THE STORYTELLER

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 54, 22 February 1908, Page 4

THE STORYTELLER

I IHX COtOHEL'S STORY. % o f >»v Phyllis Krajne.j fc H..-a [ kttr* him tie 0.1.ii.l urn,'. g «a»r «cry, wry old-1 -li,,uH think F viii' .-i-lity ; but, in ,j.it,- „i U,, grrl ; to. u«*. 1 tbiak. ibe iuud-oitie-: £■ iiiiii I iiu Oct seeu. Hi. hair »a, «bii r :«; plenliiul. and j i' iiu Hi: in light wan* to hi, „ellk bxad inat nude our think ci can- I marble; hi, ,>y, were blur, in .| : ouly j tittk Uinuued by lime, and hi, • . rU\ii-..u features and hi, hand were I i»uty »hiir. I hi, hand. beraiL.e [. Ms left -Irene »», riupiy.

j; I iu .|»ud thw,- l»>ufi a Ja> I, »illi kiiu. In the I au,a en-ii I bfc. I'.'ttrn <nd rud Hm- |ujwt «iouJ. f- Inl 11 »j, ibr huiir in tlv att«nioon J Ikil I tttiif (nj.iyc.l, (or ti.ru I.m grnt i uutiuir »uul,i be dt*»n clow u[> i u |p- iJfc. (itr, iß j hj, ». ju jj mii>f me jjt wn 4 a, to* -l«il at hit knee, ju,l «o that the fc. tniigtit iwtiM {.lay uu my hair. NmU'U j- w, I would rra.l to hiui: l.ut I fanry f that half the lime hr not to lie (t lhl««iBg, lur ottirn »hrn I look*.l up W t *!*» »onld !»• finr.l Jruinily on the K »". and muftiine, bf would touch m. r hair and a»k m« ii 1 >n c la "j call me " little Jam- —which k. nut my ■uu. Ik 'ujJc that uiiaiaWv mi often that & at iat i lurauie ii-ry curious to kaiu It *ku use could Ime'orra. I lunged <o I uJk uiui, but, intnas a* we weir, 1 I did i»i like to. \et it aeemrd almiMt K »» it he had gimwd tar thought:, for I ««e .jay 1 1 reniemurr it was early NovK CMbif; a foggy, driuly alteraoua. and B the liicligtit made a yleaaant glos in t ** ll *y wm) he let hi, hand re,t W iW a long time uu my hair. & "ll\ woodctiully likr Jane's/' he £T aaid joflly.

" 1 looked up at him atd took my courtr age in both hand.,. ' " I ell me ahout Jane," I asked, tremb.

f. Me shook his brad. .Billing, and turnE nl kit rye< (rom mine aud axed them W iM tae hre. The room wa» very qniet E for a moment or mo. 1 could hear the t peni.teut, muerabk patter of tin- rain f ajjauist the window panes. 1 fancied be rhad Jro[.ped into a doze, but presently ke began to tpeak, and after a little £ wbil" I knew 1 wa, listening to the I story of Jane. *, I ;at very still, my head agaiuit the S arm of his chair, and neither moved I' nor ?poke till be had tiiu-hed. * This is the colonel's story, told in kis own words, as far as 1 can rememk ber them. B I was forty years old when I suddtnly found my-ell with a 5 gro»nup daughter: not a daughter in ~' the itrict sense of the word, but a girl wavu t.'U years previously 1 had adoptuL •' ui""- fatl.rr bad been my one and twly iriend; we had gone through Eton * aud Sjulhur,t together, and together ,£ «e had w»n <«r eommi»,ions in the I «Jtni regiment. Hi* short married iife k had made no break in the love we had for each other in our Imyhood, but one Of ns was taken and the other left. •lane's father died, and on his death- } bed he left bis iieilherle— daughter D to my eare. I promised to adopt her - and bring her up as mine, to consult ker welfare iu happine,, i u all things ; as if sbe were indeed my own child. , Hoi, Who rules, our hearts, knows bow j aigaally I failed, yet how desperately s 1 trir.l to keep that promise. *; Aly friend died, and I -eat lane, a

quiet, »hy child of eight, tj a convent in France. Then came a long period of foreign »crvice for me, not entirely without honour, and üben ten years

later I found niy-rfli at home once iuor.

