The daily star-mirror., 1915-04-09

She sat down at the piano and her
hands touched the keys. Her aunt
who was doing some dainty tapestry
whose fingers were creating silken
flowers and whose mind was busy with
fancies and ambitions very like the
work she created, shrugged her shoul-
ders.
THAT seems to be-" she said keenly,
the only tune you know, Julia
Its a pretty song, ma tante."
Il remember that you played and
sang it the first night Sabron came to
dinner" The girl continued to finger
among the chords. And since then
never day passes that sometime or
other you do not play it through"
"It has become a sort of oraison,
ma tante"
"Sabron," said the marquise, "is a
fine young man, my child, but he has
nothing but his officers pay More
over, soldiers life is a precarious
one"
Julia Redmond played the song soft
ly through.
The old butler came in with the eve
ming mail and the papers. The Mar
quise d'Esclignac, with her embroid-
cry scissors, opened LIE Temps from
Paris and began to read with her usual
interest. She approached the little
lamp on the table near her, unfolded
the paper and looked over at her
niece. and after a few moments, said
with a slightly softened voice:
julia" Miss Redmond stopped
playing. "Julia!" The girl rose from
the piano stool and stood with her
hand on the instrument.
my dear Julia!" Madame d'Escii-
gnac spread LIE Temps out and put neI
hand on it, "As l said to you, my
child, the life of soldier is a pre-
carious one"
Ma tante," breathed Miss Redmond
from where she stood. "Tell me what
the news is from Africa. l think l
know what you mean"
She could not trust herself to walk
across the floor, for Julia Redmond in
that moment of suspense found the
room swimming.
There has been an engagement"
said the marquise gently, for in spite
of her ambitions she loved her niece.
There has been an engagement, Julia,
at Dirbal." She lifted the newspaper
and held it before her face and read:
There has been some hard fighting in
the desert, around about Dirbal. The
troops commanded by Captain de Sabron
were routed by the natives at noon on
Thursday. They did not rally and were
forced to retreat. There was a great
loss of life among the natives and sew
eral Of the regiment were also killed.
There has been no late or authenic news
from Dirbal. but the last dispatches give
the department of war to understand that
Sabron himself is among the missing.
The Marquise d'Esclignac slowly put
down the paper, and rose quickly. She
went to the young girls side and put
her arm around her. Miss Redmond
covered her face with her hands:
Ma tante, ma tante!" she MUIR
mured
MY dear Julia" said the old lady,
there is nothing more uncertain than
newspaper reports, especially those
that come from the African seat of
war. Sit down here, my child"
The two women sat together on the
long piano stool. The marquise said:
Il followed the fortunes, my dear,
of my husbands cousin through the
engagement in Tonkin. l know little |
what it was" The girl was immov-
able. Her aunt felt her rigid by her
side. Il told ycu," she murmured,
that a soldiers life was precarious
one"
Miss Redmond threw away all dis
guise.
Ma tente," she said in hard
voice. Il love him! You must have
known it and seen it. I love him! He
IS becoming my life"
AS the marquise looked at the girls
ace and saw her trembling lips and
Ter wide eyes, she renounced her am
oitions for Julia Redmond She re-
bounced them with sigh, but she was
l woman of the world and more than
hat, true woman. She remained for
in silence, holding Julia's
lands.
She had followed the campaign of
Ter husbands cousin, a young man
With an insignificant title whom she
lad not married. In this moment she
elived again the arrival of the eve
ling papers; the dispatches, her hus-
,and's news of his cousin. AS she
lissed Julia's cheeks a moisture
'assed over her own eyes, which for
many years had shed no tears.
Courage, my dear" she implored,
We will telegraph at once to the
Minister of war for news"
The girl drew convulsive breath
nd turned, and leaning both elbows
n the piano keys-perhaps in the
cry notes whose music in the little
ong had charmed Sabron-she burst
nto tears. The marquise rose and
assed out of the room to send man
nth dispatch to Tarascon.
CONTINUED next Tuesday,