Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1881-05-17

zoni's arm, she entered upon the brilliant
scene. So far, he had not even seemed
curious to ascertain her identity. She ex-
perienced at this Singular sense of re-
lief.
The ball was at IFS height as the clock
rang out the hour of midnight; but for
the first time in her life ligh; and gaiety
were distasteful. A hundrel times she
wished herself at home.
IL will tell Gerald. | have already
been punished, she whispered TO herself,
as she stood for a moment alone in quiet
corner.
"You look more like nun than fairy
rather like one who mad foresworn the
vanities of the world, than siren TO tempt
men 20 their destruction, said voice
close TO her, "thougR the latter know
no one more fitted.
"Sir," she exclaimed. Indignantly,
recognizing, as she spoke, the Count
standing at her elbow.
"Ah. YOU though; did not know yoa.
| should penetrate any disguise you wore.
Besides. you have forgotten to remove a
badge of recognition"
| She followed with her eyes his down
ward glance. and saw that it rested on
her hand, ungloved, as in better accord
with the exigeucies OF her costume.
Involun;arily she drew it away, with
the ring which had betrayed her.
Denial was useless.
"Since YOU know me. then. she said,
I'VE will not further play a part. To
Others we are masks to ourselves, we
are ourselves
"Ah, madame, ne whispered, "let us
rather say to the world we are ourselves,
to each other we are a mask. Can men,
think you. look coldly on such beauty as
you possess: Can"
Indignant and alarmed, she checked
his further speech by starting forward to
escape him.. His hand closed on hers as
in a vice. She wrenched it from him,
sprang among a crowd of maskcrs, and
so made her way to the door.
Call a carriage for me, she directed.
Ten minutes later she was within her
own home Her first impulse was TO tear
off the hated costume which had caused
her so much trouble; her next TO throw
herself on the bed and sob out her eX-
citemen, and contrition. The morning
sun, streaming into her room, awoke
her.
With shudder, she remembered the
events of the past night, She looked
down at her hand-,he hand which had
been polluted by anothers touch-as
though in some way she expected TO find
the contamination branded on its soft
white surface. L, was all unmarried; but
she looked again-she looked away
and back-she rubbed her eyes and look
ed-the color meanwhile duttering out OF
her cheeks, and her pale lips quivering,
as if her heart seemed to stand still in a
sudden agony of fear; for from the third
finger was missing the talismanic ring.
When and where had she lost 1t, and
how could she now find courage to con-
fess all TO Gerald: She rose and dressed,
revolving and re.revolying this problem
in her mind.
At any hour her husband might return.
For the first time she dreaded to meet
him-dreaded to look into the kindly,
handsome eyes, and read there all his III
credulous reprOach, mingled perhap with
scorn and anger.
The day wore on. Her friend, Mrs.
Martin, ran in to scold her for her deser
ton but her pale face and trembling
tones made good her plea for sudden Ill
ness.
At nightfall Gerald arrived. She
threw herself in his arms in burst OF
nervous weeping but when he wonder
ingly asked its cause, her courage failed
her.
Why was it she had never imagined
he might look stern until today:
A week passed, when one evening, sit
ting in the twilight a step sounded close
beside her. She looked up to discover
the Count.
Pardon :" he began, in answer to her
indignant, questioning look; "why must
you be so cruel May now see you :
"Sir, | command you to leave me. |
am now under the protection of my own
roof"
He was about to answer, when latch
kew was heard inserted in the outside
door.
In an instant he had sprung into some
place of concealment, but the fact that he
was near lent to the young wife sudden
courage, born of the moments despera-
tion. Her husband, entering, approached
her, but she motioned him back.
Gerald" she said, 81 have bitter
confession to make. 1t is fitting you
should hear it now"
He listened with arms folded across
his breast, while she told him all the
story of that fated night.
"And is this all - he questioned Bit
terly, when she had paused.
mo, not all" she continued, raising
her voice. my confession has another
witness. who has forced his hated pres
ence again upon me. The Count Belzoni
is here again, Gerald"
As she spoke she drew aside the cur
tain but the form she expected to dis
close was gone, the open window attest
ing to its flight.
SILENTLY the husband drew a paper from