J_ mien- an arm, one of the first letters > 1 rto-ived wai from the Superior of the conr-nt where I had placed Jane—Jane, f to whom during these ten years [ | u( j Hardly given a thought. t It seemed that she wa* no* eigbteeu, > her eduratiou complete, and the nuns were dairons of knowing übether I ; wiahnf her to remain at the convent, or f, whether I would receive her and take j- h«r under mv eare.

Pehap* in that moment t lull regretted the promise I had made to my dead friend, but the promise was given and I had to stand by it. Rut a girl of eighteen! What on earth should I do with her?

i I angered the nun's letter and ask.--! fc her to keep -June a few months longer. P till I conld H*ttlc myself in some sort F of a liome, for, alas my fighting dav* l were over. 1 was. already, while scarceF" ly out forty, pensioned off as unlit for A active service.

f , 1 found a pretty little place near I Hami-tead. with a good, large garden. t I engaged a motherly woman as housei keeper and a girl to help her. and then j 1 wrote for Jane. It happened to lie j : the end of the term, and a nun wa*, ,' about to bring ovr a contingent of Engf> InJj girls, amongst whom would be mv

It was with a feeling very much akin to nenrousnem that I stood on the arrival platform at Victoria awaiting the train. At last it steamed into the ttation, and my eyes soon caught the black-robed figure of the nun surrounded by ten or a dozen bright, excited

Aa parents or friends came forward •ad, amidst much confusion and laughter, carried them off one by one. I stood aside wondering which was Jane, and feeling uorry for the girl who had no one but a stranger to welcome her on ber home-coming. At last the little crowd cleared off, and 1 saw the nun looking about her anxiously, with a frightened, large-eyed «WH clinging to ber. I stepped forward a' once, and the nun smiled in evident sjlief. ~ Jlr. AVarrcndcr?" she said. •' Ah. we Were beginning to be afraid—Jane anl t-that there was some misunderstandWjf-"

'So this is lane!" 1 said: and the

(f girl lifted her eyes. They were large ( r and blue and ncared: but "suddenly ber „ little face flushed, and she put out ber I bands impulsively. Before I could ta!:e r tbein- however, she had drawn them j 8 back and had crept closer to her comf panion j> I reincmlier she wa- dressed in -ouic , thing dark--blue I think it wa-: her * bat was of the same colour, ami it made J a good Inekground for her small, fair f face, and bright, golden hair. But -he I looked very childirh. verv small and * alight and terribly afraid. I remembjr i, patting the nun into a eab, and then. f with .lane at my sj.le. re-cuing her tin-ill psV trunk, and finally getting into a f,mr- [• wheeler. ;' -What 'lull r call your' V It was Jane"- small, sweet voi. e-t f my par propounding a question :hn > made me pause. "' What, indeed, ttj. -he to call me? "Sopposp you r-all me •hrher'?'' F ' Mlggeslcl.

,; "So." -lie iiiuriuiirv.l -i.filv: •• I u>►number fatlier perfectly." it "*I mil norry." I -tuiinii.-iv,!. nn.l -t>mped al.roptly. ansry with nn-Vlf f..r niv !•" stupidity. £ What. inlo.l -hnuhl -h.- <all m.': T few** at my wit-* .-ml. v I-. i, linn 1 - i..i--Re»io« In my r.'-.-i...

- -I Miiall jii-t ..ill urn f.,1„n01." -h,. Ml'd. "How il<> vim kimu I ..in .i .-.ilo.i.ilT" I «<tr-!. -urpri-iil. f,,i llio ln.n.mr h.nl •fttr TiMy fallen t" my ntnn.rf.y •JWlilil. r». : fr "o*. I fcn.nr:" .)*. -,.; i. in Hut „,r t JttU* V..HC .)i hfi--. "I knmv .ill alio.!' SU" She t..|i,h..| niv .Miipti- -1P..-,-fc -lini. -I,v liiner-. -I fcn..«- .11 |#Wt Ihi*— " M». >to:>j-i i iin.l Liu JiM »Bi| llHlkril ..Hi ~[ 11,.. ii 1,1,1,11.-. fflibtr it frislitrn- nv. -ill tlii- n-.i-,'

