Waterbury Democrat., 1901-05-16

l 4Gs d LM oHlAl-
 He bent oveq the hand she. held oa.t. zelle! They are only made for summer day weather, those dainty, gorgeous, silver pheasants."
 | Like many another, Cigarette under rated what she had no knowledge of and depreciated an antagonist the measure of whose fence she had no power to gauge.
 Crouched there among the rhododen- drons, she lay as still as a mouse, nov i ing nearer and nearer until her ear, quick and unerring as an Indiap's,. could detect the sense of the words spo- lxen Chateauroy himself was bending his fine, dark head toward the patrician on whom her instinct of sex had fas- tened her hatred.
 "You expressed your wish to see my corporal's little sculptures again, ma dame," he was murmuring now. 'sTo l hear was to obey with me. He waits your commands yonder"
 "Itwas you, was it, brought him here ?'' muttered the Friend of the Flag, with the passion in her burning more hotly against that "silyer pheasant" whose delicate train was sweeping the white 1 marbles of Chateauroy's terraces and whose reply she lost, though she could l guess what it had been, when lackeys crossed the lawn and summoned the I chasseur. Y Cecil obeyed, passed up the terrace stairs and stood before his colonel, giv-, Ing the salute. The shade of some aca-: cias still fell across him, while the party he fronted were all in the glow of a full Algerian moon and of the thousand lamps among the belt of flowers and trees. Chateauroy spoke with a carelessness as of 9 man to a dog, turning to his corporal:
 "Victor, the princess honors you with the desire to see your toys again. Spread them out.''
 The savage authority of his general speech was softened for sake of his guests presence; but there was cov- ert tone in the words that made Ciga- rette murmur to herself:
 "If he forgets his promise, will for Igive him!'
 I Cecil had not forgotten it; neither had he forgotten the lesson that this fair aristocrat had read him in the morning. He saluted his chief again, set the chess box down upon the ledge of the marble balustrade and stood silent, without once glancing at the fair and naughty face that was more brilliant still in the African starlight than it had been in the noon sun of l the chasseurs' chambree. Courtesy was forbidden him as insult from a corporal to a nobly born beauty. The carvings were passed from hand to hand as the marquis six or eight guests, 1istlessly willing to be amused in the warmth of the evening after J their dinner, occupied themselves with the ivory chess armies, cut with a skill. and a finish worthy a Roman studio. Praise enough was awarded to the art, but only one glanced at the artist with touch of wondering pity, softening her pride she who had rejected the gift of those mimic squadrons. s SYou were surely q sculptor oncew she asked him, with that graceful, dis tant kindness which she might have shown some Arab outcsst.
 Never, madame"
 'Indeed! Then who taught you such exquisite art?"
 Ut cannot claim to be called an art, madame."
 She looked at him with an increased interest. The accent of his voice told her that this man, whatever he might be now, had once been gentleman.
 "Oh, yes; it is perfect of it's kind. Who was your master in it?'
 "A common teacher, madame-neces- sity."
 There was q very sweet gleam of compassion in the luster of her dark dreaming eyes.
 Docs necessity often teach so well?"
 .In the ranks of our army, madame, I think it does; often, indeed, much better''
 Victor knows that neither he nor his men have any right to waste their time on such trash,'' Chateauroy said care lessly, but the truth is they love the canteen so we'll that they will do any thing to add enough to their pay to buy brandy"
 She whom he had called the prin- cess looked with doubting surprise at the sculptor of the white Arab king she held.
 That man does not carve for bran dy," she thought.
 Tt must be a solace to many weary hour in the barracks to be able to pre- duce such beautiful trif1es as these," & she said aloud. Surely you encourage such pursuits, colonel?''
 Not ]" said Chateauroy, with dash of his camp tone that he could not withhold. There are but two arts or virtues for trooper to my taste fighting and obedience."
 "You should be in the Russian serv- ice, M. de Chateauroy," said the lady, with smile that, slight as it was, made the marquis eyes flash fire.
 Almost I wish J had beer.... he an-