as an "affair" should have happened in that quiet household, I told him that I had been so constantly on the move since I left that I had neither written nor received any letters since my departure.

"What!" he exclaimed, "have you not heard of the scandal that has occurred in the Genial family?"

"Scandal!" I almost shouted, now thoroughly alarmed and confounded; "I tell you I know nothing; but don't keep me in suspense-out with it quickly, whatever it is."

"Well," he began, and he spoke slowly, as if he rather enjoyed my excitement, "it seems that there has been a skeleton in the Genial closet for some time-a very ghastly one too. I never would have believed it of Jack, still less of that quiet little lady of his-but 'still waters run deep,' you know. She-"

"Will you tell me what is the matter? or must I go elsewhere to find out?" I interrupted.

"Well, well, now don't be flurried and impatient-that will do no good. The matter is this: it turns out that she is not his wife at all; that Jack has been married before, that she has known it all along, and that his real wife is here now, making it rather hot for Mr. John."

Without a word I turned on my heel and left him. I was too much taken aback to answer, though I felt an almost irresistible impulse to knock down the man who could say such a thing of the "little woman." "I would scarcely believe it if she herself told me so," I said to myself, as I walked rapidly away; "there may be trouble, but not of her making. At all events, I will go and see Jack, and if I can help him I will, for her sake."

But when I came to the house I hesitated. After all, it might be better not to go in. My room might be better than my company at such a time. After considering the matter, however, I decided

to call as though I was entirely ignorant that anything unpleasant had happened, and determined not in any way to touch upon the subject unless he did so first.

I had some misgivings, nevertheless, as I rung the bell, but it was too late to retreat now, so I collected myself as well as I could. In a minute or so the door opened, and the "little woman stood before me. That she was pale as death, and that the dove-eyes were dry and glittering with stifled pain, was all that I dared to notice. She did not seem surprised to see me. I thought she scarcely recognized me at first. I held out my hand, but she did not see it. I can not describe her manner, except that she seemed to be ready and waiting for more trouble. I was perplexed how to act.

"Mrs. Genial," I began. She looked intently at me for a moment, then said:

"O, pardon me! Come in." Her voice was steady, but hollow and unnatural. I followed her into the parlor. Then she turned round, and said quietly, too quietly: "Why have you come?"

"I have only just returned from Europe, Mrs. Genial," I replied, as calmly as I could "why should I not come?"

"Have you not heard?" she asked, with the same terrible quietness.

"I-that is" but it was no use; she saw that I knew.

"I heard some foolish story, yes— but nothing that could keep me from coming to see my friends."

Just for a moment her face flushed and an eager look came into her eyes.

"Then you don't believe what you heard, or you would not have come to see me."

"Believe! how could I? But even if I had been able to, it would have made no difference-I should have come to see you all the same. Though of course I can not help seeing that there is something the matter. May I know what it

While I had been speaking I noticed that her face was changing; the set unnaturally calm look grew softer, the lips quivered; and now I stopped abruptly at seeing her bow her head upon her hands and sob out her pent-up grief. For some minutes I said nothing. I felt that this outbreak would do her good, and I let her weep. By degrees the sobs came at longer intervals, and finally ceased, but her frame still trembled violently, and she did not raise her head. Then I spoke:

-

"Don't call me by that name again," she cried "it is not mine- I have no right to it. All that you have heard is true, every word of it. Leave me!you are contaminated by speaking to me. He for whom you asked is not here; why should he be? I am not his wife, and I have known it from the beginning-all the world knows it now!" And the "little woman" fell fainting before I could reach her.

Raising her as gently as possible, I laid her upon a lounge, and hastened out to call in a neighbor, a kind motherly woman, who had long been a friend of the family. Fortunately she was at home, and a word was sufficient to send the good old creature flying to her pet's assistance. She, at least, was evidently afraid of no contamination.

I decided that it was best for me not to return to the house just then, and turned my steps homeward. As I went I tried to realize the events that had just happened. All seemed like a hideous dream. Was it possible that I had been deceived in the "little woman?"—that she was neither more nor less than what she had confessed herself to be, John Genial's willing paramour-and that,

ing?

If so, then indeed still waters did run deep. But the whole affair was as yet a mystery to me, and until I had stronger proof-ay, stronger proof than her own words-I could not and would not believe it.

Instead of going home, I went to a friend's house, determined to learn from him-for he knew Jack Genial wellthe facts of the matter. I found him in, and he was glad to see me. As soon as we were alone I broached the subject to him.

"Ah, yes," he said. "Poor Jack! How easily these women do lead a man to the devil! Such a nice fellow as he was, too; and this will ruin him. The little minx! I never liked those quiet ways of hers. But is it possible that you have heard nothing about it until you got home? It is true it only happened a day or two ago, but a full account of it was in all the papers."

"I have only just arrived here, and have not seen the papers," I answered; "but now you mention it, I think I shall procure one, and save you the trouble of telling me how the thing happened."

