The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-05-10

Beauty, shadowed with curtains of
lace like snowdritts, and smiling in her
sleep as children do.
One struck from distant clock, and
at the same moment the room-door was
pushed open with a complete absence OF
all SOUND, and Goldwin crossed the
threshold.
The room was brilliantly light, and
shutting the door behind him, he ad.
vanced pace, and looked intently
round the apartment with keen eyes
like those Of famine.stricken wolf.
"My money squandered on nameless
beggarw he muttered, with a furious
motion OF his head toward Perdita, who
| stirred in her sleep, smiled and sighed.
touched, perhaps, by some sleeping
sense of the deadly eddy sweeping its
hideous circles toward her, for already
| 80 swift are the movement of the evil
the light draperies of her little bed
were wreathed with lurid rose, deep.
ening to leaping tongues OF crimson and
gold, as the summer wind, stealing
through the halt-open window, famed
the sudden flame. -,
Before ten minutes had elapsed, the
| whole cottage was buried In q sea oil
flame, and IN the first drawing OF the
| day, Mr.. Goldwin sat under the beeches
looking at the ruin Of his home, and with
the ashes Of desolation sprinkled on his
bowed head.
Perdita had persisted In the mysterious
flames, and Hugh Goldwin, standing 9
pace behind, the unsuspected angel OF
death and desolation, felt his soul reel
| with triumph as Mr.. Goodwin lifted his
haggard face to him.
"You are my heir now, Hugh" he
said. 81 am stricken, boy, strickenp
| A in, tn
the dew, and dark masses Of ebon hair
clinging to the neck and bosom, ,glided be-
fore them, outlined against the dawn, an
Assyrian-taced woman, before whom
| Hugh shrank and shivered, with hair
cllnging to a deadly brow,' Hvid and
damp with the calmly touch OF terror.
eel want my childW ~ she cried. II want
| to look on her face-I, whose eyes have
so hungered to see but the fiutter of her
dress for fifteen years, that L seem to
have lived in flames. Give me my child,
or shall dep
"speak to her, Hugh" said Mr.. Gold.
win, Hitting his shaggy, grand old head
from his chest In vague bewilderment.
81 have no child now, my poor woman! ~
son my soulW said Hugh, 81 risked
my life to save hers. LoOkw he pointed
to the ruins, smoldering and smoking,
with shaking hand. "She lies there; l
saw her fall back into the flames; II
battled with them to save her, Ayesha!
l swear didw
She slowly raised her arm and pointed
behind him, and, as under some spell,
he turned and followed her gesture.
From the shadow OF the beeches--nor
scar.or scorch on her, the jubilant light
OF the morning resting on her beau
teous head-sprang Perdita, and fell
with cry OF joy into MIR. Goldwin's
arms, stretched out to her as man
would stretch his arms to the spirit Of the
beloved dead.
And then Ayesha rose, tor moment
sublimeiy great in her wrongs, and
hurled her anathema against the per-
jured wretch, who quailed before her.
In words of fire she told how she had
gained entrance unperceiyed to the COT
tage, and hid herself in her daughters
room, to feast her hungry eyes on the
girps sleeping face.
How she had witnessed Hugh's dia-
bolical act, and how, strong in the fury
of her rage and love, she had borne the
girl from the burning room, and hidden
her until such time as her swift venge-
ance should grind the intended murderer
to powder, like q sudden thunderbolt.
And then she paused ,detying him with
lion-like eyes, as she saw subtle change
creeping over his pallid face,a The folds
of the cobra brighten luridly when he
crests his head to strike his prey.
His muscles stifened, his hand slipped
rapidly to his bosom.
She stood but pace removed from
him, and he suddenly flung out his long
arm, and struck her with mighty force
ON the breast.
A blaze OF gems-carbuncles and dla-
monds-caught the sun from the hilt OF
the sting-like dagger he lett in her bo-
| som, and before any one could prevent
| it, Hugh Goodwin had bounded into the
road, and fed like whirlwind.
| But Ayesha lived, and the man fed.
His thrust had been turned aside by
some OF the ornaments of her dress, anC
a mere scratch had been its only result
| Ayesha--a restless and impassioned
soul-could not live without her Art
and one night while returning from the
theater, the horses of her carriage
knocked down and trampled an intoxi
Gated wretch, staggering on the road
way.
lie was dead when they lifted hin
| from the gutter, and Ayesha leaned hel
regal head over him tor q second.
4 "See that he is buried decently," sh,
said, to those about her. 81 knew hin
once" and SO went her way, with sol
emn awe in her heart, to her quiet home
And the next day they buried Hugl
Goodwin. ~
When Perdita married, Ayesha left the
stage, and went down the hill OF life by
rosler and more peaceful path than he
weary feet had ever known before.
IL
And, so the mill of God had ground ou
His retribution.
Tons of postal cards, it is said, arc de
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