Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1886-06-12

/ will try it, my beloved
II have money enough to take us
to St. Petersburg continued Mo-
celle, and i can sell my jewels if we
need more"
And thus she awakened in the
heart of her lover a glorious hope,
that drove away the angry demon
that had possessed it, and made
him, for the time, the man he might
had he been free. Long they
talked together of their plan, and
when Niocelle left her lover it was
in the dusk of the evening. She did
not see, nor did Alexis, the dark
form that glided away from neigh
boring clump of trees and followed.
| Oh, dark would have grown their
bright hopes had they known what
ear heard all
Count Alvierof started next morn
ing on his two weeks hunting expe-
dition. Alexis was almost insane
with mingled hope and apprehension,
until the hour drew nigh which Mo
celle had appointed for their meet
ing. Then he FASTENED to the en-
trance of Alyierof's house, before
which stood carriage, and besideit
saddled horse, which he was to
ride. What happy thoughts filled
the heart of the serf as he stood
there, awaiting the coming of Mo
| celle. How wildly beat his poor
heart with JOY SO newly awakend in
it. Poor heart it little reckened of
its coming doom.
Alexis waited very long, but Mo
celle did not appear, and at length
he began to tremble with an unde-
fined evil fear as to her. With an
impulse which he had no explana-
ton in reason, he sprang suddenly
forward and threw open the car
riage. His blood seemed freezing
in his veins, and his turning into ice
as he looked straight into the wick
ed, sneering face of Count Alvierofl
"What do you want, sirrah? Do
YOU seek me?p sneered the count
with grin of diabolical triumph.
Alexis stood for q moment silent,
stunned with this sudden blow then
all the agony, the awful disappoint-
ment, the bitter despair Of his soul,
broke out in one grooming cry
@Lost o Niocellew
Dog How dare you call the
name of the Baroness Tchekerdorf?D
cried the count with q burst of
hooking laughter. any cousin was
married this morning to my friend,
the baron, and she is going away
with her husband p
Mechanically, the wretched Alex
is turned his eyes to the extremity
Of the mansion, around which came
another carriage, and in it sat Baron
Tchekerdorf, and beside him the
dropping form of Niocelle. The
carriage was followed by retinue of
servants, and they wore bridal IA
vors. Alexis comprehended the ter
rible truth at once; they had forced
Niocelle to marry the Baron.
Like broken flower, the poor girl
sat beside her new-made tyrant her
fair head dropped upon her bosom,
and she looked as lifeless as stone.
But she seemed to feel the presence
Of her lost lover, though her frozed
lips uttered not a woodland lifting
her head, she looked wildly into his
agonized face. She made no sound,
as her eyes met the heart broken
gaze of the man she loved, but ex-
tending her arms toward him, with
a look of despairing love and sor-
row, she fell swooning in the car
riage. The next moment the baron's
train whirled away, and Alexis had
looked his last look upon the face of
Niocelle.
With fierce, mad cry, as of an
enraged animal, he turned upon the
count, and would have torn him