strange
expression on the two faces that con
| fronted her froZe the words of merry
| erect mo on her touU11e