The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1907-05-09

rious look on the Colonel's face
when he told her; and a curious look
On her face when she looked at him.
Can you tell us, Sir?"
The Colonel turned the cheeroot
round in his fingers and inspected 1t
as If it were a doubtful recruit on pa
radc
There may be nothing in It," he
said; "and she's woman, and en-
titled to the benefit of every doubt
that we can give her. l wasn't COINS
to say anything. but I'm like Steel. I
don't care to settle this by myself. I
was on the staff at Simla, as you
know, a year ago, before I got the
battalion. Warren was there then.
SO was she. So was fellow named
Mordaunt, Indian Civil. Uncommon
ly nice chap. Young and cookbook
Ing: and best pig-sticker | ever met.
She was engaged to him. Most awful
spoons | ever saw.
Warren was sweet on her, too,
but he hadn't chance. He took It
awfully we'll, and was very friendly
with them; but everyone knew he
was hard hit. The morning Of tho
wedding Mordaunt died, like War
ren. Heart failure. too. The sort of
fellow you might have backed to live
to hundred They found him sit
ting in his chair with her portrait
Just in front of him. Her portrait!
She took 1t awfully hard, and nearly
died. Begged every little thing out
of his room to keep. They shall
stop with me all my life,' she
told me when | spoke to her about Il
she was Just the age Of my daugh-
ter--'and remind me. May God for
give II ever | forget She kept them
In her room after she was engaged
to Warren even; and Steel is right.
She didn't care for him. She'll never
care for anybody but Mordaunt. God
forgive us If we misjudge herr"
II don't misjudge her." | stated
hotly. THE idea Is preposterous.
Why should she kill man because
he was going to marry her?"
The Colonel relit the cheroot and
looked hard at the Second-so hard
that our eyes had to follow his. The
Second shifted his head again and
gave a soft little groan.
IL didn't look at 1t like that at the
time" he said huskily, when II
went in. I thought perhaps she'd
given him up at the last moment,
and-and-he wouldn't like 1t talked
about, and she wouldn't. But | did
N n
we'd always been friends, he and I.
Perhaps / understood him better
than some of you; and-anyhow, |
put it in my pocket, and It's
cursed hot"
He pulled stout brown card
board box out of his jacket pocket
a box of the size that might have
held locket, or trinket or two;
and a torn wrapper Of white paper
that had gone round 1t. He pieced
the edges Of the paper together on
the table. His hands were too un-
steady to lay them quite straight,
and Steel smoothed the Jagged
edges out, and fitted the letters neat
ly together; and this was what the
writing said. in Miss Craven's pretty,
pointed hand
In memory of my wedding morn
ing. g."-Sylvia Craven.
Poor little woman!" said the Ad-
tant Poor little woman!" His voice
shook. He was younger than the
rest of us.
Steel took the lid off the box GIN
gerly, and felt with his fingers. IF
you will notice." he said, as II he
were delivering lecture, "the edges
of the box have little frills of wad-
ding to make 1t air-tight. 1t would
keep the vapor In till 1t was opened
under any ones face, and then
heart failure! Smell the dying lilies.
There's nothing left to hurt now.
You needn't be afraid Of It,"
"Lilies?" / questioned, but my
voice sounded doubtful. even to my
self. And suppose she did send him
some fiowers?"
"She didn't send him flowers"
said Steel. "She sent him-this!"
He held up miniature, with his fln-
gers covering the face. 81 don't
know who 1t is. or why she sent It:
but l think l could guess
He removed the fingers suddenly,
and the Colonel put up his hands, as
II he wanted to escape the sight.
She's mad" he said Mad We
must hush 1t up somehow II will do
no good-no good"
took the miniature from Steel
and looked at It, 1t was the picture
Of a good-looking young fellow OF
about twenty-five; a pleasant face
smiling as If he saw beautiful Sylvia
Craven, and death and the scent OF
dying lilies were not in the world
1T is Mordaunt," the Colonel sale
She was very much in love with
him, and l suppose 1t preyed upon
her; and when the time came tc
marry Warren she couldn't do 1t. Or
else she sent 1t to show that she was
breaking with the past. Or else-cl
else, You smelt 1t, Steel, you
said ?"
CtaaI ,oid