The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1905-10-13

severe reprimand because I had hoar
badly treated. Nevertheless, nv homes
of a political appointment vaniahed
n returned to my regiment to learn
after due reflection what a yerv l,,ckv
person l was"
concerning Miss Morris, you mean, ~
Exactly. And now exit Elizaheth
Not being cut out for matrimonial an.
terprlse, tried to become a good nj.
ncer. A year ago, when the govern.
ment asked for volunteers to form
Cmnese regiments, I sent in my name
n was accepted. l had the good for.
tune TO serve under an old friend. Colo.
mel Costobell, but some malign star
sent Lord Ventnor to the far eost
this time In an important civil cansci.
y ! met him occasionally, and we
found we did not like each other anv
oetter. My horse beat his for the Pa.
CODA Hurdle handicap. Poor old Sui
tan, wonder where he is nowv
colonel Costobell fell i'll, and the
command of the regiment devolyed nm.
on me-, u only major being absent in
the interior. The c%olonel's wife. unhan-
PLY, chose that moment to firt. os non.
pie say, with Lord ventnor. Not hav-
ing learned the ACCESSIBILITY of mindinp
my w business, | demonstrated with
her, thus making her my deadly enc
my. Lord Nentnor contrived an off,
clal mission to a ~neighboring town and
detailed me for the military charge. 7
sem a junior officer. Then Mrs. Costo-
beli n he deliberately concocted n
plot to ruin me, he for the sake of his
old animosity-you remember that 7
had also crossed his path In Egypt
b because she feared | would sneol,
to her husband. On p~retense of soek-
ing my advice she invelgled me at
night into a deserted corner of the club
grounds at Hongkong. Lord Ventnor
appeared, and as the upshot Of their
vile statements, which created an i'm.
mediate uproar, well, Miss Deane. 7
nearly killed him"
Iris wildly recalled the anguish he
betrayed when this topic was nadver-
tently preached one day early in their
acquaintance. Now he was reciting his
painful history with the air of a man
q more concerned to be s~crupulously
accurate than aroused In his deenest
passions by the memory Of past
wrongs. What had happened in the in
term to blunt these bygone su~fferings?
Iris clasped her locket. She thought
she knew.
"The remainder may be told in a SEN
tence," he said. "Of what avail were
my frenzied statements against the
definite proofs adduced by Lord Vent
nor and his unfortunate allyn Even
her husband believed her and became
my bitter foe. Poor woman! l have it
in my heart to pity her. Well, that is
all. I am here"
Can a man be ruined so easily?"
murmured the girl, her exquisite tact
leading her to avoid any direct express
sion of sympathy.
ut seems so. But l have had nv re.
ward. If ever l meet Mrs. Costobell
again l will thank her for a great sery.
ice"
Iris suddenly became confused. Her
brow and neck tingled with a quick
access Of color.
why do you say that?" she asked.
And jerks, who was rising, either did
not hear or pretended not to hear the
tremor in her tone.
Because you once told me you would
never marry Lord Ventnor, and after
what l have told you now l am quite
sure you will not"
"Ah, then you do trust me?" she al
most whispered.
He forced back the words trembling
for utterance. He even strove weakly
to assume an air Of good humored
badinage.
"See how you have tempted me from
work, Miss Deane," he cried. Eve have
gossiped here until the fire grew tired
Of our company. To bed, please, al
once"
Iris caught him by the arm.
II will pray tonight and every night
she said solemnly, that your good
name may be cleared in the eyes of al
men, as it is in mine. And l am sure
my prayer will be answered"
She passed into her chamber, but bel
angelic influence remained. In his
very soul the man thanked God for the
tribulation which brought this woman
into bis life. He had traversed the
wilderness to find an oasis Of rare
beauty.
1t was a beautiful night. After 6
baking hot day the rocks were radiat
ing their stored up heat, but the pleas
ant southwesterly breeze that general
~ set in at sunset tempered the at
mosphere and made sleep refreshing
jerks could not settle down to rest To-
q little while after Iris left him. Sh'
did not bring forth her lamp, and, un
willing to disturb her, he picked up
%resinous branch, lit it in the dying fir
and went into the cave.
He wanted to survey the work al
ready done and to determine whethe
1t would be better to resume operation
In the morning from inside the exca