The Central Nevadan. [volume] (Battle Mountain, Nev.) 1885-1907, 1903-04-16
he carves In ivory. l suppose be has q
good sale FOR those things with your

Allah! l never heard OF II. 1t Is
strange
VERY strange. Doubtless you would
have given him a good price for themT'
Surely I would; any price he should
have wished. Do not owe him my
lifeg
At that moment little Musjid let fall
a valuable coffee tray inlaid with am
Der. The noise startled Cecil, and his
eyes Enclosed to all the dreamy fan
tastic colors of the place and met those
bent on him in missing pity-saw that
l~ustrous. naughty, delicate head bend
ing slightly down through the many
colored shadows.
He thought he was dreaming, yet on
instinct he rose, staggering slightly, for
sharp pain was still darling through
his head and temples.
MADAME. pardon me. Was I Sleep
ing?'
"You were-and rest again. You look
ILL.," she said gently. And there was
for a moment less of that accent in her
voice which the night before had mark
cd so distinctly, so pointedly, the line
of demarcation between a princess OF
Spain and n soldier of Africa.
81 thank you. l all nothing"
"I fear that Is scarcely true" she
answered him. you look In pain.
though rs n soldier perhaps you will
not own It,"
"a headache from the sun, no more,
madame"
THAT is quite bad enough. Your
service must be s%evere?"
I'm Africa, miladi, one cannot expect
indulgence"
81 suppose not. You have served
long?"
Twelve years, madame"
"And your nameY'
Louis Victor She fancied there
was a slight abruptness in the reply.
as though he were about to add come
other name. and checked himself. She
entered it in the little book from which
she had taken her bank notes.
II may be able to serve you," she
said as she wrote. 81 will speak of
you to the marshal, and when | return
to Paris 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 crafty me.
madame, do not seek to do anything of
the kind"
And why? Do not you even desire
the CROSSE"
Il desire nothing, except to be for
gotten"
She regarded him with much sur
ance. She had bent far in rendering
her influence at the French court to q
private soldier, and his rejection of it
seemed as ungracious as 1t was mex
plicablc. at that moment the Moor
joined them.
"Miladi has told me, II. Victor. that
you are a first rate carver OF iyories.
How is 1t that you have never let NE
benefit by your artT
MY things are net worth a SOU
muttered Cecil ifurriedly.
"You do them great injustice and
yourself Also" said the grande dame
more coldly than she had before spo.
ken. Your carvings are s~ineuiarly
perfect and should bring you consider.
able returns"
why have you never shown them 20
me at lcastY pursued Ben Afsii. "Thy
not have given Inc my optionY"
The blood flushed Cecil's face again.
He turned to the princess.
Il withheld them. madame. not be-
cause he would have underpr;ced bu,
overpriced them. He rates a tf,a!ng
act of mine of long ago SO unduly."
Ben Arsli stroked his great beard.
more moved than his Moslcm dignity
would show.
always So" he muttcrcd. always
go. Ny son. In some life before this
was not generosity your RUM
"Miladi was about TO purchase that
lamp?' asked Cecil. avoiding the cues
ton. "Her highness will not find any
thing like it In all Alglcrs. May |
bear 1t to your carriage. maGame:' 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 exclusives;
she was not wholly satisfied with her.
self for having conversed thus with q
Chasseur d'Afrique In a Moor's ba-
zaar. Still she vaguely felt pity for
this man; she equally vaguely desired
70 serve him.
"Wait. NJ. Victor" she said as he
closed the door Of her carriage. IL
accepted your chessmen last night.
but it is impossible l can retain them
on such terms"
A shadow darkened his face.
Let your dogs break them, then, ma
dame. They shall not come back to
me-"
You mistake; l did not mean that l
would send them back. l simply de-
sire to offer you some equivalent for
them. There must he something that
you wish for-something which would
be acceptable to you in the life you
lead?"
81 have already named the only thing
] desire"
n - -f ~