The papers are not notorious for giving a correct version of such matters, but I thought that I could trust them as well as this friend of mine, with his pity for "poor Jack." It is in some sort natural that women should be uncharitable toward a woman in such matters, because they are uncharitable toward each other on all occasions, but why men should be so I never could understand. Surely they should be able to look at both sides of the question. Yet they always justify and pity their own sex.

It did not take me long to find a copy of the best paper in town containing the account, and, hastening home, I had scarcely opened it before the following caption in large capital letters caught my eye:

"TERRIBLE SCANDAL IN A RESPECTABLE FAMILY.An Injured Wife.-A Young Man's Reputation blasted by a Scheming Woman. -Our eaders will be shocked [delighted, the writer meant] to hear that a terrible scandal has come to light in family with which many of them are acquainted. bout a year ago a young couple came here from Europe. The young man's name was John Genia, and he represented the lady (?) to be his wife. They settled down and mixed in good society at leasg he did, for she affected reserve. We shall soon see that she had reason to do so. For some months everything went along smoothly. He soon grew be very much liked, on account of his liberality;n short, he in every way showed himself to be a young man possessed of the highest qualities. Of her not much was known except by the intimates of the family, who, however, speak well of her beauty and fascinating ways. Alas! how often a charming exterior conceals an evil heart! How often we find those powers to please which God has given for good, used for evil purposes !

"About a week ago a lady of prepossessing appearance, calling herself Mrs. Genial, applied to the proper authorities to have her husband arrested for bigamy. She stated that she had married him three years ago in Europe; that they had lived happily enough until toward the end of the second year, when he had suddenly deserted her. Since then she had heard no news of him, until a few weeks ago, when she was informed by a friend residing in this city that he had married again and was living here with his second wife. Had he been content, she added, with deserting her, and thereby violating his marriage vows, she would not have followed him an inch or concerned herself further about him; but when she learned that, in defiance of all decency, while he knew that she was still living, he dared to solemnly unite himself to another woman, she then considered it to be her duty to bring him to punishment and to expose his real character to the woman he had deceived, if, indeed, she was ignorant of his former marriage.

"In accordance with her demand, Mr. Genial was arrested, but it transpired upon his examination that he had not been actually married a second time,

though it was true he had been living with the wom

an who has been known here as Mrs. Genial. With the brazen shamelessness of her class, and knowing, of course, that it would be useless to conceal the fact, this abandoned creature acknowledged in open court

that she had never been really married to John Genial; that she had from the first been aware that he

had a wife living; that she, not he, had been the seducer; that he was only to blame for his weakness in yielding to her enticements; and, finally, she had the crowning impudence to implore pardon of the woman she had so irreparably wronged, and actually to offer to give up dear Jack' (as by a slip of the tongue she called him, though she quickly corrected it to 'Mr. Genial'), if only the wife would forgive him and take him back. She did not believe, she said, that her

had always been most kind and unselfish, and she was sure that he would yet make a good and true husband.

"This ingenuous confession, combined with her extreme pallor and delicate appearance, her affected earnestness of speech, and a certain unnatural calmness, which, had it not been feigned for the occasion, might have been the result of suppressed violent emotion, created quite a sensation among that numerous class of weak sentimentalists who are ever ready to sympathize with vice the moment it pretends contrition. And when, after completing her clap-trap peroration, the interesting witness fainted (?) in the arms of a policeman and was carried out insensible, many of the audience were affected to tears.

"Even the injured wife appeared to be touched, and not anxious to press the prosecution; but the court required the testimony of the person residing in this town who had informed her of her husband's second marriage. This witness, however, testified that she had only judged by appearances, and by hearing John Genial and his paramour spoken of as man and wife. The case was, therefore, dismissed.

"During the examination, the prisoner acted in a rather strange manner. He was very pale, and looked nervous and excited; he was several times observed to half- rise from his seat, as if to say something, but on each occasion restrained himself, apparently with an effort. He was particularly agitated dur ing the closing part of his paramour's brazen confession, and when she was borne from the room he bu ried his face in his hands, swayed his body from side to side, and groaned audibly.

"We are informed that the injured wife has returned to Europe. John Genial has gone to parts unknown; while the shameless cause of all this trouble still remains in the house of him whose prospects and peace of mind her wicked wiles have forever blasted. "Thus we see the evil that one innocent - looking but debased woman can work —— "

More words like these there were-a driveling moral to a lying version. For I knew it lied-in spirit if not in letter. My whole body kindling with indignation, I crushed the paper in my hand and cast it into the fire. "And is a woman's honor, or what fragment is left to her of honor, at the mercy of a pen like this?" I cried aloud in indignation.

The next morning I set out to call upon the "little woman," but the house was shut up and she was gone.

Three years after the occurrence of these sad events, the war between Germany and France broke out. I was in

the love had soon cooled to indifference; though he

happened just then that the firm I was engaged by failed, and I was thrown upon my own resources. Having served as an officer through the war of the rebellion, I was more than fairly acquainted with military matters; and having spent two years at a school in France, I spoke the language of that country with considerable facility; so, hearing that officers were needed in the French army, I determined with the aid of these accomplishments to try for a commission. After some delay, and with the assistance of certain influential friends, I succeeded in obtaining an appointment to a lieutenancy in an infantry regiment.

