The Penn's Grove record., 1886-03-27

my teeth,
Madeleine had never spoken. She
kept looking at me in a terrified man.
ner.
"But we will ask Ia Cheyenne her
wishes. Madeleine" I said quietly.
will you marry this MANI"
Fool, mailman that I was, | did not
see that the poor child thought that to
refuse was to give this man to DEATH
For a second she stood with her hands
clasped, looking at him, looking at me
with terror in her poor gentle eyes, in
her blanched face, But the blood was
in my head; l could not understand.
ANSWER" | said sternly.
One more glance at me, the meaning
of which l was such a dolt that / could
not read, and then she said, with toll
cradle irmness-
Yes, Twill marry him."
l glanced at my comrades; they had
quite understood my diabolical scheme.
In those wild days men never waited
for events; what they willed they exc
cuted with all speed. Before the even.
ing Madeleine was Comtesse de Valla.
She was hurried home then, and the
count was taken away. She asked no
questions; she thought she had saved
this man and done her duty. She never
saw his face again. Before two days
had passed she was a widow;and it was
my task to tell her and Mademoiselle
Adele of the counts death. | felt my
revenge was too complete when l broke
the news to them. They wept in each
others arms, and l thought she mourn
ed her lover.
l did not see much Of the two girls
after this, although they we're my daily
thought and care. After some time [
got them out of Paris. Things had
qujeted down at Lanon, and, though
the interior of the Chateau was wreck
ed, no one opposed their going thither
and it was the best place for them.
They never suspected TIN : | had been
connected with the counts death,
More than a year had passed away.
The carnage vas at an end, and the
people Of France had yielded them
selves to a leader.
We were in the garden, Madeleine
and /; and she had been talking of our
Young days, of Hortense, of our good
bye in the little garden on that winter
Her eyes were alight with the
sweetest expression, and she held my
hand. rose to my feet suddenly, and
my blood seemed to turn cold and cur
die in my VEINS.
"Madeleine, " / said-and her name
half cboked me-'syoa must know all
the truth-it IS time. l cannot sit by
your side CT touch your hand till you
know all: I have loved you passionate
Iy since we were boy and girl together;
bat my Italian blood runs hot in my
veins. These infamous cousins of mine
were the first to make me dlstrust you.
l thought, boy though L was at the
time, that you were fiattered by the
counts attentions and loved him; 50 1
would not speak,
| paused; but Madeleine said not a
word. There was a soft flush On her
cheek and a strange look of happiness
in her eyes. What did it mean?
"Oh, how I loved you all through
that fever in Paris! But l knew you
had only a sisters love to give me.
When the count came. [ left you free.
i was too proud to interfere. If you
loved him, how could help il? l was
only a poor workman; he was a great
Before could say another word, she
rose to her feet, her eyes full of tears.
"Ah, my well-beloved, she exclalm-
ed, with a sob, 81 have never loved but
yOui'
Then she bent towards me, as though
to lay her head upon my shoulder.
"yYaiL Il little" 1 said; ''you must
lear the end. l was outside the door
on the last day the coGnt IA with you
the day Of your marrigae. | heard
what he said. l Knew he wanted to be-
tray you to sacrifice you. l thought in
my madness he had already done so,
and l was possessed by a iiend. l swore
10 myself thai leshotdld do you Justice,
that you should be legally his wife.
Well, it was done, but you did not hear
the words that l spoke to the men be-
hind me. They were only two little
words-'And afterwards2' Do you I'M
l~erstand?" L continued ~sayagely. "You
know what Paris was in those days,
and how death walked the streets ready
for any one. lie was waiting for Count
Horace, was ready when he beekOned.
Do you underestimate repeated. 'sThe
count died, yoLr good name was re-
.rleved, and 1 was avengedP'
A great silence fell on us both. How
.Ong itlasted | knew not. 1t was Mad
eleine who broke it; she spoke quickly,
'eyerishly-
you planned the counts deathl l
can't believe it. You pretended to save
i'm when you knew he was to dieI Did
,ou not see how l trusted to you to
ave him? lie and Adele had been
kind to me all my life. l had lived near
hem, aud he was betrayed through me
the lastl 1t is horriblel What did
t matter if he wanted to be my lover
md tempted me? He "a far above me
md only offered what thousands of men
,ffer poor girls. How dared you think
hat | would yield to him? Was l not
Is pure, as good as any grip You-you
Who were the companion of my child
lood and knew me and Hortense, you
we're as evil-minded as any Of the viii
age g0ssipsl You-you whom | al
Ways loyedl''
She burst into a passion Of tears. |
approached her; how could | help il? |
ouched her hand.
"Oh, Madeleine, if had but known
'ou loved me-if | had but knoWnp'
She sprang away from me, and her
ears seemed all dried up by the fire of
eyes.
"Do not touch me, do not come near
ne; your love is base, is not the love of
man, but Of a lendl To know that
he count was going to his death when
e married me; to gain position, wealth
or me, and killhim afterwards Ineyer
owed him; l married him because |
bought it my duty to save the family
which had protected me all my life;
nd you stood by and never spoke a
yCrd to stop me. How did I know
GU loved me2 I was alone in the world
Il 1 knew was that you distrusted me.
low did 1 knowp Aud then-and then
came when the count was dead,
nd we thought you so good and kind
-ahl"
81 do not defend myself" l said, in
he sunken voice Of despair. "The love
'hich ought to have made me a good
made me a cruel one. Only one
hing | viii say before I go; though |
,need for the counts death, and gave