The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1881-10-02

you lave PfOirsseuy aAo j VIII be fOuEs
IA truly as Heaven shall spare my
life"
%. cruel, cruel saspenssF'
You demurih'
May LADY, | shall fulfil your iDjunc-
ton As i haFe promised"
IF at the expiration Of q year you
do not hear from me. the eontract
shall be null and void Take this half
ring" she continued. sand when i
supply the broken portion / will be
yours" /,
He kissed the little emblem, swore
again and again to be faithful, and, ;
pressing her hand to his lips, babe herr
adieu- He was conducted away again
as mysteriously as he had been brought
thither, nor could he by any possible !
means discover where he had been, his
companion rejecting all brides, and
even refusing TO answer the simplest
questions.
Months rolled on. Colonel Mervilis
was true to his vow. and happy in the
anticipation of love. Suddenly he was
ordered on an embassy to Vienna, that
gayest Of all European capitals. about.
the time that Napoleon was planning
10 marry the Archduchess Maria Lou
lsa- The young colonel was handsome !
manly, and already distinguished In
arms, and became a once q great ia
vorite at court. every effort being made
by the women 10 c~aptivats him. but In
vain; he wa constant and true 70 biz
row.
But his heart was not made Of stone;
tho very fact hat he had entertained
such tender feelings for the white dom.
inc had doubtless made him more sus.
ceptible than before. At last he met
the young Baroness Caroline Waldorf,
and in spite Of his rows she captivated
him. and he secretly cursed the engage
ment he had SO blindly made in Paris.
She seemed to wonder at what she be-
lieved to be his devotion. and yet the
distance that he maintained. The truth
was. his sense of honor was so great,
that although he felt he really loved
the young baroness. and oven that she
returned his affection. still he had Civ
en- his word. and it was sacred.
The satin domino was no longer the
ideal Of his heart, but assumed the
most repulsive form in his Imagination.
n became. in place of his good
angel. his evil genius!
Well. time rolled on; he was to re-
turn in a few days; it was once more
the carnival season. and in Vienna, too,
that gay city. He Joined in the festiv-
tiles OF the masked ball. and what won-
der filled his brain when about the
middle of the evening the white DOM
inc stool before him, in the same white
satin dress he had seen her wear a year
before at the French Opera House in
Paris WnQ n mot n fnpruo
81 come, Colonel Eugene Merville,
to hold you to your promise" she said,
laying a hand lightly upon his arm.
is this reality or a dreamp, asked
the amazed soldier.
Come. follow me. and you shall sec
that it is a reality" continued the
mask. pleasantly.
Il will"
Have you been faithful to your
promise" asked the domino, as they
retired to a neighboring saloon.
Most truly in act, but, alas! 1 fear
not in heart"
.Indeedr'
at is too true, lady. that l have seen
and loved another. though my VOW tc
you has kept me from saying SO to
her."
"Anu who Is this that you thus lover"
Il will be frank with you, and you
VIII keep my secretP"
''Most religiously-'
at is the Baroness Won Waldorf"
he said. with q sigh.
'.And you really love herP"
"Alas, only too dearly" said tho
soldier. sadly.
Nevertheless. I must hold you to
your promise. Here is the other half
of the ring; can you produce its mate Pr
Here it is" said Eugene Merville.
"Then l. too, keep my promiser'said
the domino. raising her mask, and
showing to his astonished view the
face OF the Baroness Won Waldorf.
"Ah, it was the sympathy of true
love that attracted me, after ALP ex.
the young soldier, as he pressed
her to his heart.
She had seen and loved him for bis
manly spirit and character, and, hav.
ing found by inquiry that he was wor.
thy of her love, she had managed this
delicate intrigue, and had tested him,
and now gave to him her wealth, title.
and every thing.
They were married with great pomp,
and accompanied tho archduchess "a
Paris. Napoleon, to crown the happi-
ness Of his favorite, made Colonel
Eugene Merville at once General Of
Division.