Waterbury Democrat., 1901-05-31

 keep his identity unsuspected by every one. An accident alone revealed it to me, and have promised him not to divulge it. You understand?"
 Cigarette gave an affirmative ges- ture. Her eyes were fastened sudden Iy, yet with a deep, bright glow in them, upon her companion. She was beginning to see her way through his secrets g secret she was too intrinsical- ly loyal even now to dream of betray- ing.
 Then you will cease to feel hatred toward me for so Senseless reason as that belong to the aristocracy that offends you, and you will remain silent on what tell you concerning the one whom you know as Louis Victor?"
 Cigarette nodded assent. The sullen fire glow still burned in her eyes, but she succumbed to the resistless infiu- ence which the serenity, the patience and the dignity of this woman had over her.
 'He is of your order, then?" she ask ed abruptly.
 ''He was, yes"
 Ou, lc WdS. Cr1Su SlSdICtIc,. WILL her cold irony .Then he must be al- ways, mustn't he? You think too much of your blue blood. you patricians, to fancy it can lose it's royalty, whether it run under kings purple or corpo- ral's canvas shirt. Blood tells, they say. Do you want me to tell you why he lives among us, buried like this?"
 Mot if you violate any confidence to do so."
 "No, he makes no confidence, I prom ise you. Not ten words will monsei- gneur say if he can help it about any, thing. He is as silent as lama. But we learn things without being told in camp, and know well enough he is here to save some one else, in some one else's place. It is a sacrifice, look you, that nails him down to this martyrdom. Look you, miladi," said Cigarette half sullenly, half passionately, for the words were wrenched out of hsr gen. erosity and choked her in their srtter- ance, 'ahat man suffers. His life here Is hol upon earth. I don't mean for the danger, but for the indigntty, the subordislation, the license, the brutal ity, tha tyranny He is as if fe were chained to the galleys. He never says anything, oh no! He>is of yoCF kind, you know! But he suffers. Now, if you ba his friend, can you do aothing for him. Can you ransom hin. in no way? Can you go away out of Africa and leave him in this living death to get killed and thrust into the sand, like his c0sl1radn thn 0thar d1V 2o
 "I could not abandon one who was once ta.a friend of my family to such 9 fate az you picture without Ver7 great pain. But I do not see how to alter this fate, as you think could Gn with so mu..h ease. I am not in it's secret. do not know the reason of its Ieem- ing suieide. This gentleman has chosen his own path. It is not for me to change his choice or spy into his mo- tives.> Meantime there is one pressing danger of which you must be any me- dium 70 warn him. He and my broth CT must not meet. Tell him that the latter, Knowing him only as Louis Vic tors and interested in the incidents of his military career, will seek him out early tomorrow morning before we quit the camp. I must leave it to bim to avoid .he meeting as best he may be able''
 Cigaratte smiled grimly.
 s'You do not know much of the camp. Victor t, only a bas-oficier. If his of ficers call him up, he must come or be thrasheG like slave for contuInacy. He has no will of his own.''
 Venetis gave an irrepressible geature of pain.
 ''True; forgot. We'll, go and send him to me. My brother must be taken into his confidence whatever that con- fidence reveals. I will tell him so. Go and send him to me. 1t is the last chance. Go and say this to him. You are his loyal little friend and com rade."
 "If I be, do not see why am to turn your lackey, madame!" said Ciga- rette bitterly. 4'If you want him, you can send for him by other messengers"
 Venetia Corona looked at her stead fastly, with certain contempt in the look.
 ''Then your pleading for him was all insincere? Let the matter drop, and be good enough to leave my presence, which, you will remember, you entered unsummoned and undesired."
 The undertaking gentleness of the tone made the rebuke cut deeper, as her first rebuke had cut, than any sterner censure or more peremptory dismissal could have done. Cigarette stood irresolute, ashamed, filled with rage, torn by contrition, impatient, wounded, swayed by jealous rage and by the purer impulses she strove to stifle.
 The cross she had tossed down caught her sight as it glittered on the carpet strewn over the hard earth. She stopped and raised it. The action su1ficed to turn the tide with her i'm questionable, ardent, capricious na- ture. She would not disgrace that.
 T will go," she muttered in her throat. And you-you o God, no wonder men love. you when even I can not hate you!''
 Venetia Corona gazed after the swift ly flying figure as it passed over the starlit ground lost in amazement, in pity and in regret.
 "A little tigress," she thought, "and yet with infinite nobility, with wonder ful germs of good in her. How she loves him! And she is so brave she