The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1905-03-02

and telling a tales IN the same good
cause with an unreal ch~eerfulneSS.
And the false light in his face turned
to a to~uchingly real one when poor
jacques, all the lovelier for the tell
tale paleness in her face, came into the
room, where few were yet assembled,
saw him, as was inevitable, and after
a moment of inward self-repressiOn,
came over to him with an air of as
sumed Indifference.
Have you any small articles, Cap
tain Danegarth," she said, smiling,
after the first greeting was over, that
one of little means but large sympathy
could buy?"
Really, 1 hardly know what to offer
you,' he replied, the ardent lover in
differently yelled behind the shop
walker. Here are some shells, all
with their teeth drawn. That one
wrecked a field cannon and then killed
a man; it would make a good paper
weight. And here r spent-cartridge
cases, any number of them, mostly
blood-guilty, and ugly things at the
best for a dainty table," Then, glanc-
ing round the stall, and not knowing
how close Fate was at hand, he ex-
claimed: stay! There are a few
trophies 1 brought back myself, and
n of them, this silver locket, has
quite a history attached to it. A
pretty thing, isn't itT' he said, tax
ing from its tray and holding up be-
fore her a silver ornament, heart
shaped, and about as big as a silver
dollar, with an involved monogram
carved upon n side of it. The poor
chap who owned this was fighting
against us with the natives. He
charged CALAMITY up a hill we held,
and was MORALLY wounded by one of
our troopers. / went out to him when
the rush was over, gave him a drink
of water, and held his head upon my
knees, though he was an evil-looking
customer, while he died. We buried
him where he fell, and / took the
locket from his breast, and possessed
why 1 know notify an idle fancy that
somewhere and somehow / might be
able to restore it to the sweetheart or
wife who gave it. Good God! What
is the matter?"
All the time he was speaking that
much-tried woman had kept her eyes
fixed upon the locket; and, as he ended,
from out of her heart and over her
trembling lips went forth a cry-a hui
nan cry of irrepressible emotion-clear
and unequivocal! She turned away as
though she might have tainted; and
in a moment the soldiers arm was
around her waist, supporting her. But
she struggled from him, and
open it!' she cried. "Oh, open it
and make sure! l may be mistaken"
''Open the locket! 1t will not open,
I have often tried"
'Yes-yeS it will. The little spring
at the top, press that"
There was a spring, though so cum
ningly concealed among the Ornamen
tation that the captain had never be-
fore noticed it. But now he stepped
back, the lOcket in his hand, and
pressed it as he was hidden. At the
touch the side few back, and there
girl-a beautiful girl! Who was it?
why, was ne dreaming, was IL possible!
No: he was not dreaming. Another
look, and the fact leaped into GER
tainty-it was Jacques herself!
Surely this is your p%ortrait?" said
the soldier in amazement.
Yes, and 1 gave it to him when we
were first engaged"
Then the man who fell on that hill
side, from whose breast 1 took his
thing, which 1 have had through all
these weeks of uncertainty-the man
who died in my arms-was your hus-
band?"
YES" answered the widow simply;
and forthwith, sitting down on a con-
venient camp-stool, hid her face again
in her hands and wept without reserve
or shame.-The American Queen.