Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1900-06-27
MUR|EL' 5 MINIATURE.
She Gave Her Heart to One Man
80. and Promised Her Hand to
Another, but Fate Ordain-
80. ed That a Wrong Should
Be Righted.

| vOvOvOVOVO~OvOv
| "Fm the last person in the world,
Mrs. Molyneux said, making great
show of darning a stocking that was q
vast deal more hole than anything else,
''to advise a girl to marry for money and
nothing else. But l know few things so
wearying as long engagement to poor
man who lives almost upon hope"
| The girl had not looked down. Her
eyes were blazing.
81 would rather you explained your
self" she said, and, though her voice
| was low, there was intense passion in it.
''There is no need you should beat about
the bush. You are hitting at me and
BERTHE, of course"
II am abiding to you and BERTHE. l
am hitting at no one. BERTHE has moth
ing: you have nothing. l am a widow,
blessed with the proverbial widows mite,
only far, far too poor to bestow it upon
any one. You are the Oldest of the fam
lily. If you marry well, it may mean
much to your sisters; every one thinks
that the standard is set 5y the way the
eldest sister marries."
Muriel stifed a little half cry. She
looked round at her sisters, but none Of
them glanced up; all were in sympathy
with their mother. If Muriel married
Colonel Corbet, there might be a good
time for all of them; if, as they termed
it, she "stuck" to Lieutenant BERTHE
their participation in the joys of married
life would be simply "come over and
help us" when any domestic crisis &C.
Cured.
"You forget that / love BERTHE" she
said "and that BERTHE loves me. 1t
would not matter so much about my
heart, but it would break his if / gave
him up"
There is an old saying, however, and
very true one, that dripping water
wears away stone" and so it happened
that after time Muriel consented to
give up her dear love. her dream Of
happiness, and accept the colonel.
1t was the night before Omdurman.
The officers Of the Anglo Egyptian army
sat in council.
"We'd better turn in," an officer said
at length. There is nothing more to
settle. God only knows when we shall
sleep again-or it may be the long sleep.
There will be work enough tomorrow"
So with Good night, good night" they
took their ways to their quarters, Colo
mel Corbet going alone to his. He had
not gone far when he heard quick steps
behind him. He turned, his hand in
stinctively on his sword; treachery was
not unknown.
But the moonlight shone upon bag
gard young face, on despairing eyes, on
the queens uniform. The colone's hand
dropped from his sword.
"You. Connolly" he said. Anything
wrongY
"I've a favor to ask" he answered.
'T've-had bad news-my deathblow-
from England today. If there's for
lorn hope desperate venture for any
man tomorrow that you have it in your
power to give, will you give it to me?
We English always fight best when we
fight almost against hope. and I've none.
l want a bullet to find its billet here
here" striking his breast.
They had reached the coloneps quar-
tiers and entered together.
BERTHE turned suddenly. Just behind
the colonel a curtain hung. He had seen
1t move: had seen a dark hand just creep
Ing around the edge
There was no time to say anything, no
time to consider. In a moment he had
whipped out his pistol and fired; in an
other moment he had sprung up and
stood with his back to the colonels chair.
In an instant two swords pushed the cur
tain aside. Two dark. evil looking men
glared out. In less time than it takes
to narrate one fell with a groan, a bullet
in his heart, and almost before the colo
nels sword was out of it's scabbard Ber-
tie staggered back to the table, a sword
thrust in his breast, and dragging the
curtain with him. The other traitor
dropped to the ground.
BERTHE lifted his hand, and it closed
over omething-something that hung by
a ribbon around his neck.
"Bury-with me-promise, colonel" he
said. and then spasm of pain, almost
the rending asunder of body and soul,
made the miniature slip from his hand.
The colonel put it back clasped his
hand over the helpless fingers and held
them so. but not before he had seen with
start whose face was there, and his
own was very pale.
Two months later, in the drawing room
Of her mothers house, Mrriel waited for
her elderly lover.
IL am glad to see you home." she said
"You have been wounded?"
"Yes," he answered, and he forgot the
scar. 81 have been wounded. Was Il
quite fair to me, Murel? wanted to
win your heart, not to steal it from an
other man. There. don't look frighten-
ed; I'm hurt, but I'm not angry. and I've
brought you something from Egypt just |
to show you we're the best of friends
still"
'Friends" she repeated.
''Yes," he said, "fast friends" And. |
taking her hands, he kissed them. But |
keep the ring, Muriel, and I'll keep the |
miniature. And now come"
He took her TO another room. He open
ed the door. He heard two enraptured |
voices say "Murielv' "Bertiew Then he |
turned away.-Condensed From Lloyds |
Weekly.
Paper In China aud Japan.