Immediately after I joined, we were ordered to the front, and in a short time were in the very thick of the fray. I think it was about a week after this that I one day received word from my colonel that he would like to see me in his tent. I went at once, and found him alone. He invited me to be seated; I sat down on a block of wood that stood on end and served as a chair, and waited with impatience for him to speak.

"Lieutenant," he began, "I have watched your conduct in action, and have observed that you showed a desire to distinguish yourself. Now, I like to encourage ambition in a young man, and I intend to do you a favor which will make every officer in the regiment jealous; but I don't care for that."

"Well, now," thought I to myself, while I bowed, and he paused for a moment, "this is pretty good for a beginner; a week's service, and promotion already.”

my remark, "but you can do your best; you will fall, but think of the glory of it. If you should live through it—but, of course, ypu won't-you are a made man." And the old fellow drew himself back, and looked at me as if he expected I should run up and embrace him.

"You are aware, sir," he went on, "that such service is never compulsory there are aly ays plenty of volunteers; but I need not say this to you. You will, therefore, select twenty men-they will all volunteer-from your company, and be in readiness to start just before dawn. You will approach as near to the works as you can without being seen or heard, and will then charge right up, making as much racket as you please; and the first of your party that attempts to retreat before the supporting forces come up-but no one of them will-cut him down, sir, on the spot!"

"I will, my Colonel." And thanking him again for the honor he had conferred on me, I bowed myself out.

It did not take me long to select my party. As the colonel had predicted, every man in the company was anxious to go. One heavily bearded grave-looking fellow, whose head was bound up with a scarf by reason of a sabre-wound, and who had that morning been transferred into my company, seemed especially anxious to make one of the forlorn hope. I objected on account of his wound, but finally yielded to his entreaties. Long before dawn we were all ready. Every man had said goodby to his comrades; most had written a letter to some dear heart at home; I think we all felt that we should never see the sun rise again.

"Of course, you know that it is almost impossible that you should come back alive," he continued, without noticing

had been much fighting during the last few days, and as the country hereabouts had been thickly peopled, there were several fragments of shattered walls still standing, and heaps of ruins that cast a very dark and friendly shadow. It was close under one of these heaps that I at length signed a halt. The ground was clear before us, and it was plain that we could not advance another step without being seen. From here, then, we must make the final charge, and there were full fifty yards of ground to be covered before the works could be reached. I felt the danger of a moment's delay. knew that in the face of such fearful danger my men's excitement must not be allowed to cool. I looked round; twenty pairs of eyes met mine, and there was not a human look in one of them. Silently I gave the expected sign, and the next instant we were gliding noiselessly as yet and swiftly over the open ground. Half the intervening space was crossed, when suddenly there passed from our rear, through us, onward before us, with incredible swiftness, a human form clad in dark robes.

I

"Death! It is the spectre of Death!" screamed one of the men, reckless now of spectres and of bullets; and almost before the words had died from his lips there was a flash from the darkness ahead, and he fell, shot through the heart. At that moment the figure turned, as if to see who had fallen, and we saw that it was a woman. Another instant and we were at the works; another, and half of our number were dead. The enemy seemed to swarm up from beneath our very feet. Still we pressed on, but it was hand-to-hand now, and I had time to notice that the woman was in our midst. I do not recollect that I felt any wonder at seeing her there; I suppose I was beyond all wonder just then. The bearded soldier with the bandaged head had been close to me from the beginning, and had fought like

a hero. In the struggle the bandage was torn from his head, and with the blood from the opened wound on his forehead streaming over his eyes and face he was an ugly sight to see, as he struck wildly right and left at a gigantic German. Suddenly he staggered and fell backward, and as he fell the bayonet of the German descended like lightning toward his body-which it barely reached, for it passed first through the body of the woman as she dashed herself across the breast of the fallen soldier. All this I saw at a glance, but even that I could ill spare, for the next moment I was struck down myself.

After that I remember nothing of the fight. All is a blank to me from the time of receiving that knock-down until the moment when I recovered my reason in the hospital. I learned afterward, though, that the supporting forces had come up at the moment of my fall, and that they had taken the works from the enemy. Myself and two others only were left of the twenty-one composing the forlorn hope. They found fifteen wounds on the body of the bearded man.

Two days after my restoration to reason, the hospital steward handed me a letter. I noticed that there was no postmark or stamp upon it, and that it must, therefore, come from somebody in camp. I opened it and read as follows:

"LIEUTENANT :-I know that I shall die at dawn, and I leave this in charge to be given to you if you are spared. You were my friend once; you will hate

yourself for having been before you have finished reading this letter. You did not recognize me; why should you? Three years of gnawing remorse are apt to change a man, and my beard and a bandaged

head doubtless helped to hide from you the Jack Genial you used to know. But there was one from

whom I could not hide. There was one who followed me at a distance, but who would not draw close until the end. O listen, if you can, while in the few moments I have to spare I unburden my wretched soul. Neither on earth nor in hell is there such a coward as I have been. Let me be buried where men may spit upon my grave, and, above all things, cry my monstrous story to the world as a warning that can not fail. A few words will suffice.