Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1880-03-27

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as soon as my eyes open, and as
strive to rise, an intense, sharp pai
! darts through my right arm, and
a falls heavily to my side.
5 "Yes, oh, yes" 1 say family
{ "my arm is broken, ,".and lapse int
: insensibility. Lillian tells me after
wards of it all; how my hors
had become startled at a stray har
crossing the road, and had dasheI
, away before they could realize
all; that Rex Conwer, with whit
face, followed me, and, as the hors
he rode was very swift, had over
taken and caught mine by tn,
!, hanging bride.
"But not even then, Viva, coulC
he save you from falling, for tn,
sudden stop threw you off,"
For few days keep my room
and have numberless bouquets anC
notes sent up, but one evening Lii
ian says must go down to the par,
/ lors, and with my arm in broad
crimson sling [ enter the room in
state. My friends seem glad to'see
me, and standing the length of the
parlor 1 see Rex Conwer. After q
while / send Oscar for him, and
when he approaches / rise and offer
my left hand. He takes it in a
warm pressure, saying gently:
"How glad / am to see you again,
and that you are so much better" "
I strive to thank him for my
rescue, but he will not hear me, and
then we drift into other things.
Well, from that night Rex Con-
wer loves me. Day by day has he
grown more infatuated; with a
woman's magnetism have led him
on. This afternoon we have been
sailing, and in coming back he has
told me the old story. / had been
telling him of how / felt when that
terrible ride was taken, and to
which 1 hated reference, when bend
ing towards me he, said passion
ately:
"Oh, my darling, if you had died!
Viva, do you know / loved you
even then? Yes, much as / dis
trusted you, / knew that / loved
you with all the passion and strength
of my soul. My beautiful darling,
give me your heart in return. Oh,
be my wife!'
The hour | had prayed for was
come; his heart was at my feet.
Raising nay eyes to his so fond and
tender, answered slowly:
Mr.. Conwer, you told Oscar Vane
the night you arrived, that was
unworthy the love of any man; that
1 was a 'heartless coquette.' Asyou
have chosen to lay your heart at the
feet of one, take her answer: No, a
thousand times nO.n
An awful gray pallor crept over
his face, his flashing eyes darkened
with terrible anguish, and with a
cry of sob, God" Rex Conwer all
most cursed the subtitle dark face
which had wrecked his life. Re
venge is sweet, but even in this, its
hour of fulfilment, there are dregs
of bitterness in It's depth. / did not
love him; I had led him on only to
sting him in the end.
Looking out at the sea now /
think over it all, and care not who
shall say that ] was wrong. A tap
at my door; / open it and q. note is
handed me. Tearing it apart | see
few words in his well-known
hand:
''Viva, can I see you once more
tonight? Tomorrow / go to Eu-
rope, and we will meet no more"
Hastily l answers
"In an hour / will come"
AT the appointed time glide
down to the balcony, where he is
waiting. He catches me in a close,
passionate embrace; he rains hot,
eager kisses on my lips and hair; he
swears that am his and that moth
ing shall part us.
"Rex, let me go!" say again and
again, but he only holds me closer.
Then I throw back my head and
say fiercely:
'tI will die before ] go with you!
Never will one pulse of heart or
soul beat with yOursp'
"Viva, Viva, unsay those words"
cries he hoarsely but I only shake
my head. He stOops and lays his
lips on mine in a fierce, long kiss,
and then, 1inging me rudely from
him, is gone in the night and gath
ering storm.
Two hours later / am aroused
from a heavy stupor into which /
have fallen (for have thrown my
self all dressed on couch) by the
trampling of many feet. spring
up and go out into the hallway.
Four men are bearing heavy body
to Oscar Vane's room. A nameless
dread is upon me. call and ask
what has happened. A gentleman
comes quickly to my side. turn
and see Oscar. Tears are in his
eyes, a look of pain in his face, and
taking my hands ina crushingclasp,
he says, brokenly:
sylvia, in the storm tonight a
| true, sweet life was lost-a life too
noble and pdre to have been slain
by woman's caprice"
A long, despairing moan passes
my lips; the hand of death is upon
my heart, great pain in all life.
"Tell me ALL" i utter at last, and
| in a dream hear his voice.
"Dear Rex is dead. Out in the
storm he went to aid the crew of a
vessel which struck on the rocks off
the island. The sea was one in
which no man could live. AS he
was preparing to go he called me to
him, saying: Tell her, friend, that
l