Evening star., 1918-08-18

the salon in the Avenue Friedland.
Martha d'Hourville. prettier than ever
In her white nursing cap and skirt!
"Ah, Mile. Buchon" she exclaimed,
joyfuily. you know, we are back, in
Paris. Mamma works on lingerie and
] go to work afternoons with the
wounded in this beautiful old garden"
j soon noticed that she devoted her.
self especially to a young lieutenant
who was blind and whose resigned
but melancholy face was pitiful to
see. A bullet. entering behind the
temple, had severad the optic nerves.
destroying all hope of a cure. 1t had
not disfgured him, and at first
glance one would never have i'm
agined that those fine green-gray
eyes would never again see the light
OF day.
i did not recognize at once in this
wounded man, worn by the fatigues
OF hard campaign. the Baron d Aace-
laux.
Martha guided him carefully along
the gravel paths and about the green
lawns which the spring had enameled
with pale violet.
One day she made him sit down on
one of the rustic benches in the gar
den. so that he could feel the gentle
radiance of the March sun. Sep
arated from them only by clump OF
bushes. ! heard their conversation In
spite of myself.
Have you brought your embroidery
to work on. Mile. MarthaT he asked.
Yes" said the young girl. In a soft
voice which I could hardly recognize
as hers. They gave me francs for
my last piece of work. I am going to
continue"
These answers astounded me. Martha
worked for a living. What did that
mean? But there were more surprises
in store for me.
"Tell me-" jacques went on. sis 1t
years old?"
Yes. on April 2o." she replied. with
out any hesitation.
Thirty years? She had added ten
years. at least. For Whist purpose?
And the Baron d'Aucelaux. who
ought to have known just how much
OF this to believe. did not appear In
the least surprised.
And no one has ever asked. your
hand in marriage" Jacques said
after moments hesitation. He
should have been well acquainted with
the rivalries Of the Vtcomte de Saint
Genoulx and the Marquis de verceiles,
as well as with the manner In which
Martha. had dismissed them both.
the same time that he lost his sight?
IT was not improbable. The idea came
to me that he had not recognized the
young girl and that Martha, for some
reason or other. was concealing her
identity from him.
mo; no man has ever asked me to
marry him. she declared. calmly. II
have no fortune and am. not pretty
enough to make people take notice of
me. NY eyes sQuint a little--a very,
very little. Ny nose Is not quite
straight and I have a poor complex
ION"
For the time being could not faith
ON this mystificaton. Why did she
tell him such falsehoods? 1t was
wrong thus to mislead poor blind
man! ] was indignant.
Look here. 1t is curious" said
Jacques, with u note of joyous anima-
tion, from your voice | should have
judged that you were much younger
and much better looking"
Then he added:
Your voice recalls that of a young
girl with whom | was once passion
ately in love. She had the same name
too, as you have"
Were you engaged" asked Martha
her voice trembling a little.
"Oh, no. She was much above me
and did not care for me. never
dared to confess my love. She would
have disdained me-"
IN that case she would have been
very foolish" said Martha. In u tone
OF conviction.