The Central Nevadan. [volume] (Battle Mountain, Nev.) 1885-1907, 1903-07-02

AO0 s0OC you1s% HHD Cftuths . dts"ht
hnite nobility among these men Wild
live without %hope1ive only to die.
That Soldier d 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 him2 What
tenderness. what greatness. there must
have been In that poor fellows heart!'
"Oh. mol That was nothihg!"
Nothing! They have told me he
came every inch Of the way In danger
bf 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 1t. !
owed him a debt far greater than any
hct like that could ever repay"
"You! Was 1t your"
"Yes. madame. He who persisted had
b thousandfold more of such nobility
hs you have praised than l."
"Ah! Tell me of him." she said SIM
ply. But he saw that the lustrous eyes
bent on him had a grave. sweet sad
hess In them that was more precious
nnd more pitiful than u million utter
hnces of regret could ever have been.
As he obeyed her hands toyed with the
enamel bonbonnicre. whose silver had
lost all its bright enamcling and was
dented and ,iulled till 1t looked no more
than lead. The lid came off at her
touch as she musingly moved 1t round
Ind round. The chain and the ring fell
into her lap: the lid remained In her
hand. It's Interior unspoiled and stud
lied III Its cehtet with one name I'd
turquoise letters-venetia.
She started as the letters caught her
s.ye aud turned her head and gazed nj
Der companion.
How did you obtain thisY"
q "The chain. madamei 1t had failed
In the water"
'The chain! No. the boxr
He looked at her In surprise.
1T was given me very long ago."
And by whom"
"By a young child. madame"
Her lips parted slightly. The 1ush on
her cheeks deepened. The beautiful
face which the Roman sculptor had
kald only wanted tenderness TO make 1t
perfect changed. moved. was ~quickened
with a thousand shadows OF thought.
"The boz 10 mine. | gave IL. Aur
your
I1p fSse to his feet and stood entranc-
ed before her. breathiess aud mute.
And your" she repeated.
He was silent still. gazing nt her. Ee
knew her now. How had lie been so
blind as never to guess the truth he
fore. as never to know TINT those iiu-
perial eyes and that diadem of gol1rn
hair could belong alone tat 10 The no
fnen OF one race?
And your" she cried once morp. while
she stretched her hands out TO bin.
And you = you are Philips friend.
You are BERTHE Cec!l."
Silently he bowed his head. Not even
FOR bis brothers sake or for sake OF his
pledged word could he have lied 10 her.
But her ~oufstretched hands he would
not see. he would not take. The shad
NV Of an imputed crime was stretched
between them.
Little queen" he mur,pured. II was
his pet ma me for her when she was q
child. "Ah. God. How cohid l be SO
biind!"
She grew very pale as she sank back
hgain upon tine couch from which she
had risen. 1t seemed 10 her as though
a thousand years had drifted 10y since
she had stood beside this man under
the SUMMER leaves of the Stephanier
and he had kissed her childish lips and
thanked her for her loving gift Aid
now they had met thus!
They thought that you were dcnd."
she said at length. while her voice sank
very low. why have you lived like
thisf"
He made no answer.
1T was cruel to Philip" she went on,
while her voice still shook. Child