The Mineral argus., 1884-02-28

them.
1.-THE poor, dear boy" exclaimed the
old gentleman. when / saw him
thrown, / Immediately thought some
thing serious had happened. 1 must
see him, Count Won Poseneck, please
conduct my daughter to her carriage
He hurried away and left the two
alone. With indescribable anguish, Vic
torine read the terrible truth in his pale
face.
"He is dead, f." she gasped, and as his
looks affirmed it, he continued: 81 am
to blame-I persuaded him to take
part"
at was 1 that caused death. 1 did it
out of love for you. l have not only
loved you more than my life, but nor
than my honor, my conscience! The
price paid to win you was fearful; but
mine you shall be-"
Did Victorine surmise the truth? She
seemed as if petrifed; she dared not
think. Her love outweighed her loath-
ing;
ued, p~assionately. "You are mine. soul
and body. / would be driven to de-
spair if l did not possess your love-the
only ray of light in the darkness that
surrounds me-"
Who could describe Victorine's feel
ings? Could she overcome her horror,
or did this terrible proof of his passion
kindle her love?
Two years have passed since Arno
Won Hohenstein has been numbered
with the dead. Few remembered him.
His parents he had lost when a boy.
The comrades with whom he had been
a favorite, his former friends, his cou-
sins who inherited his estates, thought of
him no more. So no one seemed to be
astonished when Nictorine was betrothed
and married TO Poseneck, whose inan-
cial circumstances had been bettered by
an unexpected inheritance.
Time had not taught Victorine to for
get Hohenstein's tragical death. Often
he seemed to appear before her, men,
acing and threatening, and at night she
often started from her sleep with shrek.
But when Poseneck was at,her side,
her happiness was so great as to
obliterate the dark past.
That day, t~hessecond anniversary of
Amos death, races were again to be
held at Baden Baden. Hurts father-in-
law had asked him to attend. He acqui-
esced rather unwillingly. His thoughts
turned continually to the moment when
he had knelt beside Hohenstein's corpse.
Even the presence of his beloved wife
could not make him forget. Helhad to
summon all his strength to maintain his
outward composure. But Victorine's
loving eyes read his Utmost thoughts.
He was restless; he passed from group
to group, and at last went in the pad
dock, to take a look at the horses. One
of his comrades stepped up to him and
said:
"Poseneck, you must ride Creve-
cour to-day"
Don't you know that l have given up
steeple-chase riding altogether"
Alter a great deal of coaxlng and ban
tering, he at last consented.
Seems a fever has seized me-" he
muttered to himself, for, in spite of the
warm weather he felt chilly.
AS the moment of action arrived,
knowing that he needed all his nerve,
he regained his self-command. Just as
he was putting his foot in the stirrup, he
heard some n say:
"Have you heard that at Hamburg,
day before yesterday, Devils Daughter
broke her neck?"
He felt as if he had received q blow.
The horse that had been his tool was
dead. She had passed from one to an
other, having brought nothing but mis-
fortune to her owners. Another in his
position, perhaps, would have silenced
his conscience by saying hat it had
been the horses fault. Poseneck could
not do so. Only too well Che knew that
he had deliberately caused Hohenstein's
death. He did not repent the deed, tut
still he was often haunted by his victim.
AS the ace was proceeding 1t was
easily seen what Creve c0ur could do.
He was gaining ground constantly, and
each obstacle was cleared without eff
fort. Soon be was in front. Suddenly
Poseneck saw a shadow, without hear
ing the tread ola horse. He turned
and saw beside him Arno Won Hostein,
mounted on Devils Daughter.
Was the terrible apparition a creation
of his excited Imagination?
"Who is the rider next to Kurt?" Vic
torine asked her father.
"a rider? l see none! Poseneck is
leading the race"
"There, on the dark horse. / see him
plainly. Merciful God! tits Hohenstein."
Her father turned hastily toward her
she had tainted.
In the meantime the two riders sped
away.
Poseneck could notayert his eyes from
that CHASTITY face that was close beside
him. Now the horses neared the stone
wall, and he prepared Involuntary for
the leap.
Suddenly the phantom turned and
fixed its CLASSY fook full upon his face.
With an inarticulate cry, he let go the
reins, and covered his face with his
hands. Creve-c9ur, suddenly deprived
of his masters guidance, fell, throwing
his rider.
His comrades, rushing toward the
spot, found Poseneck d corpse. No one
but he and Victorine, the onlysone vino