The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1873-10-23

III.
A December sun, like q red mooa in
the murky heavens, strove to give
light and heat, and strove in vain.
The aspect of the morning chilled Ar.
maud Gleichen to the heart as he
looked forth from house near ct.
Hugh-the-Less, but when he turned
from the window and surveyed the
room in which he was, there was lit
tie there to cheer him.
1t was 8 poor, mean room, with q
scanty fire burning in its huge CRATE.
The walls were bare and the furniture
common and insufficient. 1t was 8
place to hide in, not to live in. Per-
hRps that had been its attraction to
the fair woman with the golden hail
IN = Saugied 4--ssa about her white
face, who lay sleeping on rug before
the fire.
This was Evaline, and this was b er
apartment.
The people of the house knew Ar
maud as visiting their strange lodgeI
and admitted him an hour ago. He
had found Eveline sleeping as she
then slept, and had not the heart tc
wake her.
"Poor wretch P' he muttered, gaz.
ing at her from q distance. "She may
be innocent and happy in her sleep; ]
will not bring her back to guilt and
miserY.n
Unconseiously he uttered the word:
aloud; they struck on the sleeper:
ear. Perhaps the tone of that voicC
thrilled to her heart. With Ions
sigh she turned, raised her heavy eye,
lids, and looked up into Armaud's
face. A cry of joy escaped her; she
rose and went toward him. Only 9
step or two; then she stopped. Some,
thing in his eyes, something in his
manner startled and confounded her
The dawning smile died out Cf hel
face, the half raised-hand dropped to
her side.
"What-what," she faltered, trying
to speak, and trying in vain.
"What am 1 doing here, you would
ask ?' said Armaud, coldly. SIN 6
word-all is known; all is discovered
In Gods name, Evaline, what drove
you to dye your hands in blood ?"
A spasm of agony passed over nj:
face as he averted it, and put out his
hands as if something loathsome were
before him.
The girl-for she was as yet only OF
the threshold of womanhood-stared
at him, petrified with smazement
By a great effort she controlled her.
self, and in a hollow voice demanded
what had happened, and what thesI
reproaches meant. He saw her agita.
tiOn and misinterpreted it.
"Your astonishm9nt is natdrai," he
said; detection seldom follows thu:
quickly on the heels of guilt"
Frightened by his words, and fright
ened yet more by the look with which
he regarded her, she sank down at hei
lovers feet and looked up with clasp
ed hands and beseeching eyes.
"Tell me all J" she cried; "all tha
you accuse me Of"
"What should tell you ?" he ask
ed bitterly. "You talked of justice
aud you have had revenge. YOI
have taken OIympia's life; justly for
feited, no doubt, but your guilt i
none the less. 1t is still murder"
Her hands dropped; she half raise
herself on one knee.
"Armaud," she cried, "you are jest
ing with me. No? Must thel
swear to you that lam innocent-tha
what you tell me curdles my blood
What shall I say? Armaud, Al
maud, what shall I say or do"
"You protest your innocence" b
said. 'Listen. When this womal
escaped from the inn in disguise M
vigilance was baffied. You, by 81
rangemeut, watched from a windoS
Opposite; you, therefore, must haY
known ali. l can understand tha
you followed your prey. Whist ] cal
understand is, that on finding he
likely to escape. you should have le
your feelings so far get the better {
you as to induce you to attempt be
life." .
"Armaud, 1 swear to you" she bt
gan, clutching at his arm with he
outstretched hand.
Enough, enough ~ he interposeC
roughly. "If you are innocent Civ
me proof Of it"
"What proof?"
'sFhe diamond bullet-show it t
me.n
She relaxed her hold and sank COW
ering to the ground
"God help me! / cannot" Ths
was her pite0us answer.
mo" he returned with bittern es
"you cannot, because you dared
mete out to Olympia the same mea'
ure of cruelty she exercised towaT
her victim. 1t was the diamond bu
let which gave her the death wOunI
1t was found glittering in the trun
of tree at the foot Of which she fe
a cor rpse."
At these words the disgraced gi
gazed with q strangely 5ewildere
look; then, with q faint moan, 81
fell senseIess before him.
After that interview the lovers NJ
} no more for years. Both quilted En-
; land. Armsud travelled, voluntee
ing for an African expedition, whiC
helped him to forget his sorrow al
the woman who caused it. She sc
: tied in Paris q lonely, heart-brok'
woman. The crime which had sep
: rated them was soon forgotten.
. Long afterTard, Armaud, returniI
to Cape Town, after prot-acted wa
J derings in the interior, had it sudde
: ly brought under his notice by q fe
lines in a colonial newspaper. TIT
were to the effect that q laborer, nan
: not given, had just died in Sittin
bourne workhouse; but before /
Sdesth he made this revelation.