Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1884-04-26

wished herself at home.
II will tell Gerald. have already
been punished" she whispered to her
self as she stood for moment alone in
a'quiet corner.
"You look more like a nun than
fairy-rather like one who had fore
sworn the vanities of the world, than
siren to tempt men to their destruction"
sail voice close to her, though to the
latter l know no one more fitted"
"SirT she exclaimed, Indignantly, re-
cognizing, as she spoke, the count stand
ing at her elbow.
"Ah, you thought l did not know you.
should penetrate any disguise you wore.
Besides you have forgotten to remove a
badge of recognition" -.
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. 'ir
Involuntarily she drew it away, with
the ring which had betrayed her. =,
DENIAL was useless. .l''.r'r. l':.
CluCc yOu hhOW lie, tilch, ShC odau.
1--WE will not further play part. To the
others we are masks; to ourselves, we
are ourselves"
ooh, madam" he whispered, "let US
rather say TO the world we are ourselves,
10 each other we are mask. Can, men,
think you, look colby on such beauty as
you posses? Can--r7". ..ry I'd. ....' ...
Indignant alarmed she checked his
further speech by starting forward to es-
cape him. His hand closed ON hers as
in a wise. She wrenched it from him,
sprang among crowd of maskers, and
so made her way to the door. ''H ~ :
@Call q carriage for me-" she directed.
Ten minutes 4ater.she was within her
own home. Her first impulse was to tear
off the hated costume WI ich had caused
her so much trouble; her next to throw
herself on the bed 10 sob out her excite
ment and contritron. The morning sun,
streaming into her room, awoke her. ~
With a shudder she remembered the
events of the past. night. She looked
down at her hand-the hand which had
been polluted by another's .touch--as
though in some way she expected 30 find
the contamination branded on its soft,
white surface. 1t was unmarried, but
She looked again-she rubbed her eyes
and looked, the color meanwhile hutter-
ing out of her cheeks and her pale lips
quivering as If her heart seemed to stand
still in sudden agopy off ar, for from
the third finger was missing the tails
manic ring. y = ................ ..ts +
When and where she had lost it, and
how could she find the courage to con-
fess all to Gerald? She rose and dressed,
revolving this problem in her mind.
At any hoIr her husband might re-
turn. For the first time she dreaded to
meet him-dreaded TO look into his kind
ly, handsome eyes and read there all his
incredulous reproach, mingled perhaps
with scorn and anger. q a5i!f
! The day wore on. Her friend, Mrs.,
Martin ran i'm to scold her for her deser-
ton; but her pale face and trembling
tones,made good her plea of sudden ill.
ness. .g., FaG Il ..l,..s., ..-.!4.i. ..... u
At nightfall Gerald arrived. She
threw herself into his arms in burst of
nervous weeping but when he wonder.
inglyl askedits cause, her courage failed
Why was it she never imagined that
he might look stern until to-day?
A week passed, when one evening, sit
ting in the twilight, step sounded close
beside her. She looked up to discover
the count. 49, ''"t .'T' '--' .--
Pardon p be began, in answer to her
indignant, j questioning look. "Why
must you be SO cruel. May l not now
see yOu?" iGs iEsi,iTy aa...., ii. !.
"Sir, command you to leave me. 1
hm now under the protection Of my own
roOf.'f IL 2S4 HAL Z % -JIl 1
He was about to answer when latch
key was heard inserted in the outside
door.
In an instant he had sprung into some
place of concealment, but the fact that
he was near Tent the young wife sudden
courage born of the moments despera-
ton. Her husband, entering. approach
ed her. but she motioned him back.
"Gerald," she said. II have a bitter
confession to make 1t is fitting you
should hear it now."' - ... =. :
He listened, with arms folded across
his breast, while she told him all the
story of that fated night. pt Ia --ll
,.Andis this Iall?" he questioned bitter |
ly when she had paused. - hji i,... .nJ
mo, not ALL" she continued, raising |
her voice. "Myicohfession has another |
witness, who has forced his hated pres
epce again upon me. The Count Belzo-
nj here again, Gerald" ttiFt IttI |
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. .- .r
Silently the husband drew paper
from his pocket, and showed her a para
graph offering reward for the arrest of |
a thief and swindler known as the Count
Belzoni. ,..r ,,.. ~
my darling" he said, any little wife
has learned lesson she will never for
get. have. known this story all the |
time, but have waited until you came to
tell it 10 me. I returned the night ofthe
ball 70 take you with me, when r1':-d |
you had gone. Imagine what / sdneg red |
andmyadded suffering when, arriving at |
the scene of enjoyment, where l had |
followed you, discovered who was your
Istood near you and heard |
the words he addressed to you-heard |
with joyful heart your 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, and knew that you
had already met your bitterest punish
ment. 1t has been Through my efforts
that the count has been traced and ex-
posed. Only this morning 1 recovered
your ring fromthe man with whom he |
had pledged it as security. Once more
PLACE it on your finger. But remem-
Der, DAZZLING, IL is only the outward charm.
A wife's true tailsman is her husbands
honor" gs..BG