W' Shf .rrpt .i lin!.. , |...,. r to mi -i,|,-. MOT lm yr.tr- \ h.nl 1.-t i„i- Tin.; |;,. mm «fcc.'.anv»: Hut. .••.:*[.( t., r -.-uiiin. tJhr mo'i.n- fur In" r-lojh*.. . !t :.| ~.!„,.,. EtiMb I h»,l 1.1...-.-I n, rt.tr 1 in .T.iikV |»e-T. w1,.. !.,,! ~r,..,,i-0., f „ i„. ~ a

■lltiVr t,, Imr' P»*l »•!• a!"r..i.i. .Lii,... 1 - r ...;.! -iii.,; r I Vltre *.-.llv B"»l.-.t..| v„v. I -..i-,- - ,t ii..*. Hunt. al. \i-it- if i j,,. i ,!.,!,.. 1,-,--Bfc»*B m -tranT.T t'.at? mi'A ',,.. ~. j il» mcf I fcrto- ..'I ■•'• ■ ' ••.'•■ I k>ni'. g«» alKi.tt II"." Kffltlr. m.l th.-11-..1i 1...- up- ti'V.' '.vi.-h

llerpra'"! in bpr i-Vek

•"lnd«d:' I iJi.t. -lulling jml llu-hihg a liu> iu in; mm. "Awl few. inav 1 a-k. J., yi .■■,.,.■ i.. lvii...» -o much.

-but up. a- >'« i ii.nc been, within y.iur roavrat ivj'l-

"Ib.- Moth, i >..i[i.-ti..i |.i.iiiii-,..i in.. bevaii-.. 1 l*'gg.'-: in-r -i. iii.it whenever there ....i- .in., tiling in ill.' pipe,, about inn -ft. i. uM ;, i[ mi'. S,c ii-i-.l i.i tike the ljig..-!i |'.i|>T-. Is..iu-e ,h-

had ~-mauy Kug!i-ti gill-, ami -ii.>tt. .•! tin- • ••:.it girl- hid anyone Ulonging i i them thai tk.-i .usii.l iv -i proud <.f a, I v..i- ui ...a. Tin- cii. i.mle-1 ..ii: it i- a long .iii... to llamp-ie.id I lu.l nolliiitg t.. -ay in au-*>cr i.i .Lin-", liitl- ..iitlmr-;; in (art. i u. t I iiii.M-y. Wa- it [..--i M.. ili.u ilii- .liil.l li.il iiudi- J iivi m-: 11..-I |.U.-.| in»n apt .• -:.: ..u.l .-..n-tiniti.l Iht-H' iiu ,]«.,t.v. ,„> .:,:„-!.!,,,.,, . 'IV ti,..,.j..!,: jliniivl «.-. li-.» ti'niiilv -In' u..u'..i iv Ji-il!n,i..i., t. |.,.r .:,«,:. :.i I «.i----only a vrry ..:.!m.n> 111..1! u|i.. ii.nl h.i. : win** in- i. ..- a -"Mi.-!. Thin. t..i.. 1 lt;w 111. .i.-iiv t.i li.iw .. »or-lii|'[>er. j.r.-tiy .1 ■■■! . iianiiiiii; tlnui^li

-he h.i-. at in., li-fl. .11 .ill 11..111-. I »a, a iiie.l. 1..n.1v .111111. j»>i-li.t|>~ a littU- -lli-ii. .iii.l ii tin- -irl i-N|«'-i.'i IB.' to live il|. 1.. si... ideal -in- lia I evid.-m:. form.,l . t in,. I -hiinlil lin.l my lifi a -a.l t.ti: :• ::.

-ll i- very ..f > .a i-, t an intere-t iu imr. lan-, in. .1.-ar." I -aid. in a< iuatter-01-1.1.1 a ioi.e a, I c.iiill. -but really I'm haidly >v..rtl. it. Still. 1 am glad we are to -t.irt mi a friendly foolinj;." bright, glowing faee to miue. Are «e really t.. be 1ri.11.1-: Will you—wii'.i roe! You, who liav.- yoiir-cll' lor vour country:''

"Only a limb, my .bar.' I ini.-i rupted, smiling—"only a limb."

Then I kueu tli.it lane had no heu-e of humour. What -«e,t noinan ever has! She frowned a little, and turned away till I could only ,ee the curve of one pink cheek.

- 1 am afraid you have lieen reading novels, Jane." I -aid. taking Iwr hand in mine and shaking my In'id at her. She turned toward- me. -miling again.

