The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1884-02-15

velvet bed brought the tears afresh TO
| Stella's eyes. She wanted to go---oh,
how she wanted to go! Never before,
in all her life, had any pleasure seemed
SO desirable. She thought of her beau.
| tiful costume, and sighed plaintively
as she repeated to her sympathisi NJ
but thoughtless friend the whole story.
..It's just too horridrs stormed Mrs.
Thompson; land l say you shall go!
Listen, Stella. Your husband did not
think of us, or he would have consent
ed to let you go in care of Mr.. Thomp-
son and myself. There can BIO nc
harm, dear. We will call for you in
our carraiage tonight; and, Stella, il
Mr.. Conway says ANYTHING, or is at ali
displeased, leave him to me. i know
how to manage him. Yo. viii come,
Stellap shall be so disappointed if
you refuse"
And she pleaded so eaass y that at
last she brought the young wife over
to her way of thinking; aud the result
of the interview was, that the ThOmp-
sons carriage stopped for Stella that
night, and. looking lik5 q picture in
her rich dress. she drove away with
her friends to Mrs. Barclays.
1t was a scene from fairy-land. For
| two hours Stella moved about in a
maze of delight. She danced, and
promenaded, and sang, and was quite
the star of the evening: and ali the
| while, undreamed OF by herself, the
black clouds were gathering over her
young head.
Once or twice the thought occurred
to her:
Burton knows by this time whether
his speculation has succeeded or failed
| whether We are to be very rich or beg
CARS. But" and the red lips compress
ed themselves firmly, and q strange
light came into the pansy-blue eyes,
IF we are to be beggars, ut least
shall haye The delightful memory of
this, my last ball!''
Poor child, it was indeed, her last
ball! About midnight some one enter
| ed the crowded ballroom in wild haste
| and an eager voice asked. anxiously
for Mrs. Conway. Old DIR. Dent, the
family physician OF the Conways, came
to Stella's side, pale and agitated.
You must come home, Mrs. Con-
| way" he said, and Stella thought that
she had never heard him speak so
sternly. '"I-I-have bad news for
you"
She faced him with avid cry. Some
thing told her the truth.
My husbandp" she painted.
"Yes, your husband pardon me,
madam, if l seem brutal, but must
be brief, is dying. 1t seems that he
finished his business in st. Louis i'm
mediately, for he found on his arrival
there that his grand speculation had
succeeded, and he wass millionaire.
He decided to return home at once,
that he might attend You to this ball;
SO he got on board the lightning ex-
press.which reaches her at Sp. M,
madam-there was collision, affc=
and-he is at your home waiting for
you"
Half an hour later she stood by his
side. Waiting-ah yes, but the meet
ing would not be here, for Burton Con-
way was dead. And Cp;tful sight to
the heart-broken wifeD one cold hand
grasped velvet casSet containing a
magnificent set of diamopds
LAG hou oiCN uiOIlC, wM>c SHC, III tIlc
midst of scene of reveal lad missed
his dying words! All, she would have
laid her life down gladlySo have look
ed into his eyes once more, and have
heard him say. 81 forgive you, little
wife,! But regrets were useless-it
was too late!
A fortune was hers; he had won it
fol. her and placed it all in her name;
she had, too, the coveted diamonds
but oh. how happy she would have
been in cabin with him who lay there
before her with deaths mysterious seal
upon his brow.
One year later beautiful Stella Con-
wsy was placed in an insane asylum, a
hopeless maniac, raving continually of
diamonds and blood-money, and call
ing herself the murderess of her hus-
band.