Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1900-09-27

TT WAS distinctively eastern, very
beautiful and inconceivably gro
tesque, dull-gold spiral circled by
deeply craven dragon heads with iri-
descent eyes that threw out points of
green and yellow fire. I caught myself
gazing at it fixedly more than once, and
as often as I looked I met Bronkton's
gaze focused on the same object.
"A birthday gift" said Mr.. Learn
ing in my ear. "Fanshaw brought it
from India, and understand it rep
resents enormous values"
After supper I met Bronkton and
Lady Fanshaw walking down the
moonlit path by the lake. Bronkton
was always curiously Indifferent to
public opinion. It was well known that
he had courted the beautiful Miss FL
verton, and that Fanshaw's prospects
had won the race. Bronkton went to
India Immediately after the announce
ment of the engagement, and by Gu
rious freak of fortune met Lady Fan
shaw on the very first night OF his re-
turn to civilization. The present visit
was unavoidable; but he need not have
monopolized Lady Fanshaw 80 mark
eddy.
Lady Fanshaw had changed greatly
during those three years of married
life, from a delightfully."- fresh, ap-
proachable girl to very stately un-
approachable woman of fashion.
I took a seat in a deeply Swallowed
nook overlooking the lake, and pres
emily Bronkton and Lady Fanshaw re-
turned and paused directly in front of
me. The moon was dazzling; I could
see very distinctly every detail of her
dress with its crust of seed pearls, the
CLINT Of her pale-gold hair and the
softly outlined profile as cold as snow
against the placid surface of the wa
ter. Dronkton stood facing her, his
hands clasped behind him, his fine, dark
face unusually grave. 3d..
II wish you wouldn't wear that" he
said, abruptly, looking down at the
bangle.
"And why?" she asked, raising her
Arm so that the scintillating gems took
fire from the dazzling moonlight.
because it 10 the price Of blood
money"
"Are you superstitious?" with half
forced raillery.
1--WE get to believe things in India,"
he admitted, quietly, 'because of the
inexplicable happenings that follow
our lives in that strange country"
She looked down at the circle of pris-
oned fire, still smiling in open scorn.
"You arouse my curiosity sufficient
ly to make me wish to hear story, but,
unfortunately, it has none. 1t was
made for me, and the artificer welded
into it all the potential virtues known
to mankind, to protect it's wearer from
calamity and sudden DEATH"
"You mistake" he answered, calmly;
ut belonged to an oriental woman;
she wore it on the night of her mar
rage"
Lady Fanshaw gave him quick, up
turned glance. Are you sure?" she
asked, alertly.
"Quite sure. There cannot be two
such trinkets in the world. Curious
how things circle back against all con-
ficting tides. To think that should
see this again, and on your arm! It
was at Jeysulmere that first saw it.
can see the wearer yet as plainly as
though she stood before me! She was
q Rajput, and they are all very beau
tiful, you know; totally different from
any other race in India. She was the
daughter of despot, not too barbar-
Gus to understand our kind, but too
proud to care whether she understood
US or not. The English had pushed the
old chief to the wall and sent man
down to tie him safely in governmental
harness. This man, whose name does
not matter, had almost finished his
work when he met the young Rajput
queen, and he was so dazzled by her
Incompatible beauty that he offered
his enemy freedom conditional on his
daughters hand in marriage. The des-
pot greatly feared English vengeance;
be paid the price and fled into the will
derness, due explanations being in
vented to satisfy the administration in
ease it looked into the affair. That
was all very simple, you see; but you
will not understand the girls part OF
the sacrifice unless you know some.
thing of the Rajput race pride, which
Tou do not"
did she care for him?" Lady Fan.
shaw interrupted, speaking for the first
time.
Bronkton's thoughts had gone
a-straying while he gazed into the
aower-like face before him, and he die
not answer until she spoke again, whe1
he came back to realization of tan
Eible things with a start.
"No," he answered, gravely, at wa.
not possible with that insurmountabl,
barrier between them; beside, she wa.
q good woman, and she knew by in
stinct that he was neither good no,
honorable"
sADd he-did 10 love her?"