The morning times., 1897-02-21

she filled. Some of us reached the Key
and were taken off by passing schooner.
That is how l am here. But he-there
must have been a blow-he sank-he was
thrown ashore. 1 myself heaped the
sands over that head" And Gloria fell
to the floor, as if the trcacherous blow
that slew yirgiho had struck her-as
the statue she had that instant seemed
might have fallen.
1t was a week before they could tell
| Harry Bentinck that Gloria would live.
| The Congressional world saw nothing Of
! him in that time; he spent the greater
| part of it in walking up and down Mrs.
| MacMichael's drawing-rooms. But when
| that message was brought to him he
bade Mrs. McMichael good-by and dis
| appeared, and Gen. Piers Petersen disap-
| peared with him.
| He went at once to another city and bor-
| rowed John Vanderwater's yacht, which
! happened TO be ia commission for Mediter-
ranean cruise, taking the necessary people
and appurenanccs along, aud sailed directly
| for the Key, where Yirgilio was buried,
finding it with little difficulty, evading
| Spanish gunboat' S interest in the proceed
ing, and returning with what he sought en-
| cased in triple steel.
And then there was a solemn requiem
mass in st. Matthew IS, withthe whole splen-
dor of the church and its music; with the
chiefs of the Cuban junta and other high
dignitaries in attendance; and out in the
Rock Creek burial ground Harry Bentinck
placed one long palm branch on the young
grave, and wreath, every star Of which
was a blossom of the Flower of the Holy
Ghost.
Gloria lay on lounge, surrounded by
: the flowers he had sent her-armfuls of
white lilacs-white herself as the death
she had escaped, her long hair streaming
to her feet, when, the day after this, he
was admitted to her presence.
She looked at him a moment, saying
5 nothing, and giving him her thin hand;
and then the eyelids fell and two great
tears welled out. He would have kissed
them away, but he dared not. He was
not very certain of his own standing
| in those days. He only touched with
his lips the fingertips of the hand be
? held And he presently told her Of the
Yesterdays music and of the grave. lie
had the choir come the next day and
sing for her a part of the music, the
doors open from room to room, the
s in town soaring like rising soul through
r ii all He came again the following MORN
ing, sitting IN low seat by the lounge,
and told her of the voyage and of the
\ reef and the long roll of the Caribbean
: waters that had entombed Virgilio, where
: the sapphire deepened TO amethyst, and
d broke to beryl and powdered in diamond
:. spray upon the coral rock.
s And on another day he brought her 6
A miniature he had had painted from ,
J. photograph of Virgilio that Mrs. Pier
IS Petersen had. He came every Afternoon
s. and STAYED as long as he could make eX
cuse He longed for her to confess herself
l. able to drive out. in those vernal day
h when the immense sky of Washington i
IF full of the high white light. and the al
IL is full OF the sweetness of green grass, ant
n yiolets, and hyacinths, and springing life
re But one day he went in with more dc
d termination. Her life, perhaps, depende
Ii on it. he said; he would allow no falls
le delicacv to stand in the way. Mrs Mac
MichaeIwent into the adjoining room wher
N Mine. D'Arco was sitting. II think" h
te said. gently, to Gloria, that it is al
SIS solutely necessary you should have
re change If you stay here, you will neve
lie recover -
nd I'D not know that want to recover
ut she sighed
II wan0 you to do so." he said. IAN
e YOU must come away with me for
IS You must break off all these assocl
II tions You must put the mourning,
to past. behind you. You must come oy
Mt seas and begin a new life-with M
d. Gloria"
se Tears swan up as she lay there al
clouded the splendor of the great Dia'
n ewes. ..There is something ! will say
he | vou.i she said slowly, after little viii
ad aPerhaps when you have heard 1t y