The Central Nevadan. [volume] (Battle Mountain, Nev.) 1885-1907, 1903-06-25

tracks Of land stretched between him
and the Algerian hating place. He
had no fear that be would find his
brother there. lie knew too well the
nature with which he had to deal.
While yet the caravansary was distant
the piteous cries of q mother goat
caught his ear. She was bleating be-
side a water course, into which her kid
of that spring had fallen. He stopped
and with some little difficulty rescuea
the little goat for It's delighted dam.
As he bent over the water he saw
something glitter beneath 1t. He caught
It In his hand and brought It up. 1t
was the broken half of a chain of gold,
with n jewel in each link. He changed
color as he saw 1t. He remembered 1t
rs one that venetia Corona had worn
on the morning that he had been ad-
mitted to her. He stood looking at the
shining links, with their flashes of pre-
cious stones. They seemed to have
voices that spoke to him of her about
whose beautiful white throat they had
been woven-vofces that whispered in
cessantly In his ear. Take up your
birthright, and you will be free TO sue
to her at least, II not to win her. No
golden and Jeweled plaything ever
tempted a starving man to theft as this
tempted him now to break the pledge
he had just given.
His birthright! He longed for 1t for
this woman's sake-for the sake. at
least, of the right to stand before her
as an equal and to risk his chance with
others who sought her smile-as he
had never done for any other thing
which. with that heritage. would have
become his. Yet he knew that. even
were he to be false to his word and 20
forward and claim his right. he would
never be able to prove his innocence.
He could never hope to make the
world believe him unless the real GRIM
inal made that confession which he
held himself forbidden by his own past
action ever to extort.
1t was almost noon when, under the
sun scorched branches of the pine that
stretched It's somber fans up against
the glittering azure of the morning
skies, he approached the gates Of the
Algerine house of call. d study for the
colors of Gerome. with the pearly gray
of its stone tints and the pigeons
wheeling above it's corner towers.
Cecil went within and bathed and
dressed and drank some OF the thin,
cool wine that found it's way hither In
the wake of the French army. The
trampling of horses on the pavement
below reused his attention. A thrill
of hope went through him that his
brother might have lingering con.
science. latent love enough to have
made him refuse to obey the bldding
to leave Africa. He rose and leaned
out. Amid the little throng Of riding
horses. groons and attendants who
made an open way through the poly
glot crowd of an Algerian caravan.
sary as noon he saw the Il dazzling
face of which he had so lately dream
ed by the water freshet In the plains.
1t was but n moments glance. for she
had already dismounted from her marc
md was passing within with two
other ladies of her party. But III that
one glance he knew her. He went
down into the court below and found
her suit.
"Tell your mistress that I. louis
Victor. have some jewels which belor;
to her and ask her permission to re-
store them to her hands," he said TO
one Of her equerries.
"Giye them to me II you have picked
them up" said The a putting out
his hand for them.
Cecil closed his hand Upon them.
SEQ and do as ! bid you"
The cquerry paused. doubtful w'cth-
err or not to resist the tone and the
words. A ~Frenchman's respect for the
military uniform prevailed. lie Went
within.
In the test chamber Of the caravan
cary venetia Corona was sitting. list
less in the heat, when her attendant
entered. She had heard the day be-
fore a story that had touched her of a
soldier who had been slain crossing the
plains and had been brought through
the hurricane and the sandstorm at
every risk by his comrade. who had
chosen to endure all peril and wretch
edness rather than leave the dead body
to the yultures and the kites. 1t was a
nameless story to her-the story of two
obscure troopers, who. for aught she
knew. might have been two of the riot
Gus and savage brigands that were
common to the army of Africa But
the loyalty and the lore shown In II
had moTed her. When her servant APP
preached her now with Cecirs mes
sage. she hesitated some few moments.
then gave the required permission. "He
has once been a gentleman. 1t would
be cruel to wound him." thought the
imperial beauty, who would have re-
fused a prince or neglected a duke with
chill Indifference. He bowed very low
that he might get his calmness back
before he looked at her. and her voice
In its lingering music came on his eat.
"You have found my chain. I think7
| lost 1t in riding yesterday. am
greatly Indebted to you for taking care
bf It,"
ut Is I, madame. who am the debtor
Of SO happy an incident"
ufo r.ordS ,raro x-orv IT, op3 1,ta