The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-04-09

IN my hushandS : cOmpauy-
bah! You think To frighten mes
Why. woman, | am no coward.
The slight form came nearer and
stood before her in lis white, cliuging
draperles, from which Arose faint, sub
tie perfume. In the dim light the wo-
men could not read each others faces.
but Marquand Vile must have felt the
culmness OF her ioe.
Go on!' said Sybil in her smooth.
low voice; go On and say what words
You will.
"hussy!' cried the other, then hurled
Stilied more shameful maine.
Listen, said Sybli. She moved
slowly backwards until she stood lust
before the open window. Her arms
hung loosely at her sides. there seemed
no passion IN the soft. sweet body
"Listen. l have broken no law; |
have meant to break none
When yon married Gordon MarIuand.
You knew he loved me; you knew that
had l still been free he would have
waited years for me. You knew that
had been sold for price. despite my
bitter tears and entreaties. 10 a man
had never dreamed of loving. And
you had money; and you schemed, and
labored. and succeeded in capturing
my lover for your husband. You knew
he did not love you, handsome as YOU
were - Well, YOU see do
not lie. | walked with your husband
tonight. DO YOU know what we said
to each other? Put down your hands,
you do not frighten me; | may not
see him ever again, but here, in my
heart, love him-dO you understand
And his love is mine, do what you
will" her voice was thrilled with pas
sion. 81 loved him first
Do you want to know what we said to
each other?"
Marquand's wife sprang forward.
You flaunt your shame in my facet
she cried hOarsely, even as Hamilton
Denning had cried.
There is no shame" said Sybil:
mo shame. Only love-"
The other fell upon her like a tiger. ..
Il will choke you, if you dare to say
Her hands were on tho white throat
of her enemy. In her fury she must
have lost all reason.
They struggled so to the open win
dow; then, forced outward, past the
sill, a white form tluttered for an in
stant. There was stiied cry, and
Marquand's wife lay stunned for a
moment, then she ran shrieking through
the hall, shricking and beating the air
| with her hands.
The other guests made out, present
ly, what she would have them to know
that Sybil Denning had fallen from
her window. She had not fallen to the
ground, but thirty feet or more, to the
level roof of the veranda.
They carried her in of the roof
senseless; carried her back to the si-
lence of her own chamber, and, looking
in her face, found a gray shadow.
''She cannot live" said the physi-
| clans who were hastily summoned
MarquandS wife stood at the door
when it opened after the consultation.
'.Nill she die?" she asked in Il husky
whisper. and, shuddering, passed in.
Sybil Denning lay motionless, and
the gray look deepened on her face.
Friends and strangers tiptoed past
the door, and whispered in the corri-
! dorS.
M one knew whore kilograms would
reach Hamilton Dcnning.
The moments crept BY. Someone
else crept up along the hall, but dared
not enter. 1t was Gordon Marquand.
| He had in his eyes the look of death,
and on his chest deadly weight.
Something barred him from the
| chamber OF the woman he had loved.
| He fingered in the hall. stunned and
deathly pale.
| He saw his wife come out with her
| hands pressed upon her forehead. Us
! ii she were half distracted; then he saw
her re-enter. He crept closer to the
| open door.
Sybi's eyes unclosed. TIE physi-
| clans bent over her, but she looked
! away from them. She seemed to see
only Marquand's wife, tall, ghastly,
| old
She tried TO speak. her eyes still fixed
on Marquand's wife.
No law never-lied-h
She breathed irregularly, and her
lips moved again:
What we said-to each-other-
never to meet again- Her voice
! grew stronger. '.l-fell-I leaned too
far-God forgive-it was my fault-to
lean-so far. Be-glad of this-I
leaned-too-far."
Her voice had sunk again to q whis-
per. The gray look stilled her features
till they seemed but q waxen mask.
Her clinging olive-scented draperies
lay like unstirred snow, her breath was
/ spent forever. She was dead.
And Marquand's wife crept shudder-
ing from the room.