Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1885-05-01

i
4 "You do not understand me , replied
Hortenses II weep. but il is for joy. ;
| Her pent up feelings found relief ia
signs and tears. asa 1si 80
| Emile departed and did not refarp
until the evening. was we'll advanced
Hortense awaited him., seated by the
fire. She waa still weeping. ga +.
The open locket was 90 the Jaap,le.
Emile, who was greatly embarrassed,
mechanically turned his eyes toward, Il.
then uttered q cry, ,His nporisajt had
replaced that Of Paul in tlellocket. !.
What does it mean 7" no exclaimed.
"Hortense, what have you done y, ',.9
aLeave met she said, taking the
locket and slipping Il into her bosom.
leave me DO not speak to me! am
mad y
Msa fGpsatts A Emile IN \ really ffIgbs;
"Ab, you see nothing! You under
stand nothing !" cried tho young girl, a
prey to violent passion. 'You do not
see, then, that this existence is impossi-
bic! You do not understand that adore
you, and that this life Of deceit and con.
straint is killing NE pea 'aa Z
And throwing aher arms about him
she let her head fall witha sigh on the
breast of the young man. who trcmbied
violently.
When he had recovered from bis agi-
tation he disengaged himself from the
embrace Of the young girl, aud leading
her TO seat, said to her in broken
voice: f
"And I, Hortense. | adore you.'
"Ab, my God !" exclaimed Hortense,
with great JOYS.
"Let me speak-I adore you'll l have
loved you for q long time. | have strug-
gled in vain against this passion. fool
that waslU How could help loving
you"
"Ah, my darling"
"Let me speak. When | perceived
that this love had taken possession of my
heart the memory Of Paul came to me
like rcproach. At this moment see
him before me. the embodiment Of my
remorse."
II love you !" stammered Hortense.
BE silent! Such words must not
be spoken Poor boy he is calm as he
stands there, trusting our honor. count
ing upon your loyalty, upon my word,
and we"
He stopped, choked by his tsars.
"Why is Paul not here ?" said Ior.
tense
because he has confidence in u.s.
Whatever it costs me, ! will not betray
i'll will rather die =
"And will die tool
They paused and strange look passed
between them like magnetic current.
All their accumulated IDEAS, all their
emotions. seemed to fix themselves upon
that one thought Of death, which had
suddenly presented itself as a refuge or
an expiration.
"Oh, yes |" said Hortense. summing
up all her impressions in that second,
~ would rather die than think Of"
She did not finish. She was about
to pronounce the name Of Paul.
Emile took her hands, and, gazing in
her face as il he would read her thoughts,
said, slowly and mournfully:
"You wish it ?"
IIortensc raised herself to her full
height and said calmly and solemnly:
"At once +.
They threw themselves into each
others arms aud remained in long
embrace
They were about to pronounce their
)wn sentence Of death.
Early the next morning the postalsB
himself at Emilo's lodging
with letter bearing tho postmark Of
New Orleans.
He knocked in vain at the door. No
,ne answered the summons. The post
nan was about to 60 away, when one Of
Emile's neighbors, woman, called him
back, saying that Emile was in his
odging.
The postman knocked again. Sud.
lenly the woman turned pale.
"Do you notice nothing p she asked
in n frightened tone.
"N0:"
THAT odor. 1t is of gas. My God!
has there been an accident"
The porter was questioned and said
that late on the previous night Emile had
gone out to buy bushel Of charcoal.
The neighbor remembered that several
times on the preceding evening she had
seen Hortense at the window, her eyes
swollen and red from weeping.
without doubt" she exclaimed,
"they have persisted. The authorities
should DO warned"
This was done and the door was
opened.
The fears OF Emile's neighbor proved
to have been not without cause The
two young people were found senscless
and cold-Hortense on the bed and
Emile on chair Every care was be-
slowed upon them, but all efforts to re-
yive Emile we're useless. The fumes Of
the charcoal had done their work-he
was dead
Hortense still breathed, and they
succeeded in rowling her When she
came TO her senses the officer Of the law
to open before her the letter
addressed to Emile II contained only
these words:
Mn Deor Sir Receive my best wishes
for the happiness both OF yourself and your
little wife, for you know that ! am not fool
enough 10 think that you have waited tor my
permission 10 make love 10 Hortcnse. DO
not regret this little breach OF trust on your
part have been married month.
PAUL.
IIortense, when she had heard the
letter read rose and ran 10 the chair 10
which lay the corpse Of Emile, and.
holding the letter before the face Of the
lifeless man, exclaimed
"Is il not funny, this farcel''
Then she turned away. breaking into
loud laughter. She was mad.
When We hear a useless member OF