The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1901-06-27

unite nODlllty among these men who
live without hopelive only to die.
That soldier day or two ago who
brought his dead comrade through the
hurricane, risking his own death rath-
er than leave the body to the carrion
birds-you have heard of him? What
tenderness, what greatness, there must
have been in that poor fellows hearth
"Oh, no! That was nothing!'
Nothing! They have told me he
came every inch of the way in danger
of the Arabs shot and steel. he had
suffered so much to bring the body
safe across the plains he fell down in
sensible on his entrance here"
"You set too much store on it.
owed him a debt far greater than any
act like that could ever repay"
"You! Was it you?'
eyes, madame. He who persisted had
a thousandfold more of such nobility
as you have praised than H.
Tell na Ct AiIa = she sa id ST
ply But he saw that the lustrous eyes
bent on him had grave, sweet sad
ness in them that was more precious
and more pitiful than a million utter
ances of regret could ever have been.
AS he obeyed her hands toyed with the
enamel bonbonniere, whose silver had
lost all it's bright enameling and was
denied and dulled till it looked no more
than lead. The lid came off at her
touch as she musingly moved it round
and round The chain and the ring fell
into her lap: the lid remained in her
hand, it's interior unspoiled and stud
ded in it's center with one name in
turquoise letters-Venetia.
She started as the letters caught her
eye and turned her head and gazed at
her companion.
"How did you obtain this?'
'The chain, madame? 1t had fallen
in the water"
'"The chain! No, the box!
He looked at her in surprise.
ut was given me very long ago."
"And by whom?
'By young child, madame"
Her lips parted slightly. The flush on
her cheeks deepened. The beautiful
face which the Roman sculptor had
said only wanted tenderness to make it
perfect changed, moved, was quickened
with a thousand shadows of thought.
''The box is mine! I gave it! And
you?"
He rose to his feet and stood entranc-
ed before her, breathless and mute.
'*And your she repeated.
He was silent still, gazing at her. He
knew her now. How had be been so
blind as never to guess the truth be-
fore, as never to know that those i'm
perial eyes and that diadem of golden
hair could belong alone but to the wo-
men of one race?
"And YOU" she cried once more, while
she stretched her hands out to him.
And you you are Philips friend!
You are BERTHE Cecilw -.
Silently he bowed his head. Not even
for his brothers sake or for sake of his
pledged word could he have lied to her.
But her outstretched hands he would
not see, he would not take. The shad-
ow of an imputed crime was stretched
between them. -....... -
Little queen! he murmured. 1t was
his pet name for her when she was a
child. "Ah, God! How could I be so
blind?" ~.
She grew very pale as she sank back
again upon the couch from which she
had risen. 1t seemed to her as though
thousand years had drifted by since
she had stood beside this man under
the summer leaves of the Stephanien
and he had kissed her childish lips and
thanked her for her loving gift. And
now they had met thus! -'~ .s.
"They thought that you were dead"
she shid at length, while her voice sank
very low. sWhy have you lived like
this:' !. sz.
He made no answer.
1T was cruel to, Philip" she went on,
chile her voice still shook. .tChild