"We don't read novel-at the . -nnven.. I hare never read one. though I know what they are."

She nodded her head wi-ely. "And what are they!'' "Book., about brave nicn aud great men and the women that love them and that—tbey love." Her voice fell with her eye-, and lur little hand trembled in mine. 1 began to feel more uncomfortable tluin ever. and wished I had found a home for Jane with one of my married friends instead of bringing her to mine, but it was too late to think of that now. Already the cab wa* leaving the noisier parts of London. We were in the suburb*, and the old horse was painfully climbing the long ascent that ends in lianip-leail. Jane -aid no mure lor a while, but her -piril- seemed lo ri-e a- we left the house* behind u,, and when at la-t we alighted at my little cottage her eywere ,parkling and -lie looked around her with childish glee. "(»li. I am so glad," -he cried, clap ping her hands- " -« glad that it i- not in the town where we are to live: This is lovely. The sou -hinc- here, and the trees and the flower, are so pretty! I am so glad il is not in the town, buteven there I should not have miii.ledwith j oil."

"Jane, my dear." I said, trying no! to show much annoyance. " I am very much nfraid y..u have made a sort of hero of me: afraid that in your kind i little iv-an yon h-»ve endowed me v.itli a hejj. o( virtues 1 don't possess. Now. you nui-t understand that I am not a hero al all. Inn ju-t a fairly competent —ldi.-i who has had luck. An ordinary man. pm.se-x.il of faults —you will find them out ia-l enough—and on■■ who likes hi- little comfort-. I-want to do all I ..in to make y.ai happ.. to take as far a- |K>s-ilile your .lea I father's place, and I want you to look upon me as a friend to turn to in all your little |ier|ile\itie-. and not an image to lie -et up and worshipped. Do you understand!' "Yes. I under stand. I will do anything yon wirh." But -he smiled, a strange, secret little smile that puzzled me. and I was jila-J ennuch to hand her our to the house keeper and get hack to my liook- and papers.

We got ah.ng very well together, ho.. ever. Jane. I I'ounl. had been e\.-ep-tlOliallv well educated: -ho s, e French perfectly, and -ang .ui.l play-"!. I was told, well: lml I never »■«- much <>f a judge of music. She was an amusing companion, tw: tlier-- were -i many thin?- that were new t» her. ;>« 1 after ■die had owe got over her fear and hewildernMit in the London -treet-.. we took many jaunt- together to mt the sight*. It wo- iuij>o--ible to lie with -lane and not to enjoy oneself: her childish delight in the pleasures wa- .-•>

patching, and her laughter so infection;. that I began to wonder why I had never discovered that life toul.l lie -o amusing before. .She never again made any allusion to my empty sleeve, but -he wiieedled me into talking of my life a-.a soldier, anl telling her the -ton of how I won this med.ll and of my other military experience*.

She would listen quietly, her lingers busy with ,-ouie kind of work from which -he would never lift her eyes. hut her cheek-, would flush or grow pal.', and 1 fancy the work had sometimes to l>e unpicked afterward-. It wa- wonderful how well we got oil together: wonderful hj"» Jane male the forced retirement from the work 1 loved, bearable: the long, empty days 1 had so dreaded, full and interesting. I iiad never cati«e to -peak to her in diplcasure but once, an that war for a slight fault committed through ignorance: hut Jane's face went so white, the little hand, -he pressed to her brea-t trembksl «o pitifully, that I never ventured to correct her again: and. indeed. she was ••• quick to read my face that it was -eldom iiece-«-ary. I wa, so comfortable and at my ease that perhaps I did not think quite enough about lane. »lie alway- appeared bright and happy, -o [ presumed -he wa- >o. It took an otit-ider, Frank Jturridgc. an old -oldier like myself an I a frcnqiieiu visitor at our hou-e. to take nut of tlw fal-e security 1 liad fallen -hi".

One evening he had I n dining with us, and Jane had left n- to ~ur cigarami wino. A- -he went from the roo.n he had followed her t" open the door. and then he tnr 1 and lonke at me in a eiiriou- fa-hion

"Tlk- girl- in love with y.m." he s.,id. abniptly- "head over eai- ill love wi'h \oii. What are yon going to do about it!" 1 -tared at him. wandering what he could mean.

