Waterbury Democrat., 1901-05-18
Madame, pardon me- Was sleep

 ed so distinctly, so pointedly, the line of demarcation between . princess of Spain and soldier of Africa.
 "I thank you, nil nothing"
 'I fear that is scarcely true," she answered him. "You look in pain, though as a soldier perhaps you will not own it.'
 "A headache from the sun, no more madame"
 ."That is quite bad enough. Your service must be severe?" 'In Africa, miladi, one cannot expect indulgence"
 T suppose not You have served long?'
 Twelve years, madame"
 "And your nameY
 "Iouis Victor" She fancied there was slight abruptness in the reply, as though he were about to add some other name, and checked himself. She entered it in the little book from which she had taken her bank notes.
 T may be able to serve you" she said as she wrote "I will speak of to Paris I may have an opportunity to bring your name before the emperor"
 The color flushed his forehead.
 You do me much honor," he said rapidly, "but if you would gratify me, madame, do not seek to do anything of | the kind."
 "And why? Do not you even desire the cross?'
 T desire nothing, except to be for | gotten"
 She regarded him with much sur prise, with some slight sense of annoy ance. She had bent far in rendering her influence at the French court to | private soldier, and his rejection of it l seemed as ungracious as it was mex l plicable. At that moment the Moor | joined them.
 "Miladi has told me, M. Victor, that l you are a first rate carver of worries. How is it that you have never let me | benefit by your art ?" My things are not worth sou," muttered Cecil hurriedly.
 "You do them great injustice and l yourself also,' said the grande dame more coldly than she had before spo- ken. Your carvings are singularly perfect and should bring you consider | able returns.,'
 Why have you never shown them to me at least?" pursued Ben Arsli. "Why not have given me my option?" l The blood flushed Cecils face again. He turned to the princess. ss | sT withheld them, madame, not be- cause he would have underpriced but overpriced them. He rates trifiing act of mine of long ago so unduly."
 Ben Arsli stroked his great beard, more moved than his Moslem dignity would show.
 Always so," he muttered, always so. My son, in some life before this was not generosity your ruin?''
 "Miladi was about to purchase that lamp?" asked Cecil, avoiding the ques- ton. "Her highness will not find any thing like it in all Algiers. May bear it to your carriage, madame?'' he asked as she moved to leave, having made 1t her own, while her footman carried out smaller articles. She bow ed in silence. She was very exclusive; she was not wholly satisfied with her | self for having conversed thus with a Chasseur d'Afrique in a. Moors ba- zaar. Still she vaguely felt pity, for this man; she equally vaguely desired 1 to serve him. II 4 NV
 "Wait, M. Victor" she said as he closed the door of her carriage. q l accepted your chessmen last night | but it is impossible can retain them on such terms." SsIas ss | A shadow darkened his face. NslssN
 "Let your dogs break them, then, ma- dame. They shall not come back to | me-"
 "You mistake; did not mean that I would send them back. I simply de- sire to offer you some equivalent for them. There must be something that l you wish fer-something which would be acceptable to you in the life you 1 lead?"
 T have already named the only thing desire.''
 ITO be forgotten? A sad wish. Nay, surely life in regiment of Africa can not be so cloudless that it can create in you no otherY' 3,.a.
 Ut is not. have another"
 "Then tell 1t to me; 1t shall be grat- filed"
 Ut is to enjoy luxury long ago lost forever. It is to be allowed to give the slight courtesy of a gentleman with out being rendered the wage of serv- | ant"
 She understood him. She was nov ed, too, by the infection of his voice. She was not so cold, not so negligent, as the world called her.
 T had passed my word to grant it. I cannot retract," she answered him aft CT pause. T will press nothing more on you. But, as an obligation to me, can you find no way in which rouleau of gold would benefit your men?"
 'No way that I can take it for them. But, if you care indeed to do them a charity, a little wine, a little fruit, a few flowers for there are those among them who love flowers) sent to the hos pital will bring many benedictions on your name, madame. They lie in in finite misery there."
 T will remember,' she said simply. "Adieu, Mir. Corporal, and if you should think better of your choice and will al- low your name to be mentioned by me to his majesty send me word through my people. There is my card"