The Detroit times., 1908-06-22
.ORION'S
BELT


practicing he spent a couple OF hours
every afternoon with friends In the
Practitioners club. but at o'clock
sharp he was home>tn time for tea
Tonight 1t was already half past s
and the doctor had not come. greatly
10 the surprise OF his wife aud daugh.
ter, pretty Hedwig. who were wait.
ing for him at the coy table In the
sitting room.
At last the sound OF steps were
heard and the young girl ran out 10
meet her father.
why. father. how you look" she
exclaimed. lis the weather as bad as
that"
Eyes. dear. II Is regular blizzard"
the doctor replied, shaking the snow
from his fur coat.
Hedwig took his hat and coat.
---rhunK you, dear, I am so sorry
you had TO wait for me. but could
not get away before"
"Oh. father, you know that IL you
had a pleasant time we would not
mind waiting for you. though We have
missed you"
She took her fathers hand and drew
him into the CHEEKY parlor. where his
wife. pouting little. poured in the
tea, but she was mollified as soon as
he limited that he had interesting
news to tell
Out with It then" she said, and
settled down comfortably In her chair
II met couple OF officers from the
Medusa. and you know when they
come home from a long cruise they
always have a lot to tell; that is why
| was late tonight"
You said something OF news. but
really the experiences Of these officers
do not interest us"
81 know that" the doctor replied
with a smile but am sure It will In
terest you to hear that Lieut.. Lunde.
wall has caught golden bird. He
has fallen in love with rich and
beautiful English girl. daughter OF one
OF the richest shipbuilders OF Singa-
pore. There you see. Hedwig, that
your partner from the dances OF last
year is a hunter of big game"
The lamp hid Hedwig's face, and
the doctor did not see how she turned
pale. but her mother had Immediately
discovered how the news affected the
young girl.
"Oh. one must not believe every
thing one hears" she said. with q
warning glance at her husband. who.
however, did not notice It.
Still -is-yary- lilSely @Ae-eea-
tinued "Lundewall Is handsome
chap. capable officer, who is about
TO be promoted captain, although he
is not yet 80. Immensely rich and
beautiful. that means "a good deal!
Would that our Paul might meet with
the same good fortune at Hong
Kong"
"Paul." the mother exclaimed.
wiping away tear. God knows II
we shall ever see him again"
While the older people talked about
their absent son. Hedwig stood up
quietly and left the room.
THAT you could be thoughtless
enough to tell that story" the mother
exclaimed as soon as the door had
closed behind her. Did you not see
made signs TO you to keep still?"
mo, did not, and what Is more,
do not know why | should not have
told It."
Because Hedwig loves Curt Lunde-
wall and thought he loved her.
have often seen them together and
am neither deaf nor blind"
The doctor stood up. walked up and
down the floor awhile and then
stopped In front of his -wife.-
What you have just told, had
never suspected. but II Lundewall has
made love to Hedwig before he left
and now marries another he Is not
worth that she should shed tear for
his sake II he did not go as far as
that. IL is better so. for much though |
like Lundewall, he Is not the man |
would like to see Hedwig marry. She
should never marry q man who would
have TO leave her alone for months at
a time"
In the meantime Hedwig stood at
the stormy winters night. How often
she had stood there. trembling for
him. when the weather was bad. every
gust OF wind reminding her OF his
danger and at the same time being
like messenger from him.
Now need not be afraid any
more" she walled softly, "he Is sase
now and still my heart feels so heavy
rich and beautiful they say, she Is
no wonder then he forgets the plain
little girl in his northern home. He
never told me he loved me, but when
he left he asked me to think OF him
often. and showed me Orion. saying
that when looked at those stars
they would be above his head. too. In
the southern seas. that our thoughts
would then meet"
II had stopped showing. Hedwig
looked at the wintry sky and there
brighter than ever were the three
stars in the belt OF Orion.
Bring word to him." she cried soft
~. tell him shall never. never for
get him. Oh. send me Sign that he
is thinking of me as OF him now"
A heavy cloud blotted out the stars
and Hedwig hid her face In her hands
and cried bitterly.
The gunboat Falcon was at anchor
in the roads Of Singapore. The COM
mander OF the boat. Lieut.. Curt Lun-
dewall was pacing up and down the
deck. Above him was the starlit trop-
ical sky. but he did not see the bright
stars. He was gazing toward land.
where he had seen two stars ne could
not forget-Ellen Ralight's beautiful
eyes.
Three months ago while strolling