St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1878-06-22

"You will pardon me for coming
iere," she wrote; 1T is for your own
sake wish to speak with you. l came
with an invited guest, and as Dulcie de
Leon, the prima donna, no one receg.
nizes me as one who was once known by
another name"
"Poor heart! poor, broken heart"
true to the last!" he murmured, and
two great tears rolled down and smirched
the note re held with quivering fingers.
"He went to the conservatory. By
the fountain, beside a tall Egyptian lily,
he saw q grand figure in dead black
robes, and noble head with a single
white flower in the golden hair.
"Why are you here, Helen ?" he asked
kindly.
For moment she looked at him, her
dusky gray eyes full of trouble and visit
full surprise. She could have flung her
self down among the flowers and sobbed
aloud her grief, when she saw the sad
change those few years had wrought
upon the handsome, spirited man she
had SO dearly loved. But she answered
him with quiet gentleness.
II have come to save you, Stephen"
she said.
"You7" he returned, in a troubled
whisper.
eyes, Stephen" she replied; "fer the
love you once bore me, for the sake of
the happy days, I have come to befriend
you, for before to morrow's sun goes
down there will not be another in all
this great city to defend or to help you"
He was too troubled to wonder how
she knew so intimately of his misfortunes
and of the disgraceful calamity that
threatened him, and he turned fearful
glance toward the entrance seen across
the parlor where Clelia, in her rubies
end amber silk, stood among her guests
with laugh on her lips.
You have been suspected of mon
strous fraud" went on Helen, sadly ;
"for many weeks your accusers have
been searching for proof against you.
They have obtained sufficient to justify
your arrest. You may be imprisoned
within the hour. I could not live and
know that you were suffering such open
shame. For the sake of our dear child,
imrlore you to do as shall advise you.
Ready funds I know you have not. l
have made much money since ! began
the life of public singer. That is
placed at your disposal, and l have
brought here with me enough tor your
present demands. Take it, Stephen, and
leave the country"
"I cannot" he gasped Helen, I can
not. Besides I shall never 60 into q
prison. The shock of arrest would strike
me dead. The old heart trouble, sc
CELEBRATED by the excitement of recent
events, gives me warning of the sort of
death our good doctor prophesied for me
long ago. My mistaken life is nearly
ended, Helen"
As he spoke, and while Helen was
regarding him with mournful anxiety, he
turned again and gazed across the parlor
toward the entrance. Some person had
just entered whom Clelia had approached
with displeasure and imperious i'm
patience. Instinctively he knew what
it meant
He took q step forward and saw beyond
the fash of jewels and the CLEAN of
flowers three strange forms standing like
grim sentinels outside the parlor door in
the dazzle of light that filed the hall.
He knew they were officers Of the law.
He grew deadly pale, and convulsive
tremor shook him FROM head TO loot. He
gasped, reeled, and as if struck by a
heavy blow, dropped down among the
sheltering lilies.
All the SLEEP less anxiety, the eeaseless
agony, the ruthless remorse and dread
that bad racked hio for weeks, had
eliminated in the mortal shock he had
just presaged,
Instantly his repudiated wife was on
her knees beside him holding the poor
head to her breast.
90, Stephen speak to nae" she inn
plored.
"It is all ever, Helen," he said, faint
ly. "The time that you predicted has
come, and I acknowledge you my first
and last and best beloved. True heart,
dear saint, in your arms I die content"
Stephen Darrell never spoke again !;
for him the tragedy of life was done.
The guests were gone, and Clelia sat
alone among the whitening flowers in the
splendid parlor, disdaining sympathy.
Your husband is dead" she was told.
Sullen and naughty still, she made no
sign that she heard. They thought that
sudden grief had stunned her.
" Mr.. Darrell was kind husband p
said the maid who attended her lady
that night.
"He disgraced me" was the heartless
answer.
She was susceptible of keen sense of
disgrace. She could bewail the loss of
wealth, she could wiring her hands and
weep the dereliction of the fashionable
friends who forgot to send condolences,