The Penn's Grove record., 1884-07-12

his wife it was useless 10 remove
her bonnet. They must start for yer
million in a half hours time, ne uigeu'
adding that helI.l no fancy Tor GnTee-
miles ride through Tie snow on Dldch
night, It was useless for Justine 10
plead that the fallen nov gave a llght
of its own /: that she and l had ne
| quently Quilted Vermillion at zen
O'Clock on just such a night, anu loGlu
our way home IN perfect salety: OuL
most persuasive arguments coulu OILY
prolong their visit TIL the carry tWiiiBhC
began to fall +; and with a cup OF ed
taken almost on the road. they leit US
Before noon the next day, Justine
| and I.were startled by our friends sud
| den appearance IN our cosy parlor. Inc
storm her husband had predicted, had
lasted all night and her black mar
was powdered with snow, as II Tor a
court couture. She had come OUT TO us
alone in her sleigh, driving herself.
| This she had never done before, aloe!I
she had the nerve of a man. but once
her fur gauntlets were off, her handS
| trembled like an aspen and i'll spite OF
the deep bloom ride i'll the WIND had
given her, | could see she was haggard
and hollow eyed as a person VINO Hau
not slept.
After she drank the wine Justine
brought her. she stood erect and made
a passionate gesture, throwing up her
| crossed arms before her eyes.
"God has punished me for my pre-
sumption 7" she said in a moaning way
several times.
Then she came and crouched mt my
feet, shaking with a strange terror.
Going home last night" she cried
aloud, "Angelo Munez came to me y
Justine looked at me wonderlngly,
and | returned her gaze with the same
unspoken suspicion.
We both thought the woman was out
of her mind. But she read our thoughts.
~ am not crazy" she said, standing
up with sudden calmness. Il almost
| wish | was. Last evening | rode home,
as you know, alone with Werner. The
sky was like lead !; not a star to be seen.
| Before we had gone half a mile the
night fell suddenly, like the dropping
| of a black curtain. But | rejolced in
| the darkness. for it hid my sullen face.
/ leaned against Verner's breast, not
from choice, but because the wind was
like a sword. l was bitterly angry at
my husband. My Spanish blood was
beating in my brain. | really wanted
to stay and spend the evening with you
here, and he was so ugly, so perverse.
I resented the injustice l could have
killed him. Then in the high tide of
my passion, l thought of Angelo. Our
talk of the other day had revived the
memory of his kindness, of his devo-
ton, of his unwearying patience with
my whims. He would not have done
| this / painted inwardly ; he would not
have denied me the petty pleasure of a
few hours in the society of my best
friends. He loved me, at least, purely.
unselfshly, unto DEATH Then
thought Yes, and he said he would
return tn me after death to assure me
of his fidelity-but he never did, And
then, o Heavens l felt upon my left
shoulder the pressure as of q mighty
hand and a great light flowed over
me as from a source behind and above
me The rays of that light seemed to
pierce my sinking heart like arrows.
cUUtL oAptf ftUttUiW " DI bcSItCC Wtc
pressing at my back | covered closer
to Werner. held my chin low upon
my breast. l dared not turn or lift my
eyes tout of which the hot tears were
gushIng,1 lest | should see over my
shoulder the shape whence flowed that
1 awful light. My soul was on my lips,
yet l made no sound. Werner also was
| silent as the dead | might almost have
doubted if he saw the strange 1llumin-
| alton. But when we rode swiftly out
of the CHASTITY radiance, leaving it be-
| hind us on the snow, the horse shook
as with an ague and then Werner said:
what was that ? Did you see that
light ? 1t must have been a meteor"
Justine came over and laid her hands
iii a soothing way upon the agitated
woman's.
"What was your answer 2" she ques-
toned quietly. Mrs. Werner was star
ing at me with an absorbed, inexplicable
gaze. She reused herself with an eff
fort.
HSee how | tremble now" and she
held up her shaking hand. ''yet would
you believe it p l laughed then and
lltth6A lllu4 lCCdllihB mo IChlo VI q
dark night. we are the favorites of
Heaven | said, with strange sarcasm ;
this ICY slope by the raVine is the only
dangerous bit of road between this and
Vermillion and 10! Providence has
sent us pyrotechnics of our own = But
he has been grumpy ever since. He has
not been well If late. He is supersti-
tious, " she smiled bitterly ; she thought
it, verify, an omen of his own DEATH"
While she talked she was gathering
up her sables and gloves.
"Don't CO." l said, earnestly. "You
are terribly unnerYed. Stay with us
and rest until after our early dinner"
She turned and gave me again that
sad, piercing glance. Her expressive
eyes overflowed with pity and tender
ness.
II must CO." she answered, slowly.
"When | leave here, | go to seek the
French priest at Inver Grove. He must
offer "a mass tomorrow for poor An
gelo's soul. Come with me, Dorie, my
comforter. Win you not lend her 10
me. Justine? There is room III the
sleigh, and l will bring her back safe