Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1883-08-30


Blanche thought it was a queer fam
cy. but OF course she consented. Z.
Miss Gueltan seemed 5excstAti. Hha
was very srsle, and RIa1che thought she
had never seen anything like the daz.
zilng brightness of her eyes.
She went to work very deliberately
only calling on Blanche now and then
and making no attempt at snversation.
Long before she was ready Mohun
sent servant to say that he was waiting
to spesk with her at the mirror room. :
blanche Camadine repeated the last
words,
told him l would see him there. !"
explained sVivien, with ono of her odd
smiles. ssIt was sfayorfte room with
his wiie,sand IliRe it myself"
:. "They-they say his wife died in
that room, said Blanche in an awed
whisper. -
"Do then. 80 Then it must be doubly
endeared to him." returned Vivien, with
exaggerated Indifference, as she pro-
ceeted with her dressing.
/ A flowing robe of snowy gauze re-
placo,t the black lace one. and taking
long sca1f Of some sglittering, golden
tissue, she twisted it carelessly across
her head and about her white throat in
such manner as to nearly conceal her
hair.
Blanche saw the object at once
Mohun 'siwife had had yellow hair. She
uttered cry of surprige. The illusion
was SO perfect; the resemblance thus
produced was by the evening light won
derful.
\ Last OF all, as she was going, Miss
Gueltan bent and touched Blanche's
lips with hers. They were like ice.
The mirror-room was handsome
apartment opening from the rose gar
den. It took its name from the large
and splendid mirrors which lined its
walls at intervals, with tall roses of rare
'exotics set between.
Capel Mohun had been waiting in
this room a long time it seemed to him,
when the door at last opened, and
across the soft, thick carpet woman
came slowly toward him, dressed in
white.
He had been thinking of his dead
wife, perhaps. Naturally enough, too,
this having been favorite room OF
hers. 5f<,i
At any rate, now he grew deadly
pale, and stood without speaking,
without moving, scarcely even breath
ing, till the woman was close beside
him. Then he drew long, deep in
spiration. l,E5t n
Miss Gueltan!" he exclaimed, smil.
ing family, do you know you startled
me wonderfully? You look tonight
so like-some one knew once, who is
dead now he concluded, after a
pause.
"Yes ?" said Viyien. "Your wife, was
it not?' slowly lifting the intense bril-
lance of her eyes to biz.
"Yes. The resemblance is remark
able"
"Not very. Your wife and 1 were
half-sisters," she said, watching him
still with that luminous gaze. "You
never saw me before, because was
adopted very young by an aunt. Itook
her name also at her death, as condi-
ton Of inhsriting her fortune"
Elaine, your sister!' he exclaimed.
"Why did you not tell me2"
81 had my reasons" she answered,
coldly.
Mohun reflected moment. AS in a
flash. he understood her, and grew still
little paler and graver.
"You thought" he began present.
ly, paused and began again; '' will tell
you about your sisters death; I have
never told anyone. I have borne to
have bad, black suspicion whispered
of me, rather than darken her memory
with shadow; but between you and me
must be truth. Elaine never loved me.
She married me in fit of pique at the
man she did love. Her lover came
to see her after she was my wife, I
knowing nothing of her former engage
ment to him. But trusted her too en-
tirely to have doubted her if I had
known. They had every arrangement
to flee together, when 1 discovered
it and stopped them. That night Elaine
went to my private desk, and took from
I a Ssecret department. in it the Indian
drug which she knew | kept there, more
as curiosity than anything else, and
with it killed herself. She left letter
telling me all; but have never shown
it to any one. You can see it, if you
like" ~ ~
AS he ceased speaking Vivien was
trembling from head 10 foot. She let
the golden tissue which wrapped her
head slip to the 6oor, and extending her
hands, while tears filled her eyes, whis-
pered almost inarticulately:
Forgive me |" #
Mohun took her in his arms for an
swer, and, as he rained kisses on the
sweet face, asked:
stYou do indeed love me, Vivien p"
Oh, yes, yes-you only
So Blanche Camadine won the gloves.