Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1884-05-08
think Y. you, look ooldly on such beauty

mn i y
as yoM possess?. Cam"
Andignant and alarmed she checked
nus further speech by starting forward
TO escape him. His hand closed on hers
as ~ o wise. She wrenched it from him.
sprang among crowd of maskers, and
90 made her way to the door.
SaA Carriage for me-" she di.
hected. ~ s-tst3s
len minutes later she was within her
own home. Her first impulse was ia
tear Off the hated costume which had
caused her such trouble; her next to
throw herself on the bed and sob out he,
excitement and contrition. The morn.
ing sun, streaming into her room. awoke
her. - ''S'>>
With shudder she remembered the
events of the past night, She looked
down at her hand which had been DO.
luted by another's -touch-as though in
some way she expected to find the con.
tamination branded on its soft white sur.
face. 1t was all unmarried, but She
looked again, she rubbed her eyes and
looked, the color meanwhile flutterine
out'of her checks, and her pale lips
quivering, of if her heart seemed to
stand still in a sudden agony Of fear, TO,
from the third finger was missing the
talismanic ring.
h When and where had she lost it. and
how could she find the courage to con.
fess all to Gerald? She rose ard dressed,
revolving this problem in her mind,
At any hour her husband might re-
turn. For the first time she dreaded to
meet him-d-eaded to look into his
kindly, handsome eyes and read there
all his incredulous reproach, mingled,
perhaps, with scorn and anger.
The day wore on. Her friend, Mrs.
Martin, ran in to scold her for her de.
sertion; but her pale face and trembling
tones made good her plea Of sudden i'll:
ness.
( At nightfall Gerald arrived. She
threw herself into his arms in burst
OF nervous weeping; but when he won.
deringly asked it's cause, her courage
failed her.
Why was it she never imagined that
he might look stern until to-day?
A week passed, when ono evening, sit
ting in the twilight, step sounded close
beside. She looked up to discover the
Count.
tsPardon!" he began, in answer to her
indignant, questioning look. ssWhy
must you be SO cruel9 May I not now
see you?"
"Sir, 1 command you to leave me. ]
am now under the protection of my own
roof"
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 lent to the young wife sud.
den courage born of the moments des.
peratioD. Her husband, entering, ap
preached her, but she motioned him
back.
"Gerald," she said, ssI have 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.
"And is this all?" he questioned.
bitterly, when she had paused.
s'No, not all" she continued, raising
her voice. "My confession has another
witness, who has forced his hated pres.
ence again, upon me. The Count Bel.
zoni 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 paper
from his pocket, and showed her par.
agraph offering reward for the arrest
of thief and swindler known as the
Count Belzoni.
my darling" he said, "my little wife
has learned lesson she will never for.
get. I have known this story all the
time, but have waited until you came tc
tell it to me. Ireturned the night of the
ball to take you with me, when 1 found
you had gone. Imagine what I suffered
and my added suffering when, arriving al
the scene of enjoyment, where had fol
lowed you, discovered who was your
companion. / stood near you and heard
the words he addressed to you-heard
with joyful heart your answers, 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! I watched yon hasten
through the crowd, and knew5that YOU
had already met your bitterest punish
ment. It has been through my efforts
that the Count has been traced and
posed. Only this morning 1 received
your ring from the 1aan whom he ha6
pledged it as security. Once more
place it on your finger. But remember
darling, it is only tho outward charm
A wife's true talisman is her husbands
honor"