•■Oirl-in love with me! What girlT "Are y..u a fool. John: What gir l ! Why. Jaii-. of com-.■."

■■Jane." I g.i-,,.d. " dear iVdow. Tie- thin:

Y.HI IV 111,1.1. MIT

H.| -liiii-'.-i hi- -l.nulii.T-. •■Why. nun. if- a- |.!.iin -•- llm in.-.-.11 M.nr :'.•■■ . I'.' -• il i' I"! v.'vk-. Wll'ill 1..-I .!.• il-: , "i-f- .IT 11.--1-. li r iy- i.i|l-i« .mil .::».«i lik.- ,i ,1..;'-.

Mic liii-ii't. .ill i-.ir ni an .'Vi I'm .uivin,.' M-liik- j.hi .m in the i-.,-..ii. I'll" 1,,-, iiy <>! V...1 ..ihi iiihiiiiii- 1i..-,i li.ii- I 1111 l lining I" Li-.-ii >i'M lliilll in ,-."

••(.ro:i-. Urn.-11-." I .lin.l. ••«!,.,, ~„ .mini thin. l . Wlt.it in ih,- ii,.i-i.i i- ',., !«■ ,lon,':" T.l -av til.,' I -...- .|i-11..1.-.|. -1,...-;,-! ami frii.-!iTiiti!y .mn .i. i im.ii'..! 'n. <■■ pi:l it niihilv. Mil vi n..' v it!, mn m.. man n-.i- i', 1.,-i ti.'m: I -.v..„t..,1 : l„r 1., !n.i iry 1..1H-- '■ 1 IL ".-ii-' I v, ,- in-cit'v \< ,r- !,-r -i" Mv milt" I Innl 1.-II !'.>r.1..-;,.i!1.l „.. : I —i.l. - "lii.-i,. I 1 in ■'"• .v!..i iii. •' .i liillmr t . Iff. ! -Viui-r.- mi ni.- I .-ri.-il ■••i.iiii .-'i-i 1 .-,- |., r.mvii,.- him .in.l lll'l-.;! tli.il It. .- i:«r..i.-. "'■•- in.| ii'h'" II • -lirii»-...l hi- -! I.L 1 !-. ••W.it.!. !I.T. .111.1 !':."! ......I'll -.- if I'm m.'.l. I'm -nrrv I-r urn. -lohn: \ ,\\,\ V ' - h .'. - :-." ' ■ •'..■ lief ;.-.-- 1-lfiE! .if -.1 - ii.!- -. < -n : 1 it !.,• n-i. 1.,;,, i 1,.'.', ■ li-.il 1...'.l -IV.-!, -.'ll-ll 11. I US.' A 1. ••■.-. 1,-:,!.- illii-.-il t" hi!" ill! l,:i -.-;•!-;. ■■:.:•,,;- .1.',. ', .i.j- - .;n-t. -ill"t|l ' ~l ~,■ •'.. i-.m- <"'-■ •' -ill-' 11 1- !!,'! T 1...1 - . -i • . : -..■•■ I , T.IIP'- h.li.ni,. - "' --,'!.,,,■. ,1-1 1,,"TiiMT.mr-- ami v ■'.?■<■: 1 ■■■ii'l —•. ".-,-.

There -iciiKil lo lie iiu hip for it. JI" tii [Mjur- foolish child had given liit lu-iUc t.i in... 1 should li.uc lo iii.iln her. A: lirst tin' thought took my breath away, Inn I got u,ed to it in lime, mid in a litllt- longer lim.' 1 lo t._-11 Jane that I should feel honoured if she would .•uii~fiit to lie my wife. It liiipjic-ucl in til.' garden: we «i'i>' -ittilig "" -I.llll''MVi'liritr r-l-.l I - '.'. Ilrl'i: she often ll'.l i. -holt,nil aud unseen. ".l.iii... my dear." I -aid. " I wai.L to .-[mmk t» win very ,eriuii-ly.'

Hi., .-ol.nii' llftt Hum Ui i.nr an.l .-1,.' [.I.S-.-.I li.'i- hanil-, to li''r l.i-i-ii-L a n; -h.' hii-l ■..lien -ii.' na- -ialtli'.l. " \.iii--vi.ii an- 11.1 l aiinn Willi 111 ■." ,-!>.' 1,1111 iilur.'il. "Anu'iv : No. 11.1. i-liil.l. What |-ii. ih-.it ini 1 V..111 lii-ail:" liiell I ti.uk Hulli lii'i Inn.!- in mill . I ilmi'l iviiu'inlii'i' uli.it I -ai.l. I iloiri think I -aiil iniU'li lii'i.iie .lan.' nihil:'--ii.i'.l. ami ihi'ii -In' wa- .m Ikt I-im" at my icct. my haihl.

