Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-07-18

nal candies.
He picked up the written sheet from
the blotting. pad
Il have done this" he read. be
cause military etiquette left Inc no
other alternative but disgrace. and the
, disgrace Of one officer of a regiment
is the disgrace Of every officer Of the
regiment"
He paused and considered the
phraseOlogy. Yes, think that's
| rather we'll put. The repetition Of
the word regiment seems to add dig
nifty and emphasis to it,
He read on.
These are the facts of the case. I
give them. so far rs | remember. ex-
actly as they occurred. To-day | EN-
tered tram on Haupt Strasse. The
first seat ON the left was occupied by
a stout fellow in civilian dress. His
legs extended slightly into the gang
way. | tripped On them. and fell al
most into the lap of a lady opposite.
Dummkopf!' | muttered to the
man. Can't you keep your blamed
legs to yOurself?'
He rose and struck me on the
mouth with the back Of his hand.
grasped the hilt Of my sword. he
took, very deliberately, d card from
his pOcketbouk, and, handing it to me.
left the tram. | read the card-'Geu.
Won Ehrcnbevg-Achstein had IL
suited an officer OF superior rank. he
could not call me out, and accordingly
but one thing remained for man Of
honor cave it to the regiment to
decide whether | have acted in q
manner that is worthy Of their tradi-
tons"
He laid down the letter. BY its
side was another. II was addressed to
"Fraulein kuner," and it told the
same story little less BADLY. Il can
add nothing to either" he said. II
1t had not been for these candles
the thing would have been settled by
now"
He turned in his chair. and for the
first time since he had blown Gu, the
candle noticed the window behind him.
He started in horror. He could have
declared solemnly that he had pulled
down the blind. yet the square framed
patch OF deep blue sky Knocked him
through the glass panes. He rose and
jerked wildly at the blind. 1t de-
seconded few inches and then
stopped The roller had damned. He
tugged frantically at the tasseled cord.
and it came away with his hand. In
| desperation he sat down again at the
| table. Drops of cold perSpiration
stood out on his forehead, and he tried
, to dash them away with his clenched
fist. He clutched at his hair, and NUT
tered beneath his breath.
II he could only have darkness!
| Every detail of the room stood cut
with a vividness which t had never
before possessed. He could trace the
pattern of the carpet; the great curves
Of the Secession" wall paper; the sim
| uous grace OF the frieze. The brightest
] day of summer had never revealed to
| him so much. and as one In a weary
| sickness he began to count the repe-
titions of the design. Up, down. across
| and back. Up, down, across and
back.
The bell Of q neighboring church
! clock aroused him to sense OF time.
! 1t was no use delaying. He must do
! it, light or no light. He stretched out
! his hand again for the revolver.
grasped it and held it to his temple.
! As his forefnser sought the trigger.
, his eye caught the circular silver
81 IA fahla hAfnr2
him.
Dear little girl" he murmured. Il
dare say she'll be sorry, If nc one
else is"
He laid down the revolver and
picked up the envelope marked Frau
lein Kuner." Would she be able to
understand? he asked himself. Had
he told her everything as II should be
! told? A girl could not be expected
| to see things in the same light as
q company Of young officers. He ought
to make 1t quite clear to her. He
owed her that He remembered that
she had once expressed to him her
belief that a man who took his own
life was Q coward. They were talking
Of some poor feloD who had poisoned
, himself in prison. and he had agreed that
there was no excuse for one in such
! a case. The man had done something
and was afraid to meet the conse-
quences. Suicide there vas obviously
rank cowardice.
But, then. how about himself!
WHAT would she think Of him" All.
but his circumstances were wholly
different. This was an affair Of
honor, and there was an accepted
code. He said these words over and
over rs IL 10 impress upon himself
their Significance. An invioIab'c code
| which nothing could possibly alter.
Sothin1 nothing nothing But