The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1905-03-31

were we to hold 1t, whereas I can go
up and down our back staircase when
ever choose. If you don't mind being
left in the dark / will resume work
now by the light of your lamp"
But Iris protested against this ar
! rangement. She felt lonely. The long
hours of silence had been distasteful
| to her. She wanted to talk
II agree" said jerks, provided you
do not pin me down to something I
told you month ago"
Il promise. You can tell me as much
or as little as you think fit. The sub
Ject for discussion is your court mar
, tial"
He could not see the tender light in
her eyes, but the quiet sympathy of
her voice restrained the protest prompt
on his lips. Yet he blurted out after a
slight pause:
THAT Is very unsavory subject"
rs 1t? l do not think so. l am a
friend, Mr.. jerks, not an old one, adj
NIT, but during the past six weeks we
have bridged an ordinary acquaintance
ship OF as many years. Can you not
trust me?"
Trust her? He laughed softly. Then.
choosing his words with great delibera-
tion,. he answered: Eyes, I can trust
you. l intended to tell you the story
some day. Why not tonight?
Unseen in the darkness. Iris hand
sought and clasped the gold locket sus-
pended from her neck She already
knew some portion of the story he
would tell. The remainder was of
minor Importance.
ut is odd" he continued, "that YOU
should have alluded to six years a mo.
ment ago. 1t is exactly six years al
most to day since the trouble began"
with Lord Ventnor" The name
slipped out involuntarily.
Eyes. l was then q staff CORPS SUBJ
altern, and my proficiency in native
languages attracted the attention of
friend in S!1nla, who advised me to
apply for an appointment on the DO
litical side Of the government of In
dia. did so. He supported the appli-
cation, and / was assured of the next
vacancy in native state provided that
l got married. 1 was not q marrying
man, Miss Deane, and the requisite
qualification nearly staggered me. But
l looked around the station and came
to the conclusion that the commission
er's niece would make q suitable wife.
l regarded her points, so to speak, and
they filled the bill. She was smart.
good looking, lively, understood the
art of entertaining was first rate in
sports and had excellent teeth. Indeed,
if man selected wife as he does a
horse she'-
Don't be horrid. Was she really
pretty?"
II believe So People said she was"
But what did you think?''
"At the time my opinion was biased.
1 have seen her since, and she wears
badly. She is married now and after
thirty grew very fat"
Artful jerks! Iris settled herself
comfortably to listen,
II have jumped that fence with lot
in hand" he thought.
1--WE became engaged" he said aloud.
"She threw herself at him." commun-
ed Iris.
"Her name was Elizabeth-Eliza-
beth Morris" The young lieutenant
Of those days called her Bessie, but no
matter.
"Well, you didn't marry her, any
how" commented Iris, trifie sharply.
And now the sailor was on level
ground again.
'Thank heaven, no." he said earnest
ly. ''We had barely become engaged
when she went with her uncle to Sim
Ia for the hot weather. There she met
Lord Ventnor, who was on the vice
roy's staff, and-if you don't mind, we
will skip a portion of the narrative
l discovered then why men in India
usually go to England for their wives.
While in Simla on ten days leave
had foolish row with Lord Ventnor
in the United Service club-hammered
him, in fact, in defense Of q worthless
woman-and was only saved from
severe reprimand because 1 had been
badly treated Nevertheless, my hopes
of political appointment vanished.
and I returned to my regiment to learn
after due reflection what very lucky
person l was"
Concerning Miss Norris, you mean|
Exactly. and now exit Elizabeth.
Not being cut out for matrimonial en-
terprise 1 tried to become a good Of
| ficer. \ year ago, when the govern
ment asked for volunteers to form
| Chinese regiments, l sent in my name
| and was accepted. l had the good for
| tune to serve under an old friend, Colo
mel Costobell, but some Ihalign star
sent Lord Ventnor to the far east.
| this time in an important civil capaci-
ty. | met him occasionally, and we
| found we did not like each other any
better. My horse beat his for the Pa
CODA Hurdle handicap. Poor old Sui
! tan. I wonder where he is now'
Colonel Costobell fell Ill, and the
command of the regiment devolved up
on me, our only major being absent III
the interior. The coloners wife, unhap-
pily. chose that moment to flirt, as peo-
pie say, with Lord Ventnor. Not hav-
J ing learned the ACCESSIBILITY Of mindlng
my own business, demonstrated with
her. thus making her my deadly enc
,tttx- nI n Ii