“Begyourpardon，Sir。”saidtheBand-Sergeant，“buttheskeletoniswithme，an’I’llreturnitifyou’llpaythecarriageintotheCivilLinesThere’sacoffinwithit，Sir。”
　　Hogan-YalesmiledandhandedtworupeestotheBand-Sergeant，saying：——“Writethedateontheskull，willyou？”
　　Ifyoudoubtthisstory，andknowwheretogo，youcanseethedateontheskeletonButdon’tmentionthemattertotheWhiteHussars。
　　Ihappentoknowsomethingaboutit，becauseIpreparedtheDrum-
　　HorseforhisresurrectionHedidnottakekindlytotheskeletonatall。
　　THEBRONCKHORSTDIVORCE-CASE。
　　Inthedaytime，whenshemovedaboutme，Inthenight，whenshewassleepingatmyside，——
　　Iwaswearied，Iwasweariedofherpresence。
　　DaybydayandnightbynightIgrewtohateher——
　　WouldtoGodthatsheorIhaddied！
　　Confessions。
　　TherewasamancalledBronckhorst——athree-cornered，middle-agedmanintheArmy——grayasabadger，and，somepeoplesaid，withatouchofcountry-bloodinhimThat，however，cannotbeproved。
　　MrsBronckhorstwasnotexactlyyoung，thoughfifteenyearsyoungerthanherhusbandShewasalarge，pale，quietwoman，withheavyeyelids，overweakeyes，andhairthatturnedredoryellowasthelightsfellonit。
　　BronckhorstwasnotniceinanywayHehadnorespectfortheprettypublicandprivateliesthatmakelifealittlelessnastythanitisHismannertowardshiswifewascoarseTherearemanythings——includingactualassaultwiththeclenchedfist——thatawifewillendure；butseldomawifecanbear——asMrsBronckhorstbore——
　　withalongcourseofbrutal，hardchaff，makinglightofherweaknesses，herheadaches，hersmallfitsofgayety，herdresses，herqueerlittleattemptstomakeherselfattractivetoherhusbandwhensheknowsthatsheisnotwhatshehasbeen，and——worstofall——
　　thelovethatshespendsonherchildrenThatparticularsortofheavy-handedjestwasspeciallydeartoBronckhorstIsupposethathehadfirstslippedintoit，meaningnoharm，inthehoneymoon，whenfolkfindtheirordinarystockofendearmentsrunshort，andsogototheotherextremetoexpresstheirfeelingsAsimilarimpulsemake’samansay：——“Hutt，youoldbeast！”whenafavoritehorsenuzzleshiscoat-frontUnluckily，whenthereactionofmarriagesetsin，theformofspeechremains，and，thetendernesshavingdiedout，hurtsthewifemorethanshecarestosayButMrsBronckhorstwasdevotedtoher“teddy。”asshecalledhim。
　　PerhapsthatwaswhyheobjectedtoherPerhaps——thisisonlyatheorytoaccountforhisinfamousbehaviorlateron——hegavewaytothequeersavagefeelingthatsometimestakesbythethroatahusbandtwentyyears’married，whenhesees，acrossthetable，thesamefaceofhisweddedwife，andknowsthat，ashehassatfacingit，somusthecontinuetosituntildayofitsdeathorhisown。
　　MostmenandallwomenknowthespasmItonlylastsforthreebreathsasarule，mustbea“throw-back“totimeswhenmenandwomenwereratherworsethantheyarenow，andistoounpleasanttobediscussed。
　　DinnerattheBronckhorst’swasaninflictionfewmencaredtoundergoBronckhorsttookapleasureinsayingthingsthatmadehiswifewinceWhentheirlittleboycameinatdessert，Bronckhorstusedtogivehimhalfaglassofwine，andnaturallyenough，thepoorlittlemitegotfirstriotous，nextmiserable，andwasremovedscreamingBronckhorstaskedifthatwasthewayTeddyusuallybehaved，andwhetherMrsBronckhorstcouldnotsparesomeofhertimetoteachthe“littlebeggardecency。”MrsBronckhorst，wholovedtheboymorethanherownlife，triednottocry——herspiritseemedtohavebeenbrokenbyhermarriageLastly，Bronckhorstusedtosay：——“There！That’lldo，that’lldoForGod’ssaketrytobehavelikearationalwomanGointothedrawing-room。”
　　Mrs。