' \ oil 11111-1 nm iiu tli.il. -kill''.' I i'\ ilainii'il in ili-mav " ymi inii-i 11.-v.m

lie..'!- .In that a^ain." I 1.11-. ,1 lii'i' ami ki-.'.l liit mi llh-lore!i,-:..1. ami-In' 1.1n,1i,..l a linl--. .1 -a'd [iroinl i-oiniii;. into liit ''.>■-- "I am the lia|.|ii.'.t. ]n i.-t in the u.ii-l.l." -Ii" -ai.l. " I ii.'.. i' .ivaiin ~.il n.nil.l liiinl. in.' u'ovil,'. "i ini--' -

I lu.l il.iiii' I l.e tiling. I had mad.l:lll,. liappi. i-alh'd lia.-k the ndmii' 'o her .keek-.' 111.' light to her ey.-. I 'rank Itiirri.lg.. wa- right. W'iiliom duiil.t .lane loved me. Ala-, what eonM two ..1,1 -..ldii'i- know of th" working- of a girlV heart.'

Sn .lane and '. were engaged, lull we kept it to oiii'-.'lv.v. .lane wa* very young, and. if the truth were known. 1 win ii"t too eager to enter into ihiiiiiiriiage of duty. There w,-i- no hum. at len-t for a year or two. and in tin' meantime .lane wa, her old. bright self

again. A few day. Inter Frank dined wiih us, anil brought his nephew. Lieutenant Harry C-amither,. with liim. a lad I had never before seen.

After his lir-l vi-it young ('airiiiluis was often at our inltage, and seem 'd 10 take a great lamy to my ,-,.inp:iny - lie appear,-.! to me to be a -en.-ibh-young fellow, anxious to advam-e "n iiis profession and eager to pi'ntit by my experience. So often during that -11111mer 1 had two listeners in,te.id of one. Jane never tired of my old yarns, and to Carriithers they were all new.

It was a very pleasant summer. Jane grew prettier every day. like a bud opening out into flower: font. ala-. like the flower. Jane, when -he reached lier full beauty, began to fade. I wa, pnz/led at first, then anxious, and finally alarmed, till all unconsciously I stumbled upon the explanation of the mystery.

It wa, one evening ill the early spring of the following year, just about sunset. I had not seen Jane for an hour or so. and I was lieginning to mis* her dreadfully if -he happened to be ab-ent from my side for long. I wa, wandering in the garden when voice- in the .irlH.ur where Jane's seat wa- altiaited mr attention, and. wondering whom -he could he talking with. I went leisurely toward, it.

.lane a n.l young ("airmli. i > were together. They did not hear my approaching footstep* nil the gra-s. liideod. I ilnulit if they would have heard anvthing. for they were standing willi haii.l- clasped, mi white, sad face-, looking into each other's eyes. Then the hoy s]H>ke. I could n..t hear wliat ho said, hut .Tune shook h.v lie .id and a tear escaped from her mi-ty eyes and fell on the pn-< m I'"' - f <''l- ' .-tared at it stupidly, and vle-n I looked ii]i again the girl ami hoy were r-i'iin> paces apart. I could see the knnckl.---landing out white on rtic lad'- l.r.nvn. clenched hand-, and -lane wa- pie-nig her- I.) Ills hreast.

In a Has], 1 saw it all. Itmri.lg.- and ' I—ave. and jiour little lane too- had all been *a<l bunglers. The -ill had fostered in lier heart a sort of hero worship for me. and we. in our ignorance, and she, in her imioeeti.-e. had mistaken it for love, and now--she ha I found out her mistake. Young <'•>'' ruther- had spoken, and .lane had told him of the promise she had given to me, and now. poor children, they were Irving to part. 'l -food staring, like a great, awkward s.-hoolhov. and then .lane looked „,, and -aw me. If I had doul.led Jlo h.ov I should act. tie- litll- ei-y -he gave and the look on her face decided me. hut \ouio_' Cari-ullieis w.i ■ the lir-l to >peal..' -1 lam frightfully sorry, sir.' ho said. - I had no idea you l,ad any claim on .lan.- save that of a guardian. I would have died sooner than disire-s her and von." -Who told you that I had any claim mi her -ave that of a guardian':" 1 asked.

