Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-05-16

table.
Miss Vivian was my rival.
On this fact alone rested my wild sus-
picion.
Harold loved her.
Therefore 1 hated her with deadly
hatred that longed to find and prove
her guilty of any crime; therefore
constituted myself a spy upon her.
Day and night I logged her steps.
It was an ignoble task, weighted with
doubly ignoble purpose, and Of nee
esslty left its defiling stain upon my
soul.
But what of that, if regained the
love which, poor fool, I fancied I had
! lost?
At some risk I became nightly
visitor Of the veranda on which Miss
Vivian's window opened, and thus, to
my profound delight, learned two i'm
portant facts, namely, that her light
burned late, and that at certain hour
she left her chamber to punctually re-
turn with the first promise Of dawn.
Where did she go?
To Hareld's suit of rooms.
determined to follow her.
did so.
She came from her chamber the same
masked, black-robed figure l had en-
countered on a certain memorable
night, and went straight to Harold's
rooms.
She entered.
The door closed softly behind her, and
the key turned.
What then?
What was her Grand?
determined to know that also.
The following night preceded her.
Harolds Sybaritic tastes had render
ed this suite a marvel of luxury and
beauty. Everything that art and wealth
could furnish for it's establishment had
been procured, and it was the GROWING
glory of his palatial mansion.
1t did not occur to me then, but it
was none the less true, that, in this
lavish appropriation Of wealth and
beauty to his own enjoyment, my lovers
Utmost nature revealed itself.
Few of the many guests he enter
tanned were accorded the delightful
privilege Of entering these magnificent
rooms.
From the first they had been dedicat-
ed to the god Of his worship-self-and
self alone was the 'open sesame"
which flung back the door.
Yet here Miss Vivian presumed to
spend hours every night.
What did it mean?
AS before mentioned, I determined
to know, and, therefore. preceded her.
The inner shutters were closed for
the night, and 1 congratulated myself
on the fact that the whole suite
had been converted into one vast pillar
ed apartment by means of the great
sliding doors, thus permitting my eyes
to sweep the whole at glance.
! had timed myself well.
Miss Vivian, masked as usual, and
carrying her little dark lantern, soon
entered.
Satisfied by one. lightning glance that
the room was tenantless, she turned the
key and stepped quickly to very beau.
tiful and massive escritoire, in which
Harold kept his most valuable papers.
Taking a bunch of keys and file
from her pockets, she unlocked and op'
ened the desk, and after placing keys,
file and lantern upon it, wheeled up 9
chair and seated herself.
She then drew off pair of clumsy
black cotton gloves and if I had need
ed additional proof that Miss Viviar
was before me, it was incontestibly
mine in the blue-veined, jeweled hand.
deity filing key and fitting it to thu
lock ofone of the many sets of locked
drawers and compartments with which
the escritoire abounded.
In a few minutes the drawer wal
open.
! But then she suddenly paused.
| Clasping her hands tightly together
she threw herself back in the chair, ant
sighed, TREMENDOUSLY:
t'This ends my task-what, what i
| it should not be here? Poor Louis
poor, poor Louis Nothing else viii
ever satisfy him.
| With slight gasp she raised her hant
and, throwing off hood and mask, dis
closed face 80 white and sorrowfu
that, had my heart been less thar
adamant, it must have melted at tn,
;sight.
\ Just then the little time-piece chime,
\ the hour, and with a nervous start sh'
commenced swift, but careful ex
animation of the contents of the drawer
!. One paper after another was read AM
j. tossed impatiently aside-one afte
another, till the little time-piece chime'
the fight Of an hour.
| At the same instant she drew out an
, hastily scanned the last sheet.
Casting it down with low cry .
. bitter grief and despair, she threw u