The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-04-12

I IVA hhNAA IOl
sney thought the dashing young Off
cer was not the man to make her
nAppy; so Poseneck's offer was de-
chned. But, being assured of Vic
torine's affection, he did not give up
ms hopes. He succeeded in keeping
pp q secret correspondence with her,
(which was only discontinued when
Nlctorine, forced by her parents, was
oetrothed to Arno Won Hohenstein.
Poseneck's rage and griefat this were
extreme; but, with the self-command
peculiar to him, he controlled his
feelings.
] Under these circumstances Vic
toflne also suffered inexpressible an
guish. The affianced of one whom
sh0 did not love. cherishing love for
another. wavering between duty and
!, Saction. carried away by her pas,
slous-she wrote that note which she
had given Poseneck.
The race began, and all but Ho-
henstlin dashed on; he purposeIy
kept hack only 20 give the mare the
rein afterwards. First they went over
the water jump. Then came a stone
wall, ore of the most dangerous OBJ
stacles. At this place Poseneck had
taken Position to await Deyil's Daugh-
ter. The mare came on. Arno was
alreadyprepared for the leap when
PoseneGk uttered peculiar hoarse
cry. The noble animal, startled, stop
ped, and the rider was thrown for
ward, hB head striking against the
wall.
The next moment Poseneck knelt
beside corpse. AS he saw the fixed,
CLASSY look of the dead mans eyes he
shivered with horror. The violence
of his passion for Victorine had led
him to commit deed which resem-
bled cowardly assassination. That
moment was impressed on his mem.
ory never to be forgotten.
The accident had been seen from
the stand, and the spectators hurried
ly approached. Poseneck went to
break the news to Victorine and her
father. But he only said that he was
seriously hurt that he was dead he
did not dare to tell them.
1.-THE poor, dear boy !" exclaimed
the old gentleman. "When l saw
him thrown 1 Immediately thought
something 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 indescribabe anguish
Victorine read the terrible truth in
his pale face.
HE is dead" she gasped. and as
his looks affimed it, she continued !:
II am to blame-I persuaded him to
take part.'
at was l who caused his death. l
did it out of love for you. have not
only loved you more than my life,
but more than my honor, my con-
science! The price pail to win you
was fearful; but mine you shall be.
Did Victorine surmise the truth |?
She seemed as if petritied she dared
not think. Her love ouLweighed her
loathing.
"YOu dare not reject me-" he con-
tinued passionately. "You are mine,
body and soul. 1 would be driven to
despair if did not possess your love
the only ray of light in the dark
ness that surrounds me-"
Who could describe Victorine's
feeling? Could she overcome her
horror. or did this terrible proof of
his passion kindle her love?
Two years have passed since Arno
yon HOhenstein has been numbered
with the dead. Few remember him.
His parents he had lost when a boy.
The comrades with whom he had
been favorite, his former friends,
the cousins who had inherited his
estates, thought of him no more. So
no one seemed to be astonished when
Victorine was betrothed and married
to Poseneck, whose financial circum
stances had been bettered by an un-
expected inheritance.
Time had not taught Victorine to
forget Hohenstein's tragic death.
Often he seemed to appear before her,
menacing and threatening, and al
night she often started from her sleep
with shrek. But when Poseneck
was at her side her happiness was SC
great as to obliterate the dark past.
That day, the second anniversary
of ArnO's death, races were again tc
be held at Baden Baden. Kurt's
father-in-law had asked him to at
tend. He acquiesced rather unwill
ingly. His thoughts turn, continu
ally to the moment when he haC