Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1896-12-09

eyes. In moment he was at her side,
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.
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 prolonglng its midday
siesta into the evening hours, The
clatter of hoofs outside aroused the at
tention of the solitary inhabtant of
the yeranda, mlddle-aged woman,
whose strongly marked features and
keen dark eyes proclaimed her per-
son of intelligence and decided char
acter. She threw aside the book she
was reading, and advanced toward the
fight of steps where the rider, an ar
tillery officer, was already dismounting
| IIOIi nlo bol ots 40 it Idbb plShi VI
her the dark cloud of sorrowful anxiety
which hung over his countenance was
visibly lightened.
"Ah, Mrs. Tallyour, l am indeed
thankful to see youl You are the very
person who can help me-" he cried.
Anything wrong, Capt. Ferguson?'
she asked eagerly, as he Joined her in
| I,o,1 IL tol In, Jaf ;Ie,
of his horses heaving SIDES and his
own heated and worn appearance, she
added with increased apprehension:
''You have ridden fast-no bad news,
trust?"
Eyes, very bad news; the worst, as
far as am concerned! Poor Jocelyn-
my greatest friend, as you know-such
a good sort he was. l never was so cut
up about anything in my whole life."
He sank beside her on a seat with an
air of detected melancholy and passed
his hand wearily across his brow.
HAS there been skirmish already?"
Mrs Tailyour asked breathlessly. Il
did not know any fighting was expected
yet The Colonel reported all quiet in
his last Is poor Major Jocelyn wound
ed?"
"He is dead. poor fellow! There has
been no fighting. 1t was an accident
with one of the guns, | imagine, but the
telegram only said: Accident; Jocelyn
killed: meet train tonight That is all
| know"
"Good Godr' Mrs. TailyOur exclaim-
ed. Gerald Jocelyn killed! How shock
ingl | am terribly grleved. 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. Il 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
responsibility. | have not the courage
to do it, though don't suppose she will
feel it much"
He spoke with much 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 \ thoughtless. frivolous creature
she may be. but believe her love for
Gerald is genuine and far deeper than
any one suspected, deeper even than
she herself is aware"
"She has curious way of showing
it, then, | must confess" Capt. Fergu-
son replied with acerbity. Il never
liked her; YOU know that, Mrs. Tail
your. \ brainless, selfish coquette,
without spark of real feeling for any
one 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
n horrid business. However, this will
sober her if anything will. Where is
she now?'
"She is out riding with Lord PerceYal
They started soon after breakfast and
may return at any moment"
"rhat fellow Perceval! Brute. l
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"