He hioked at me in astoni-hmenl .ui.l -laue looKed at me. too. ■■(ih. .lane. .iane,'' I said, -iniling: -have dm i-eiiiemliered tuat Mule joke?" ".InUeV" -he cied. " I d"» - t nndcr--tan.l."

•Win. ye-, a joke, of course-what else should it have lieen'r I, it mi" lh.it you two "

Hut their face* answered inc. "Talc her evfay." 1 said. "Win her if vou can. but remember she is—well. 1 thin!: little Jane i- a pearl above price.'' I fancy dan* kissed me. I know young Carrutheis shook my hand, hut stt- last I got rid of them. Then I sat down in Jane's arl.our and realised what 1 had done. 1 had given Jane up ami— I loved her.

The rest happened very quickly, it was early May when I gave my darli'ig to auother man. In early June young C'arruthers' regiment was ordered out t" India, and it'was Septcinlier the twentieth that I read his name in the paper as having fallen in one of those guerilla warn which are taking our sons from us every day-hoy-, for the mosl part, who give their lives for Kngland. and whom Kngland rewards with half a line in a newspaper. Lieutenant Harry f'arruthers—■ killed. That was all. and I had to tell Jane.

Alter that she was never quite the -ami; again. The light had gone for ever from her eyes, the spring from her step, but the thing to m» very tenderly, and after a time -lie cOiiMined to hi me- take care of her an I comfort her. I think sho knew that I had grown to love her. and she was always so ansioii- to do anything to please me. We were to be married in Ihe following -priug. and then 1 meant t , take her abroad for a lung spell and try lo coax her into forgetting.

s, after Jane had proiuise.l for the -erond time 10 be my wife, an old brother ollicer called. He wa- going out t,. India, and though! I might hav me-sagi- for old friendr. and -lane came in while we were talking. I had jn-d. been telling him that -fane and I were ,oon lo Ik- married, and he began t» congratulate us. hut Jane li-lened impatiently, she had caught the word In dia. I>id ion -ay you were going out ,o India':" -he a-ked.

i ..11..-1..1 ullill Wn= ill !I.T Ihiiilnlli,,ii,l r.,-,1 In liMv,. li..]- :in,l my friPini J -"'li'.ii't' »n. .ipiini." -Im .-.'i.l. hniim. h'ij h ll,fl ~1l lI.V .inil : " M'll imih"! lllill.l. I i kn.i'.v: l.m ii.'' -li'.i «viii ."'. luviiiiiij !•• tha .ill;.-.-!' -if vim "niil.l liinl 'ii- T.T.1V.1. ,„„| i, y„„ iinl.'l-i 1,111-j1.i.l ;. II..WCI'-- ||..| voir,. 1,10k,-. .111,1 I I.NI II.T fl-f.lll til" 1(101,1. -'.I,- iiiimii- M.iin- C.-iiiiitlin-." I -niil. «l„-.i g|i,< ,! •' Innl i-l.iv',l mi he!'. "IV r-.n - Vi-. -..-. 1 r.im.imli'.r. W.-11. «-.■'!. ,-■--,- •■hii.l. 1..11 li.-r -lip may .;-|H..i,l inn.n Tli-ii !■- 'v.'.i:. nin! .1..'..- a-knl '«'' .---, ...ii.,,ilv t,i fni'iriv,' hf-r: :iii.| I. «1m ! ,i -.1 l„'i- .in.l had ni.thiii.; in fovjlv.-. t,„,k IILI- tfl I'.v llMl'l 1111,1 -i..,11k-.1 lll'l t ' . ..,., i„ Miink -liP m.iI .-,.11,1 urn l„\':r 1,, -,"i,l .l:in,' I'l-iim • !„ , ,| r,i,1,-c,l. v.1,-n 1 iia.l half ..:■• .I-....1 il lh- ..1-1 -i-.ir.'.l Icink- li.nl ~.., ~,:, i„(„ !„■" -vr.. ;,l„i T ll.nl :,,'.!..11..,1 in rnaisllrp 1,,-r. <.. for the W ,1a- 1,,'f..r,> Hip '.vil.liin: I 1....1-. in. ~,. .l-..,i ■ n' nn lintel up."' In - . •,' .;,., ;,i ,i Mr.-. I!,-. ,l,v I -n .; -'• ','•': !'''.-"-i'l,i'nj!i:' I «a- ill'rally ~„ ~ ~i.|_ !,, -,'r .1 ill-. In i-Mimr In-r 1111,1 .•iii-r.ur.iijii her f'T tl"- 'i"i''l 'l'l-Piii'.iiv Ih-! wal lii l.i'.i- iihii-i- a! noon. Ti'inv ~,i 1 1,.- Hn! .!„• «.;- ~11 her fav.uirit.' ... .. ,;, ,!, . - ;n .,1,.;i. Tlin nun! lia.l I il; ~. 1. i-kit,., ■ ..tit I" i',-r ihiTi'. iti,l willi : •.-',,, i,,,,,:,,,. ...ii.-Vl- I in in fi.nl "">.."'"-> i,.„ !>.-,-. ■.■|-:ii.n,',l in .' .... -.: .. ..,„., ~f -.nn.. .-li."'iii- '.-hi'' . -.-, .„,.. .. -; 1, ■,,.-■ ~l"i!- the l,:n-l.- "f ■ ! '-::, -i -ml I,PI I.lptl ll.'ilil V'-.t'M" ■ ■ :..-, i' !,..,- r,.-r lii.M'ii. n- ,!,::,:■ lm,- ~;,' lln'ii I v. r.,,1