　　Bronckhorstwouldgo，tryingtocarryitalloffwithasmile；andtheguestoftheeveningwouldfeelangryanduncomfortable。
　　Afterthreeyearsofthischeerfullife——forMrsBronckhorsthadnowoman-friendstotalkto——theStationwasstartledbythenewsthatBronckhorsthadinstitutedproceedingsONTHECRIMINAL
　　COUNT，againstamancalledBiel，whocertainlyhadbeenratherattentivetoMrsBronckhorstwhenevershehadappearedinpublicTheutterwantofreservewithwhichBronckhorsttreatedhisowndishonorhelpedustoknowthattheevidenceagainstBielwouldbeentirelycircumstantialandnativeTherewerenoletters；butBronckhorstsaidopenlythathewouldrackHeavenandEarthuntilhesawBielsuperintendingthemanufactureofcarpetsintheCentralJailMrs。
　　Bronckhorstkeptentirelytoherhouse，andletcharitablefolkssaywhattheypleasedOpinionsweredividedSometwo-thirdsoftheStationjumpedatoncetotheconclusionthatBielwasguilty；butadozenmenwhoknewandlikedhimheldbyhimBielwasfuriousandsurprisedHedeniedthewholething，andvowedthathewouldthrashBronckhorstwithinaninchofhislifeNojury，weknew，couldconvictamanonthecriminalcountonnativeevidenceinalandwhereyoucanbuyamurder-charge，includingthecorpse，allcompleteforfifty-fourrupees；butBieldidnotcaretoscrapethroughbythebenefitofadoubtHewantedthewholethingcleared：butashesaidonenight：——“Hecanproveanythingwithservants’evidence，andI’veonlymybareword。”Thiswasaboutamonthbeforethecasecameon；andbeyondagreeingwithBiel，wecoulddolittleAllthatwecouldbesureofwasthatthenativeevidencewouldbebadenoughtoblastBiel’scharacterfortherestofhisservice；forwhenanativebeginsperjuryheperjureshimselfthoroughlyHedoesnotboggleoverdetails。
　　Somegeniusattheendofthetablewhereattheaffairwasbeingtalkedover，said：——“Lookhere！Idon’tbelievelawyersareanygoodGetamantowiretoStrickland，andbeghimtocomedownandpullusthrough。”
　　StricklandwasaboutahundredandeightymilesupthelineHehadnotlongbeenmarriedtoMissYoughal，buthescentedinthetelegramachanceofreturntotheolddetectiveworkthathissoullustedafter，andnextnighthecameinandheardourstoryHefinishedhispipeandsaidoracularly：——wemustgetattheevidence。
　　Ooryabearer，Mussalmankhitandmethraniayah，Isuppose，arethepillarsofthechargeIamoninthispiece；butI’mafraidI’mgettingrustyinmytalk。”
　　HeroseandwentintoBiel’sbedroomwherehistrunkhadbeenput，andshutthedoorAnhourlater，weheardhimsay：——“Ihadn’tthehearttopartwithmyoldmakeupswhenImarriedWillthisdo？”
　　Therewasalothelyfaquirsalaaminginthedoorway。
　　“Nowlendmefiftyrupees。”saidStrickland，“andgivemeyourWordsofHonorthatyouwon’ttellmyWife。”
　　Hegotallthatheaskedfor，andleftthehousewhilethetabledrankhishealthWhathedidonlyhehimselfknowsAfaquirhungaboutBronckhorst’scompoundfortwelvedaysThenamehterappeared，andwhenBielheardofHIM，hesaidthatStricklandwasanangelfull-fledgedWhetherthemehtermadelovetoJanki，Mrs。
　　Bronckhorst’sayah，isaquestionwhichconcernsStricklandexclusively。
　　Hecamebackattheendofthreeweeks，andsaidquietly：——“Youspokethetruth，BielThewholebusinessisputupfrombeginningtoendJove！ItalmostastonishesME！ThatBronckhorst-beastisn’tfittolive。”
　　Therewasuproarandshouting，andBielsaid：——“Howareyougoingtoproveit？Youcan’tsaythatyou’vebeentrespassingonBronckhorst’scompoundindisguise！”
　　“No。”saidStrickland“Tellyourlawyer-fool，whoeverheis，togetupsomethingstrongabout’inherentimprobabilities’and’discrepanciesofevidence。’Hewon’thavetospeak，butitwillmakehimhappyI’Mgoingtorunthisbusiness。”
