Connecticut western news., 1884-04-16
VOL. XIII.

qulet corner.
 "You look more like nun than a fairy-rather like one who had fore sworn the vanities of the world, than 8 siren to tempt men to their destruction, '' said voice close to her, "though to the latter know no one more fitted"
 ''Sir '' she exclaimed indignantly, rec ognizing, as she spoke, the Count standing at her elbow.
 "Ah, you thought I did not know you. I should penetrate any disguise you wore. Besides you have forgotten to re- move badge of recognition" l She followed with her eyes his down. ward glance, and saw that it rested on her hand, ungloved, as in better accord with the exigencies of her costume.
 Involuntarily she drew it away, with the ring which had betrayed her.
 Denial was useless.
 "Since you know me, then" she said, i've will not further play part. Tc the others we are masks, to ourselves we i are ourselves.
 AuJ uduhIuc3 uO "uloPOACus AOU N1 rather say to the world we are ourselves, to each other we are mask. Can men, think you, look coldly on such beauty as you possess? Can"
 Indignant and alarmed, she checked his further speech by starting forward to escape him. His hand closed on hers as in vice. She wrenched 1t from him, sprang among a crowd of maskers, and so made her way to the door.
 "Call carriage for me-" she directed. | Ten minutes later she was within her own home. Her first impulse was to tear off the hated costume which had caused her such trouble; her next to throw herself on the bed and sob out her excitement and contrition. The morning sun, streaming into her room, awoke her.
 1 With shudder, she remembered the events of the past night. She looked 1 down at her hand-the hand which had been polluted by another's touch-as though in some way she expected to find the contamination brand on its soft white surface. It was all unmarred; but She looked again-she rubbed her eyes and looked-the color mean while futtering 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 missinp the taliSmanic ring
 When and where she had lost it. and how could she now find the courage to confess all to Gerald? She rose and dressed, 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 his kindly, handsome eyes and read there all his incredulous reproach, mingled per haps with scorn and anger.
 The day wore on. Her friend, Mrs. Martin, ran in to scoid her for her deser- tion; but her pale face and trembling tones made good her plea of sudden ill., ness.
 At nightfall Gerald arrived. She threw herself into his arms in burst of nerv- ous weeping; but when he wonderingly asked it's cause, her courage failed her.
 Why was it that she never imagined that he might look stern until to-day :?
 A week passed, when one evening, sitting in the twilight, step sounded | close beside. She looked up to dis cover the Count.
 "Pardon p he began, in answer to her indignant, questioning look. "Why must you be so cruel? May I not now see you?"
 ''Sir, I command you to leave me. I am under the protection of my own roof"
 He was about to answer, when latch key was heard inserted ill the outside door.
 In an instant he had sprung into some place of concealment, but the fact that he was near lent to the young wife sudden courage, born of the moments desperation. Her husband, entering, ap- | pTOdCu6u n6IJ Uu6 6uo IuOGIOueu ulLu back.
 "Gerald," she said, ''I have @ bitter confession to make. It is fitting you should hear it now"
 his breast, while she told him all the story of that fated night.
 "And is this all ?" he questioned bit terly, when she had paused.
 "No, not all," she continued, rais- ing her voice. "My confession has another witness, who has forced his hated presence again upon me. The Count Belzoni is here again, Gerald"
 AS she spoke she drew aside the cur tain; but the form she expected to dis close was gone, the open window attest. ing to its flight.
 Silently the husband drew a paper from his pocket, and showed her a para. graph offering reward for the arrest oi a thief and swindler known as the Count Belzoni.
 "My darling," he said, "my little wife | has learned a lesson she will never for. get. l have known this story all the time, but have waited until you came tc tell it to me. returned the night oi the ball, to take you with me, when found you had gone. Imagine what ] suffered, and my added suffering when arriving at the scene of enjoyment where I had followed you, discovered who was your companion. I stood Deal you, and heard the words he addressed to you-heard with joyful heart you answer; saw you wrench your hands from his hold, and also saw what you did not, the sparkle of the ring he drew from your finger. Poor little girl watched you hasten through the crowd