to lier .piietly and kissed her bright hair, and as I licnt over her my eye, tell upon a letter that lay open at. my feet. I saw enough in that one glance to make 1111; pick il up hastily and read it. \lv heart stood still ami Hie uOl-ld went'dark a* I read: "Doai' Madam.- Lieutenant t'aiiutli,'i-. erioiieoiHv reported dead in .lis-pali-he- -oni" week, ago. v.a, oiil;. -■v.'ielc woiiiidci. The ini-take was about to be reetiiied when the lielltell-

a.m. who wa, making a good recovery, received a vi-it from an oll'n-er ju-t <mi from ll.'hi '..boill .1 relapse. I'l'V'.'l' set ill. ...iid The p.i'.i.tit nc.-r rallied, lie di"d lid- ui.n-iiiii" and in hi- la-i mnmeiiis ,t.-.ire,i in • 't.i ae.uiaini von with i!i" i.i.t .iii.l ti.rw.ird ilie i'ii"'h.,.'.l packet." I ,-..,.! ~„ n,.,,v. \lv hand dropped heac'l'- 10 1111 ,ide. an.i I look -.1 in de--p-iir at -bine. sl„. had not moved, and I „nv thai in lio> hand Ihai lay 111 her iel'ter 'from "li-r dead l.ner. 1 ib-ew niy-eif by her -ide on the bi-n-li and drew her to me. ".kill-." I cried, ".lane, dalle:"

s|,-; fell li.cnilv anain-t me. her boa-! .-:, iu. -boulder, and out of In-,- white f-i.-e lur gre,i. bble eve- -lareil. 11 hie -,,,,: ua-e-iii". ai i!,e -kv. I think 1 t-.,..„- ih.-u !)..,: -iie wa- dead, vet ! he!,; lev .-1 1. lo me. calling her ail 1 hi--.,," her: but her cheek was growing cold evin a- I ki-e.! it. and. a- I held her. h,r -light form "liU'eneil in my -lubrai-e and still the sun -hone brightIv aul it- beams pined aimmg.f the gold threads „f Jane', soft hair.

It wa, .lane's wi'ihling-ilav. bill not mine. Tor a little while (he dear, ile.vl form that had once been .lane wa- I,'fi ,u... and then I hurrd her with hei lovv's letter 011 li-r brea-t.

The lire had died low. and tic colonel's ham! had long liccn still us it lay 011 my hair. After a little while I 'rose quietly and stood looking down on the handsome old face. Hi* eyes were closed, and lie breathed softly and regularly as if in -leep. T bent and l:i„ed lii, forehead, and hi, eyes opened for .1 moment and he smiled.

"'flood-night." he said—'-good-iiigln little .lane."