Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1879-07-01

fare you i'll, Viz"
I laughed harsh, short laugh.
"Only transformed into a Nemesis
mamma"
"a Nemesis =" echoed my stepmothe
in slow tones Of profound amazement
the next instant adding impetuously
"You look like beautiful spirit from
Hades! J"
I shrugged my shoulders with anoth
er harsh laugh.
"Come !" I said imperiously. "Com
and will show you my Hades !"
She stared at me wonderingly, ant
half shrunk as my icy little hand clasp
ed hers.
'Softly, madame !" I whispered, as W.
left her room.
Directly she was standing at the slight
ly-open door, at which [ had so offer
stood.
I felt her nails sink deep in the palm
of my hand as her blazing eyes restet
on the scene beyond. I heard her breatl
come in swift, angry gusts.
For full minute she stood thus
Then, dropping my hand, she flung
back the door and swept into the dimly
lighted room.
The pair sitting so lovingly before the
fire started to their feet, Peri with 6
sharp cry of anguish. A1bert's frs
words were given to her.
"Be brave, my love-" he smiled dowr
upon her in accents of melting tender
ness.
But his lips were white and his eyes
glowing.
"What means all this ?" demanded
Madame Viele, in awfully hushed tones
gazing from one to the other with az
anger before which even my fierce sp:r.
it quailed.
'It means this, nay mother" replied
Albert, unfalteringly, as he stepped q
pace forward and circled more closely
the slender form Of the pallid girl beside
him. "It means that for three months
Peri has been my wife"
"Wife!" gasped my stepmother, stag,
gering back as If she had received a
blow. And then she screamed, plead
ingly: mot your wife. Albert ?''
Eyes, mother, my wife," he returned,
sadly and firmly, while great tears roll
ed over Peri's white face. "We grieved
to do it secretly, mother, but"
My stepmother lifted her hand. She
had quite recovered herself now.
"Silence" she commanded, in those
awfully hushed tones. "Ask no forgive.
ness! Ask no blessings! Peri, go!
Leave this house, now and forever. Go,
and may my curse follow you to the last
hour of your life! Albert, you are my
son. Go or stay, as you will : but know
that from this hour never speak to you
again. From this hour know your bles-
sing my bitterest curseW
"Mother"-.
"Silence!" again commanded my
stepmother in fearfully concentrated
tones. go! Not a word Put that
creature forth at once!" pointing her
white finger at Psri's bowed head.
''Say you forgive, mother" pleaded
Albert "Say"-
"Silence!" almost thundered Madame
Viele, her face CHASTITY as the dead.
He turned away then.
"Come. my darling, we will CO." he
murmured with infinite tenderness tc
Peri.
And catching up cloak and hood she
had cast there only few hours before,
he wrapped her tenderly in them and
led her to the door.
There they paused and looked back at
1!aisme Yiele.
Farewell, mother" they said, softly,
"and Heaven forgive us and you!n
Madame gazed stonily at them with
out word or gesture, and they sighed and
turned away.
Directly the hall door changed heavily
after them. AS it did so my stepmother
turned calmly to me:
II am sorry for you, vi" she said
briefly, in stern, even tones. LET US go
to bed"
And with firm step and ersct form she
led me up to my room. There she kiss
ed me goodnight, saying calmly as she
closed the door.
"From this moment they are dead te
us! Never mention their names again W
It was all over now. I had sated my
vengeance.
lit is well !" said, as my head touch
ed my pillow.
The days came and went. My STEP
mother was erect, cold and imperious az
ever. Not by word, look or tone did she
betray her secret suffering. But at the
end of year she had lost every vestige
of youth and health. A pale, gaunt old
woman, she sat in her easy chair now.
One morning she called me to her,
1t was on my nineteenth birthday.
"Vi," she said, curtly, 'it's all Dead
Sea fruitv'
I gazed at her, dimly comprehending
her meaning. Then she said:
'"They have little daughter, vi, anG
they have named her after me Ray
Lalor, vi! Shall we have them back
ViW
She looked at me wistfnlly. There
was brief strife between the good and
the evil, and then I replied:
1T is Dead Sea fruit, mamma. We
will have them back. I can look upon
Albert as my brother now"
THANK Heaven !" exclaimed MADAME
Viele.
And three days later Albert, Peri and
the little Ray were established at Gray
Fell.