　　Bielheldhistongue，andtheothermenwaitedtoseewhatwouldhappenTheytrustedStricklandasmentrustquietmenWhenthecasecameofftheCourtwascrowdedStricklandhungaboutintheverandahoftheCourt，tillhemettheMohammedankhitmatgar。
　　Thenhemurmuredafaquir’sblessinginhisear，andaskedhimhowhissecondwifedidThemanspunround，and，ashelookedintotheeyesof“EstreekenSahib。”hisjawdroppedYoumustrememberthatbeforeStricklandwasmarried，hewas，asIhavetoldyoualready，apoweramongnativesStricklandwhisperedarathercoarsevernacularproverbtotheeffectthathewasabreastofallthatwasgoingon，andwentintotheCourtarmedwithaguttrainer’s-whip。
　　TheMohammedanwasthefirstwitnessandStricklandbeameduponhimfromthebackoftheCourtThemanmoistenedhislipswithhistongueand，inhisabjectfearof“EstreekenSahib“thefaquir，wentbackoneverydetailofhisevidence——saidhewasapoormanandGodwashiswitnessthathehadforgotteneverythingthatBronckhorstSahibhadtoldhimtosayBetweenhisterrorofStrickland，theJudge，andBronckhorsthecollapsed，weeping。
　　ThenbeganthepanicamongthewitnessesJanki，theayah，leeringchastelybehindherveil，turnedgray，andthebearerlefttheCourtHesaidthathisMammawasdyingandthatitwasnotwholesomeforanymantolieunthriftilyinthepresenceof“EstreekenSahib。”
　　BielsaidpolitelytoBronckhorst：——“Yourwitnessesdon’tseemtoworkHaven’tyouanyforgedletterstoproduce？”ButBronckhorstwasswayingtoandfroinhischair，andtherewasadeadpauseafterBielhadbeencalledtoorder。
　　Bronckhorst’sCounselsawthelookonhisclient’sface，andwithoutmoreado，pitchedhispapersonthelittlegreenbaizetable，andmumbledsomethingabouthavingbeenmisinformedThewholeCourtapplaudedwildly，likesoldiersatatheatre，andtheJudgebegantosaywhathethought……
　　Bielcameoutoftheplace，andStricklanddroppedaguttrainer’s-
　　whipintheverandahTenminuteslater，BielwascuttingBronckhorstintoribbonsbehindtheoldCourtcells，quietlyandwithoutscandalWhatwasleftofBronckhorstwassenthomeinacarriage；andhiswifeweptoveritandnurseditintoamanagain。
　　Lateron，afterBielhadmanagedtohushupthecounter-chargeagainstBronckhorstoffabricatingfalseevidence，Mrs。
　　Bronckhorst，withherfaintwaterysmile，saidthattherehadbeenamistake，butitwasn’therTeddy’sfaultaltogetherShewouldwaittillherTeddycamebacktoherPerhapshehadgrowntiredofher，orshehadtriedhispatience，andperhapswewouldn’tcutheranymore，andperhapsthemotherswouldlettheirchildrenplaywith“littleTeddy“againHewassolonelyThentheStationinvitedMrs。
　　Bronckhorsteverywhere，untilBronckhorstwasfittoappearinpublic，whenhewentHomeandtookhiswifewithhim。
　　Accordingtothelatestadvices，herTeddydid“comebacktoher。”andtheyaremoderatelyhappyThough，ofcourse，hecanneverforgiveherthethrashingthatshewastheindirectmeansofgettingforhim……
　　WhatBielwantstoknowis：——“Whydidn’tIpresshomethechargeagainsttheBronckhorst-brute，andhavehimrunin？”
　　WhatMrsStricklandwantstoknowis：——“HowDIDmyhusbandbringsuchalovely，lovelyWalerfromyourStation？IknowALLhismoney-affairs；andI’mCERTAINhedidn’tBUYit。”
　　WhatIwanttoknowis：——HowdowomenlikeMrsBronckhorstcometomarrymenlikeBronckhorst？”
　　Andmyconundrumisthemostunanswerableofthethree。
　　VENUSANNODOMINI。
　　Andtheyearswentonastheyearsmustdo；
　　ButourgreatDianawasalwaysnew——
　　Fresh，andblooming，andblonde，andfair，Withazureeyesandwithaureatehair；
　　Andallthefolk，astheycameorwent，Offeredherpraisetoherheart’scontent。
　　DianaofEphesus。