Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1896-06-12

she went. My friend, an Englishman,
who told me Just what l have told you,
tried to follow her and offered to do
what be could for her in a monetary
way. Ho was Q gentleman and meant
we'll by her. She refused all offers Of
assistance and disappeared as II the
Mediterranean had Swallowed her mp.
BE heard Of her again at Marseilles.
She had been singing 10 q cafe there.
She always had y passable voice aud
played the banjo we'll. Poor Kate Her
pride was dragged in the dust her heart
was broken"
Cholly paused TO wipe the Precipitation
from his face and take q few sips from
a tumbler beside him. Tho oidmajor,
for a wonder, kept silence, from time to
time shaking his head sqrrowfully.
81 suppose that is the first part Of the
story" broke in Andy Wears. at is
deuced sad. Hopa the little girl got back
TO her uncle"
"UncleI' srowled Major Poole.
Poor child He didn't want her. HO
was a cruel hearted, mean old scoundrel,
was Peter Donovan. He never treated
the girl right when no had her"
Cholly nodded his head afifmatively
to Major Poole's assertion and continued
his story:
i'This all happened four years ago.
No one heard anything during that time
Of pretty Kate Donovan, for, you see, she
wasn't Mrs. Gordon, after all. An aunt
Of hers did have the grace to write to
ma, making inquiries. She had heard
that Kate was in the United States, in
a place called Pennsylvania, and would
! make inquiries, as / lived. no doubt,
near tbere2 You know, these old coun-
try people, as they call themselves, think
that the United States are abort as large
as an English county"
"Do ! know it?' interrupted the ma
jor. "Why, IA lady in London once asked
me to personally deliver a small parcel
Of china to her daughter because 1 lived
in New York, near where her daughter
was settled. l took the parcel, thinking
to see tho address of some street here.
Where do you think the fair creature
lived?"
New Jersey?" hazarded Wears.
"MaiDe7" queried another.
"Nol' reared the major. "Idahop'
Guess you didn't accept the COM
mission. major, " said Cholly.
well, no. l relieved my mind by re-
citing sundry words not in Webster's
Dictionary. Go on, my boy. Tell us all
you know Of pretty Kate Donovan"
81 came through Canada Oh my way
from the west q few days ago" contin-
ued Cholly. "Wa chaLged cars at a
place not far from Toronto and had
some hours to wait for connection.
Strolling around, 1 came 10 q place
where a circus was in fnll swing-dou-
BILE tent, side shows, all complete. Con-
Eulting my watch, / found / had time
to see the performance. An English
steeplechase was advertised as the chief
attraction. 1t had just commenced when
/ took my scat in the first row, closo to
the ring. / can hardly tell you my feel
ings when I recognized the first lady
rider who entered. IT was Kate Dono-
van"
GOOD heavensr' CIRCULATED the
major. "Come 70 that?"
Eyes; it was Kate, graceful, 1.-THE,
nervy us ever, looking like a queen
among those painted judys and rough
men,"
"How could You sit there and see itf''
groaned Ma; )r Poole,
II hadn't to sit long. recognized
her instantly, and, poor girl. she saw
mer'
KNEW you?' gasped the major.
Eyes; she turned pale under the hor-
riblo paint and rouge she was daubed
with. Somehow she seemed to lose her
nerve all Of a sudden. Tho horse, a vi
cious black beast, swerved to one Size
suddonly-major, fellows, l cannot tell
it, it was too horrible"
"Kato Donovan to lose her nerve on
horseback? 1 cannot credit it" said the
major in an awed tone.
II was in the ring and by her side IN
q moment" Cholly continued, not no.
tioing the majors interruption. "ShG
knew me, Ooo girl, when her eyes
opened for tho first time. She died with
her hands tightly clasped in mine"
Ibid she sa-ay ~anything?" asked
Andy Wears. Ibid she tell you any,
thing?"
"If she did. you're not the one I'd re
peat it to-" said Cholly fiercely. 18Th;
last words Of n poor dying girl are hard
ly club talk, not if | know it,.
So saying. Cholly seized his coat and
strobe angri.y from the room.
Tho other men looked ut each otheI
significantly.
Hes hit hard" raid tho major
Poor fellowl If you had seen Kate
you'd not b. me him, 1 always though
he liked her
And CHI ly, as he strobe along tk'
street homeward, cursed his own folly
In telling the story Of pretty Kate Il
such an audience. "As II they cared. ;
he muttered. They were a set Of hard
hearted, cold. cynical men, and hi
(Chollyl was Q fool for telling the story,
Somehow he had never realized before
that he had cher lhed an ideal for th'
past four years. and that ideal was tbs
woman who but Q few days before haC
died in his arms. Tell that idiot VicarI
what she said? Cholly smiled grimly e.
the thought struck him, for only hi
knew what those last words had been.
They echoed in his ears even now in th'
din and noise Of the New York evening
AlINLaIl- H. H.. HLANN. 10