The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1874-03-28
Kristen i"T tnr AuEhi>ssANs ADVOCATE.
UNDER A SPELL!
CLOSE PLAY FORA F0RTU NE!
~ WELDON }. COBB, Jk
CHAPTER III.
Is HE HIS son
~ WELDON D. COBB, Jk.

Paul Rivers dropped the letter On the
table, and remained plunged IN deep
thought for few moments. Finally
'I here : only one thlug Will save yuu.
he said ''l uu must never see that woman
agaIn-vuu must compel yourself tu forget
her. You are a strange kind of fellow
Thursron, but | can readily comprehend
how easily a woman, possessed II the
beauty and fascination Of Countess ruttI,
can magnetic a man II your ideahty and
veneration for the beautiful You must
shake utf this feeling and look forward
With pleasure to the early arrival Of Miss
Markham.
A deep groan issued from the lips Of the
unhappy artist
II cannot ! cannot r. he cried. arising
and pacing the room, eXcltedly. II tell
you, Rivers. you cannot comprehend my
love for the Countess Blanca Tutti. Ii Is
burning, sUul-consumIng passion which
allows me no rest Or opportunity for med
ltation. Should she be taken from ex-
lstence | should feel the same for her, and
absence would only intensity the affection.
Whichever way look there Is no escape
for me must either live in misery,
fighting against tins infatuatiun, OF sue
cumb to its irresistible influence and prove
false to the holiest VOWS man ever spoke. ~
And all this for a woman to whom even
the rabble points with the finger of calum-
ny and scurn, as a base uttI1guuHte and
adventuress-a woman upon whose soul
lies the murder Of Percival Deane, who
flung himself into the sea for love Of her
while she lured him on by hypUcritical
IL I'll. 4
cannot be more than a passing fever which
must burn away soon, fed by its own fuel,
and consuming, leave the tenement pure
and renovated
The entrance at this moment of fellow
artist put an abrupt and final termination
to the interview, and Rivers and the new
conner soon left the room, leaving Clarente e
Thurston plunged into a deep and painful
reverle
50 unlike the experience Of any other
person was his own, that the young Virgin
ian attempted to prove the past few weeks
of existence an unnatural dream over which
romance had thrown a glamour Of The un-
real. Yet he sighed as he sought to con
vince himself by sophistry that he still
loved the fair Claribel Markham, and that
his intatuation was a short-hved emotion
natural 20 men. He could not satisfy his
mind, however, and when he sought slum-
Der, uneasy dreams were his lot, and the
Countess Blanca Tutti their subject.
| When he awOke, the broad sunlight was
streaming into the room, delicately tinging
| the artistic souvenirs and attempts Of his
own at painting with which he apartment
was filled. A series of impatient knock
| ings at the door caused him to hastily dor
I his apparel and open to the person seeking
entrance. A low exclamation Of surprise
escaped his lips as he caught sight Of hi,
visitor, and he caught his hand with a hal
\ dubious welcome, as if he disliked the Wis
itor, but was interested mutually in some
plan of action.
Bernard Burdols !" he exclaimed
/ Back from France again r.
The other laughed Wickedly. showing .
faultless set Of white regular teeth, above
which dropped moustache which gave
/ cruel expression to the features, and said
NO, mon ami, not from France, but
from America-from the Nirginian hills OF
| your own home-from the bosom Of yonl
family, and that Of your inamorata
Strange events have transpired since nv
] y
Thurston smiled feebly, leaning upon a
chair for support, something in his visitor
manner striking vague indefinite fear t.
his heart.
Il did not know you had friends in
America, he uttered in low tones Of sur
prise. AS he spoke cold chill struck tC
his heart as he caught sight Of the covert
gleam of satisfaction IN the eyes of BurdOis
The latter gave utterance to a light laugh
''Ah - he said, lifting from a covered
easel, short curtain OF veil ''You have
been busy. Per Bdcco ! the Countess Bi
anca Tutti :" and as he swept away the
curtain, he revealed to the full light an un
finished portrait Of the woman to whom ht
alluded. 80 you, too, have fallen vic
tim to her wiles," he added, carelessly
''Ah, Rivers, As that person entered the
room, you are looking well.
Paul welcomed him constrainedlN but
courteously.
II Just came in to announce my return,
he sand, finally. Il have letters for you
/ Thurston, and will deliver them shortly !
and bowing to both, he left the room.
4 Whate' er was the reason Of Burdois
visit to America, he skillfully concealed it
from ThurstOn, stating that he had friends
IN New York, and handing the artist tive
letters, one from Miss Markham and one
from his sister. In both, allusion was made
to Burdois, but in such a manner thai
whatever was the mysterious familiar con.
nection of his betrothed with this man