New-York tribune., 1909-09-12
SUNDAY MAGAZINE FOR SEPTEMBER H. 1909

through the shadows of untrimmed trees. In all
those first meetings comrades went together,
striving take advantage through the absence OF
another; but there is after all a Slight something
Creeps among friends where woman Is concerned,
and this something among three in the early
davs of that contest wherein each hoped for victory
over the heart of Yvette l tried to struggle against
this feeling and have doubt the struggle trip
Heated Yet though we had fought through a dozen
campaigns together time and again had each rsked
his life for the other gOr1ed the other success,
boased of the others prowess, and worked for the
other aims, it was difficult to share Yvette.
T AM sure had no knowledge for many weeks that
l was the favored one in the unaccustOmed enter
prise of love The certainty that day of the
grand parade when Yvette fair and smiling, with
the General in the reviewing stand surrounded by
party of nOtableS and as my CuraSsierS thundered
past clapped her hands and then in outburst of
warmth stood upon her feet and threw me her glove
1t against the technic of the corps and all disc
pine: but my grim followers Cheered and flashed
their sabers in salute when | wheeled my horse and
at quick galOp recovered it from the ground and
thrust II into my belt The General trOWned through
a smile vet had he sent for me | should have adj
mitted my breach and accepted my Just reprlmand
with an unbroken front for to the tiny threaded
thing of common pelt relic beyond price and
dearer far than a decoration from King. \ sacred
memento which had embraced a woman's
hand
They came to me that night Villalon and Leopard
trudging the sands arm in arm erect serious
and brave They halted before the open door of my
tent and bowed.
We have come. old comrade of ours they said
to congratulate YOU. They had accepted the
avowal of the glove as beftted them, Nillaon with
quiet There shall be envy, and Leopard with a
frank outburst Of. If II other than you, my
Castor. I'd find the preteXt test his blade, but
now my hands are lax and my only content is in
knowing that it is Of us three.
He caught Nillalon by the arm; they saluted
punctiliously. turned squarelv round. and went
their way, leaving alone h my air castles.
from that time they my FAITHFUL allies in the
ge for the hand of Gvette And by my faith was
a S. &c stubbornly contested despite the promise of
the glove; for there was yet the Count TO reckon
with,
The Count was rather an object of mystery and
a most peculiar Rumor, which usually has
some foundation of fact, whispered that his income
sufficient to enable him to maintain himself and
niece in a place as modest as Algers but that Paris
beyond his income Although, by inference he
led those who visited the FeTrara palace believe
that he intended to remain for a considerable length
of time and had taken a easehold on the property,
there nothing more substantial to indicate his
tenure. He made attempt to rehabilitate the
ruined gardens, to mend the fountains, to renew
the iOWerbedS. The residence contained nothing
but little, that new and owed its neatneSS to
the supervision of its mistress rather than to any
outlay of funds, but for dot | cared nothing so
neither | nor my comrades made any inquiries of a
financial nature.
60 insidious was the growth Of gaming at the pal
~ that | cannot now recall how 1t began | do
remember that when three first there we oc-
Casionay played for small sums, and time went on
we became painfully that the stakes were con-
tinualy growing larger. l cannot even be certain
that was the Count who suggested the placing of
baccara table in the old SaHt Il IrHcS: but | do
know that those black paneled walls with their
panoply of arms and warlike decorations looked
down many night on a table that surrounded
by French officers OF nearly every rank and that we
came play bICCdrd CheHliH dc jer because it re-
qured SIX packs of cards.
Always there viii remain the mental picture of
the Count stately. reserved. dignihed and cold rs
polished steel when he had the bank The long fine
fingers would gracefully gather the cards and with