The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1917-05-21
Next week, 1.-THE Gold Bug" by
Edgar Allen Poe.

The laughter and work were at
their height; Cecil sat listening
while he gave the last touch to
the carvings before him. They
were a set of chessmen which it
had taken him years to perfect;
the white men were In ivory, the
black in walnut, and were Oppos-
ing squadrons of French troops
and of mounted Arabs. Beautiful
ly carved, with every detail of cos
tune, they were his masterpiece.
Are those beautiful carvings
lyours?"
Cecil looked up. and saw wo-
mans eyes resting on him; proud,
lustrous eyes, a little naughty,
very thoughtful, very soft withal.
Yes, madame; they are NINE
She took the White King, an
Arab Sheik on his charger. in her
hand, and turned to those about
her, speaking of its beauties and
its workmanship in voice that
fell on Cecil's ear like a chime
of long-forgotten music. Twelve
years had drifted by since he had
been in the presence of a high
bred woman, and those delicate
tones had the note of his dead
past
You have an exquisite art.
They are for sale?" she asked.
'They are at your service,
madame.
And their price?" She drew
out some banknotes as she spoke.
Never had the bitterness of pow
erty smitten him as now when this
young patrieian offered him her
gold! He forgot who and where
he now was; he bowed as in other
days he had used to box in the
circles of st. James.
"Is-the honor of your accept
ance, if you will deign to give
that"
There was an extreme of sur
prise and GOODNESS in her glance.
She bent her graceful head.
81 thank you. Your very clever
work can, of course, only be mine
by purchase"
And with that she laid aside the
White King among his little troop
of ivory Arabs and floated on
ward with her friends. Cecil's
face paled. These careless, cold
words from a woman's lips had
showed all he had lost.
But this was not to be the end
of the episode. The afternoon
brought a message commanding
him to present himself at his COM
mandant's campagne that evening
with the chessmen.
A few hours later Cecil stood be-
fore his colonel. Chateauroy
spoke with a carelessness as of
a man to a dog, turning to his
corporal.
"victor, Nine. a la Princesse
honors you with the desire to see
your toys again. Spread them
out"
Cecil set the chessbox down
upon the ledge of the marble bal
ustrade, and stood silent.
"You were surely a sculptor
once?" Milady asked him.
Never, madame"
Indeed! Then who taught you
such exquisite art?"
"A common teacher, madame
Necessity"
Chateauroy had stood by and
heard.
"Victor knows that neither he
nor his men have any right to
waste their time on such trash"
he said. when | return to Par
is they love the canteen so we'll
that they will do anything to add
enough to their pay to buy bran
dy."
She whom he had called Nine.
la Princesse looked with a doubt
ing surprise at the sculptor of the
white Arab King she held.
THAT man does not crave for
brandy" she thought. Chateau
roy has brought his chasseur here
only to humiliate him."
Now the dainty aristocrat was
very proud, but was not so proud
but that justice was stronger in
her than prloe.
She moved away from the mar
ouise, reckoning imperiously to
the trooper to follow her.
81 would possess the chessmen."
she said, when they were out OF
hearing of the rest, "but / must
pay you for them. Since you re-
fuse money-what Is your manner"
she finished abruptly.
Louis Victor" =.
ct may be able to serve you,
she said. when return to Paris
II may have opportunity to bring
your name before the emperor. He
| is as rapid as his uncle to reward
military merit"
The color flushed to his fore
head.
] "You do me much honor" he
4, said rapidly, "but IL you would
crafty me, madame, do not seek
to do anything of the kind"
And why7 Do you not even
desire the cross?"
II desire nothing, except to be
forgotten"
She regarded him with surprise:
she had been far In rendering her
influence at the French court 10
q private soldier, and his rejec-
ton of 1t seemed a. ungracious
a. It was inexplicable.
"Wait, M. Victori" she said, al
he turned to leave her. 81 40
Dept your chessmen. but II is i'm.
possible I retain them on such
terms There must be something
that you wish for"
II have already named the only
thing / desire"
'sTo be forgottenY A sad wish
Surely life in a regiment OF Afri-