The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1905-04-25
PART II. CHAPTER I.

ne WHIST party were soon occupied
with their game, but not SO absorbing
" as to prevent good deal Of talk
between the deals and rubbers.
The first game was nearly over;
Steinhausea had just settled his cards,
when. raising his eyes, they fell upon
a gentleman in civil attire certainly,
but Enthusiastically a soldier from his
bearing, standing in the doorway OPP
posite.
While Steinhausen looked he turned
and walked across the room, and the
Major perceived that his right coat
sleeve was empty from below where
the elbow ought to have been.
The face-a broad, strong, sensible
countenance, with honest-looking
brown eyes, ceemed quite familiar to
Steinhausen.
Another moments thought, and the
0ater-color portrait which had inter-
ested him 20 painfully during his short
but memorable sta- at Villa Bellevue
came back distinctly to his minds
eye.
Yes, it was the original of that we'll
remembered picture who had just
passed; If so, where then was his wife
or fiaIcee?
Won Steinhausen felt as il there had
been no cessation in his interest and
curiosity since he had spurred his
horse in bitter Impotence, and with a
sense of defeat, away from the sleepy
little village Of Bergfelder, so wildly
did the old feeling spring again into
being at this unexpected rencontre.
His first impulse was to call Burch-
ardt's attention to this one-armed
stranger; but he recollected in time
that probably his comrade had never
seen or noticed the picture.
Pray, Herr Doctor" he said, turn
ing slightly in his chair. "who is the
gentleman who has just passed.
think know his face"
"Which?' said the doctor, throwing
down the ace of hearts with triumph
ant thump.
"Oh, the man that has lost his arm;
there he is, talking to lady with the
Tower Of Babel in curls on her head"
"Oh, that man! No! l don't know
him; he is a stranger; the Burgomeis-
ter has mixed gathering tonight.
HE must come from a distance; he
is no Bernstadter."
Won Steinbausen forced himself to
give his full attention to the game.
Time enough to hunt up the stranger
afterward
But though Steinhausen played well
and won the game, his fancy teemed
with images of the past and conjec-
lures of the future.
Was he really to meet the Saxon
heroine, who had charmed him, as the
wife of another?
And, if so. how would she receive
him?
Looking back after the lapse OF
few years, and in the coolness of retro
spection. he confessed to himself that
the fiery impulse he had permitted to
master him must have seemed little
like insanity to the object of her adora-
ton
Still his heart beat quickly as he rose
1lOll Tic ldUlC Tue MlAOCl VI uCd11y q
thaler Stakes were not high in Bern
stadD, and looked about for some one
to question.
The gentleman who had reused these
memories had disappeared.
'Burchardt." said Major Won Stein
hansen, II wish you would try to find
out who it is that is minus his arm,
though civilian.
Il fancy he is connected with our
Bergfelder friends"
rs it possibleT' cried Burchardt.
with much animation. How! Why
DO you think sop
Il will tell you after" returned his
<riend.
Come, let us have look at the
dancers"
He caught glimpse of himself as he
spoke IA a long glass, and thought:
My fair foe must have good men,
DRY if she recognizes me-" for the re-
Election given back was Of a tall figure,
considerably thinner, paler, more
gaunt-looking than Of old, with a thick
beard covering the lower part of his
face.
The ballroom was now quite full, and
the company therein assembled was
whirling and floating to the sound of
the blue Danube" waltz, and for a
few minutes Burchardt and Stein
hansen looked on; then the former
moved away to speak to some ac-
quaintance and Won Steinhausen. sunk
in deep thought, saw the forms of the
dancers as in {. dream.
Suddenly the Burgomeister spoke to
him.
They keep it up gayly, Herr Major"
he said.
Il think we have good snow Of
beauty. wish you could join them"
"The fairest maiden Of them all
would be pleased to have one Of the
heroes Of Sedan for cavalier"
"That measure is impossible for me,
Herr Burgomeistersn returned Stein
hansen, gravely.
| "But tell me who is the gentleman
observed upstairs. a soldie-ly -looling
nan, though in civil dress, who has lost
an arm?"
"Ohl tha is Saxon neighhor Of
ours-a relation Of my wife's-H Herr
Hauptmann Cheering; he is here nth
his wife and sister, think, young
lady who is on visit with them"
Indeed"
uvae ho+h handsorna vvonaen !,