The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1881-09-14

tho domino Iist as he had met her at
the masked ball To fall upon his
knees, and tell her how much he had
thought OF her since their separation,
that his thoughts had never left her,
that he loved her devotedIy, was as
natural as 10 breathe, and he did so
most gallantly and sincerely.
"Shall ! believe all you say?n
'Lady, let me prove 1t by any test
you may put upon me,n
"Know, then, that the feelings you
avow are mutual. Nay, unloose your
arm from my waist. have something
more to say"
Talk on forever, lady! Your voice
ID music TO my heart and ears
"Would you marry me, knowing no
more OF me than you now do?"
ayes, il you were to 90 TO the very
altar maskedp' he replied.
"Then I will test you"
GLOW. ladyP'
"For one year be faithful to the love
you have professed, and will be- yours
as truly as Heaven Shall spare my
life"
20, cruel, cruel suspensen'
"You demur?'
may lady; shall fulfil your injunc.
ton as have promised"
III at the expiration of a year you
do not hear from me. the contract
shall be null and void Take this half
ring" she continued, "and when
supply the broken portion J will be
yours"
He kissed the little emblem, swore
again and again to be faithful, and,
pressing her hand to his lips, babe her
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 10 answer the simplest
questions.
Months rolled on. Colonel Mervile
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
TO marry the Archduchess Maria Lou
isa The young colonel was handsome,
manly, and already distinguished in
arms, and became at once great fa-
vorte at court, every effort being made
by the women TO captivate him, but in
vain; he was constant and true to his
vow.
But his heart was not made of stone;
the very fact that 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,
aud in spite Of his vows 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 even that she
returned his affection, still be had CIV
en- his word. and it was sacred.
The satin domino was no longer the
ideal of his heart, but assumed tho
most repulsive form in his imagination,
and became, in place Of h good
angel. MS evil genius
Well, time rolled on; he was to re-
turn in few days; il 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 filed his brain when about the
middle of the evening the white dom
inc stood before him, in the same white
satin dress he had seen her wear year
before at the French Opera House in
Paris. Was it not fancyP
II come, Colonel Eugene Melville,
TO hold you TO your promise she said,
laying hand lightly upon his arm.
is this reality or q dream9" asked
the amazed soldier
Come, follow me. and you shall see
that it is a reality" continued the
mask, pleasantly
IL will"
"Iiave you been faithful TO your
promse?" asked the domino, rs they
retired to neighboring saloon.
Most truly in act, but, alas | fear
not in heart"
"IndeedN'
at is too true, lady. that have seen
and loved another, though my vow to
you has kept mo from saying so to
her"
"And who is this that you thus lover
II will be frank with you, and you
will keep my secret?'
Most religiously."
ut is the Baroness Won Waldorf"
he said, with sigh.
"And you really love herPn
"Alas, only too dearly" said the
soldier. sadly.