The Mena weekly star., 1916-08-03

T thank youn Her voice sounded gentle, ggacioasly courteous. Sue tore open the letter with steady fingers. "Win you take back message from me She a~seA
 "Sueh are my orders. madame"
 "Will you tell Colonel Destinn Yes'?"
 Is that all madame?"
 That is all"
 Yet he remained motionless. watch ing her.
 Madame l have another message Ii is for another lady--a Mademoi. selle Gabrielle. who is Madames com panion"
 From whom?"
 From a comrade who dies at day. break''
 She caught her breath inaudibly The pulse stopped for a moment In the full course of her reckless purpose something gripped and held her-a poignant suspicion. an emotion that was like jealousy
 "Mademoiselle Gabrielle is not here, ' she said slowly If you give me the message l will deliver it."
 Tt Is verbal" "I will deliver it exactly"
 He looked at her. She did not like his face. There was an imperturb- able arrogance in his eyes which of tended her.
 The message Is simple one. My comrade said to me; Tell her that her faith in me made many things pos sible. Tell her that the reality was more beautiful than the mirage"
 "A strange message" She tried to laugh, but the laugh shook and broke off. 'I shall endeavor to remember" 1"
 My comrade will thank you, ma- | dame"
 He saluted and turned to go. But on the threshold of the wide-open win dows he halted. He seemed to be look ing at something, and suddenly, to her angry amazement, he stopped and picked up silver frame from the bric- a-brac on the low table.
 What are you doing?" she demand ed imperatively. He faced her with an ease and de- cision that startled her.
 "Who is this, madame?'
 Are you mad? Shall I have to re- port you to your colonel?"
 She glanced at the photograph which he held toward her. Against her will, forced by an indescribable fascination, her eyes rose again to his face. And suddenly the pulse stood still. drowned fin a rushing flood of incoherent ter TOTS.
 That was my brother"
 She used the past tense for the first time with that deadly sense of convic- ton. The legionary unfastened his tunic and drew out something, which he laid quietly on the table beside her.
 'Then this belongs to you" he said simply.
 Mechanically she took up the little locket and opened it. Inside was the thing she knew that she would find, her own miniature-a yalueless. anna teurish effort done in her schoolgirl years for her adored comrade
 q knew him as Philip Grey, madame. He gave it me nearly two years ago-when he was dying"
 "Then-he is dead?'
 He made a grave pitying movement of assent.
 He was my friend. madame. He belonged to my company. He was not strong. and one day out in the desert he gave way. He went mad, think mad with exhaustion and thirst. He disoheyed orders, and they gave him a double burden. He broke down, and they left him out therein the desert"
 How long ago?" "As I have said-nearly two years. It was Colonel Destinn's great forced march 1outn--one hundred end nrty kilometers in three days. Many of us died on the road"
 She laughed suddenly. She had the odd feeling that there was third per son In the room-a black faceless shadow that had laughed with her. Sue had to make a great effort to regain her composure.
 ''Yes-and then?"
 "Afterward they allowed me to go back and fetch his body. I did not know his real name, but he had given me the locket and it occurred to me that if ever bis people knew they would be glad that he had not been left out there-alone, He lies in the Legion's cemetery-PhiIip Grey, No. 3112."
 "Yes-I remember-thank you"
 She did not see him go. She dressed quickly and went out into the court yard. 4 voice called her by name with monotonous persistency, but she didn't hear it. There was a woman with flowers to sell standing hesitantly in the passage. but she did not see her. She had grown deaf and blind to the present. SEe was looking back along the road she had come, and she saw the fate she had invoked stalking in visible beside her.
 Sylvia! Sylviar
 The flower girl still stood in the shadowy passage. Imperturbably, with inscrutable eyes, she watched Sylvia Arnaud's figure stand out for a mo- ment against the sunlit avenue and disappear.
 "Sylviaw
 
 Philip Grey, No. SIP, Legion Etrangere."
 Sylvia knelt. with clasped hands, and