The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-10-02
6COnhnnaA1

T 1t could be prOyeG-
 He was interrupted by GAs e1EEanco of a clerk with q card The secretary rowned, then listened to the whispered explanation of the man, q shght sntla upon his face.
 "Mr. Gibson-fermerly L3suteaant Gibson
 B1cn. The last time she had seen hGE sweetheart he had repuIsed her.
 Gibson entered quickly, halted ab- Eupt1y at sight of the woman he loved standing there, with the gentle 1sRo light in her eyes and the reproach of a maid offended in her form Slowly. very slowly. he placed the little ivory z box in her hands, the box which Hugo Loubeque had given to him She look cd at him inquiringly and his lips parted:
 From Hugo LOubeQue with hopes for forgiveness and felicttaf1On-"
 With trem bling fingers she prtsd open the delicate lid, then gave g sharp cry of disappointment that was echoed by one of mute admiration and amaze ment from the others as, turning the box upside down, the wonderful ruby. necklace fell upon the floor, every bloOG red facet darting a thousand threats at them. But Lucnle's eyes paid the necklace no heed Instead they fAsten- ed upon little slip of paper in the bottom of the box:
 9 Page from diary of Hugo LoubeQue. 'Tn account with GeneraI sumpter Love for dismissal from West Point and robbing me of Lucille
 Theft committed''-
 She read no farther, but, sobbing with the abandonment of a child, placed the page from the diary in the hands of the secretary of war
 'T see" he murmured quietly ''You Bay, MT. Gibson, Hugo LoubeQue gave this to you to hand to Miss Lover 'tYes sir.''
 eff you do not object, Miss Love ,'' he said to the girl. with a little knowing smile in the direction of her sweet heart, q shall take this immediately before the board of inquiry. I think with your story and the ver1hca- tons have gathered of its details, it will not only clear your father. but also return to the army young lieu tenant who had been named captain at the time this unfortuante incident oc- curred-'
 Evidently. important cabinet omcer though he was. the secretary expected  back at the couple. who were so for getful of etiquette as to ignore him. But Lucille had her arms close, close about the neck of Richard Gibson and that young man was only mindful Of his burden at the moment
  At his desk General sumpter Love smiled as the mtrmur of two voicea came to him. His eyes closed weariiy and his head sank forward upon hig chest. a victim of dreams dreams ot the long ago. It had been hard. giving up to another this daughter whom he had only just regained. And yet and. yet-there was another %Lucillo- ''Luciller'
 ''You called, fatherF
 LucilIes arms were about his neck just as they had been about his neeh that other time in Manila when shq ccaxed his consent to her marriage e Gibson And Gibson, with the strape of a captain, was standing once morl in the doorway.
 His hand rose to pat the rose petal cheek of her. Then his fingers en countered the necklace about hel throat. As though he had struck snake, his hand receiled
 'Loubeque's necklace! he mutteFsd The arms about his neck frightened The cheek was pressed against hii own.
 Poor. poor Hugo" she murmured "Poor, poor man who did not know : there was no room for hate. in Worii that might be filled with love. Poo4 poor man.
 The three were silent. There wal no room for words. Ghosts were al about-whispering soothing ghost that murmured over and over again 'TLuc1lle-LucfIle',-
 Ghosts that had an echo from tn lips of a world weary man directi{ under the earth from them7-Hugo Lon beque. alone. with his ghosts that mu1 mured always
 "LuciIle-LuciileH-
 THE END.