Middletown transcript., 1881-04-22
Involuntarily she drew it away, with
the ring which betrayed her.
Denial was useless.

Denial was useless.
s'Since you know me, then,'' sh
said, 1--WE will no longer play apart. T
others we are masks; to ourselves, W
are ourselves. y
"Ah, madame y he whispered, 1le
us rather say to the world we are our
selves, to each other we are a mask
Can men, think you, look coldly OF
such beauty as you possess F? Can -
/ Indignant and alarmed, she checked
his further speech by starting forward
to escape him. His hand closed on hel
as in vice. She wrenched it from him
sprang among crowd of maskers. anC
so made her way to the door.
'Call carriage for me, . she direct
ed.
Ten minutes later she was within hel
own house. Her first impulse was tC
tear off the hated costume which had
caused her such trouble her next to
through herself on the bed and sob out
her excitement and contrition. The
morning sun, streaming in her room,
awoke her.
With shudder she remembered the
events of the passed night. She looked
down at her hand-the hand which had
been polluted by another's touch. as
thow in some way she expected to
find the contamination branded on the
soft, white surface. 1t was all un-
marred but : she looked again = she
looked away and back-she rubbed her
eyes and looked-the color meanwhile
fluttering 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 it, and
how could she now find the courage to
confess all to Gerald =? She rose and
dressed, revolving and re-revolving
this problem in her mind.
At any hour her husband might re-
turn. For the first time she dreaded
to meet him-dreaded to look into the
kindly, handsome eyes, and read there
all his incredulous reproach, mingled,
perhaps, with scorn and anger.
The day wore ON. Her friend, Mrs.
Martin, ran to scold her for her deser-
ton; but her pale face and trembling
tones made good her plea for sudden i'll
ness.
At nightfall, Gerald arrived. She
threw herself in his arms, in burst Of |
nervous weeping but when he Won
leringly asked its cause. her courage
,ailed her.
Why was it she never imagined that
le might look stern until to-day
A week passed, when one evening,
iitting in the twilight, a step sounded
lose beside. She looked up to discover
he Count.
''Pardon y he began, in answer to
Ter indignant. questioning look ; "why
must you be so cruel? May I now see
ou ?''
''Sir, l command you to leave me. [
m now under the protection of my
wn roof. -
He was about to answer, when II
was heard inserted in the out
ide door.
In an instant he had sprung into
ONE place of concealment, but the fact
hat he was near lent to the young wife
sudden courage, born of the moments
Her husband, entering,
pproached her, but she motioned him
ack.
''Gerald, she said, II have bitter
onfession to make. 1t is fitting you
hould hear it now.'
He listened, with arms folded across
lis breast, while she told him all the
tory of that fated night.
"And this is all ?' he questioned bit
erly, when she then paused.
''No, not all, " she continued, raising
er voice.
my confession has another witness,
gho has forced his hated presence again
pon me. The Count Belonzi is here
gain, Gerald"
As she spoke she drew aside the cur
ain but the form she expected to dis
lose was gone, the open window
ttesting to its fight.
Silently the husband drew paper
rom his pocket and showed her a para
raph offering a reward for the arrest
f thief and a swindler known as the
jount Belonzi.
my darling," he said, ''my little
fife has learned a good lesson she will
ever forget. 1 have known this story
Il the time, but have waited until you
anne to tell it to Inc. l returned the
light of the ball to take you with me, ,
hen l found you had gone. Imagine
hat 1 suffered, and my added suffer-
lg when, arriving at the scene of en-
,yment, where 1 followed you, dis :
oyered who was your companion. l
,ood near you and heard the words he I
to you, heard with joyful '
Fart your answer saw you wrench
our hand from his hold, and also saw
hat you did not-the sparkle of the .
ng he drew from your finger. Poor d
tile girl ! 1 watched you hasten f
trough the crowd, and knew that you i
ad met your bitterest punishment. Y
has been through my efforts that the q
cunt has been traced and exposed. f
My this morning 1 recovered your 9
ng from the man with whom he
edged it as a security. Once more 1 7
ace it on your finger. But remember, a
lrling, it is only the outward charm. +
wife's true talisman is her husbands +
onor, which no thief may steal, unless Il