The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1883-01-05
THE GAMBLERS WIFE.
BY IMPBIliATUR.

What new beauty have we here,
Carp" | asked, taking a small colorcd
picture from among the mass of papers,
pamphlets, wrapping paper etc. that
covered the table aud floor Of the libra
~, and which would have told plainly
enough TO all acquaintance that Carl
was at home once more, after this his
longest ramble in foreign lands, with
out the corroborating testimony of cigar
smoke, or the lounging figure in the old
rocking.chair.
For this brother Of mine never spent
over six months of the year in the beau.
tiful country home Of his childhood,
giving the other six to whatever place
or people promised most entertainment
on short notice. The last three months
had been spent in Paris, SO conicct-
urcd the little gem Of art held in my
hand was a French beauty; the pure
outlines and exquisite complexion look
ing most lifeliko as they smiled up at
me from the tinted card But notwith-
standing the great beauty Of contour
aud feature, there was q frightened, al
most hunted look in the dark eyes that
told oflragedy, or atleast anticipated IT,.
"Who is she Carl? The eyes affect
me strangely, with their wild, fightcn-
ed look There is a reign of terror in
them equal to the one her ancestors
passed through | almost see the
shadow Of the guiIl0tine in their vclvety
depths.
LET me see; NIB, NY little sister. may
YOU never know so hard fate As this
poor girl encountered aud sucuumbcd
to. No, she is not french-a Russian
but married to a frenchmau' And
Carl took the picture from my hand aud
placed Il on small easel above his
desk. II will tell YOU about her, Louie,
il you have an hour, aud will tell why
Itold YOU.
1T was whilc Tom Barnes was with
me last June. aud when we loft Nor-
salles ior Paris, that first saw Madam
Lttcrre though think the name au
assumed one We had 10 run to pre-
vent being lfl remember, and
Barnes, out of humor because OF it,
plunged his face INTO his book and left
me to my own resources.
"As soon as ! was comfortably set.
tied l. As usual, began scrutini1ing my
travelling companions, aud trying TO
magine who and what they were,
There were four besides ourselves in the
carriage, One a quiet, middle-agcd
Engli hman, who was soon asleep IN
his corner, The two who sat next my
self were evidently husband and wife,
though he paid her none of the atten.
ton and politcness usually accorded in
public, even if dispensed with privately,
He was pale, quiet man OF twenty
five, perhaps richly but quietly dress
ed and seemingly taking no notice of
any one around him. The wife, too,
was pale, and much rs she looks there
in tina, little picture.
"Slo seemed to be suffering, and fire.
quently put her hand to her forehead;
aud observed upon the dolicately-
formed, unglovcd hand costly dia.
mond. 1t was u beauty; and | enjoyed
looking at the flashing gem As she ca
'"'SS' " olhhli biNi' WV NhhN WV"
looked up at her with atieciionate rec
oguition.
The other passenger | could not
make out at all. He was elderly, COM
monty dressed, and with scant gray
bair aud heavy whiskers. His piercing
eyes were frequently placed on the 81
lent young married couple, and then he
seemed as utterly oblivious Of them as
they OF him. What was his nationalityp
Was he with them, OF stranger like
myself l could not tell. And the
moro looked the more uncertain be-
came. thought, too, there seemed an
effort at disguise, He kept his face
averted all he could, consistent with his
watchfulness of the quiet young hus.
band that he at times eyed so very per-
sistently.
ave sped along over the beautiful
road, each absorbed in his own rchec.
lions, broken only by an occasional low