Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-07-16
Sir Hollands
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By WILSON M. MATTHEWS
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 Copyright, 1903, by Daily Story Pub. Co.)

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 Copyright, 1903. by Daily Story Pub. Co.)
 N7HEN Sir Roland Chesterton an- w nouneed bis engagement to Camille Rodays, popular French ac- Tess, English society was mortified, while the French elite merely shrugged their shoulders and said: %Ah Dieu!" Then the reported en- gagement was declared false and again Dame Rumor circulated the an nouncement as a positive fact this lime.
 Sir Roland, having just reached his majority, was handsome, reckless, daredevil sort of fellow, with an income of e2O,OOO sterling year. One day at the club, when in one of his reckless moods, he publicly announced the engagement. As g. matter of fact it caused a great row z m the young baronet's family. Lady Ghesterton, the mother of Sir Roland, and the handsomest and haughtiest woman in all England, became hys- terical when a dear friend told her the news. She actually took the boy Tn hers arms and in affectionate and .ndearing terms entreated him to re- nounce this foolish love. The Ladies Blanche and Eleanor, his elder sis ters, went on their knees to him; his cousin, who came next in succession to the title and estates, asked him to abdicate; his fellow clubmen sim ply laughed at him; but Sir Roland remained obdurate-for a little while.
 Then very unexpectedly came the announcement that the marriage" was indefinitely postponed and Sir Roland suddenly determined to make . tour of the continent. He was gone almost year when one morning he returned as mysteriously as he had departed. He was received with open arms by all members of the baron etcy, for they were thoroughly con- Vinced that his infatuation for pretty Camille was gone.
 It was shortly before midnight one evening, as Sir Roland was preparing to leave the club, that letter was handed to him by a messenger boy. The hand writing on the back of the envelope caused him to turn deathly pale, and with trembling fingers he broke the seal.
 My Dear Ro1and,'' it ran. ttCome to me as soon as you get this. have but little while to live, the doctor told me yesterday. My long sickness has made me horribly ugly, but am starved for just one smile from you. | am always at home and can see you any time."
 The next day at two o'clock he went to see her and was mortified at her changed appearance. Her cheeks, once oval and tinted with delicate pink, were now sunken and colorless; great, dark rings encircled her eyes, and deep, heavy lines that told of long suffering marred the face that was once famous for it's beauty. The eyes retained much of their former brilliancy, the lips were still fresh and pink, and the glorious locks of hair, as they lay in tangled disorder on the white pillows, were still beau tiful as when first he met her. The room, with the curtains all. drawn, and the medicine bottles arranged in profusion about her, Camille seemed really about to enter the portals of death. Sir Roland remained but a short while in the sick room and as he turned to go he met a large, brusque woman in the doorway wear ing the garb of a nurse, and who treated him in 8 surly fashion when he inquired after the patient. ''The illness is her affair, not yours!" she said, brushing past him. The next day Sir Roland again visited the sick room and found Camille a. trifle bet ter, he eyes flashed with the old brilliancy and in every way her man ner was quite like the Camille o1 former days. Sir Roland passed g most congenial hour in her company until the nurse came and in the same brusque fashion dismissed him from the room. When he reached the stair I way bell rang in the lower hall. q knew the doctor would come anc | find you here!" cried the nurse, shak | ing her fist in Sir Hollands face. The 1 next instant fine, portly-lookins man entered the hallway. When the ! nurse went upstairs to inform Ca mille of the doctors arrival Si1
 Roland seized the opportunity te | make inquiries.
 "Is Mademoiselle Camille danger | ously ill? Or do you think she vii l recover?