Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1886-11-19

as her marble prototypes. She might have
passed out unoh ervel bv q raid: hut Nile.
Curlctta was on the watch. Slie po med {
her an Gerald turnal and saw E,;gelia.
II. hal hut tine to rea iZn it was II,
v.son-then she WAS gone. With wild
cry he turnel to fellow her. bu, III woman
twinel h " arms around him and restrained
him 81. was strong, AMI fer some mo-
meats e. Il mel him. Her re, afce mad
den il IL With a ficrc, oFth IL srasped
round arms end tore them from hs
neck, throwing her away with such fo:cs
hat she fell upon the door. Then he rusLal
ter Eugenia.
She was walking sw fly along the road
He soon reached her side; but, although
aware of bis presence, she neither spoAe n.'r
looked at him.
What brought you hsre!' he sad
hoarsely.
She made no reply-olhy walked IL
faster.
TELL me why you come" he said. a viii
never leave you until you answer M"
She turned ard looked at him. Fresh from
that scene in the s:udio-with those worls
still ringing in her ears-even the great
change she saw in his face did not move her
to pity.
II came" she said, "on the eve Of nv
marriage to ask forgiveness of a man whom
fancisd l hal wronged. l am glad came
found him happy AMI in society after his
own hearth
Her voice was cold and contemptuouA
He quiverel beneath her scorn. At that
moment cab passed. Eugenia called it.
Leave me-" she said to Gerald. Leave
me. Oar paths IN life shall cross no mora"
He grasped her wrist DO you dare to
reproach me, You! Eugenla, I told YOU
it was life or death"
Life or DEATH" she repeated. "Death,
at any rate, seems made very sweet to
you"
Still holding her wrist, he looked into her
eyes in strange hopeless way. He saw
nothing in them to help him. He leaned
down to her ear
YES, DEATH" lie said, in q solemn whis-
PER; but the moral ana spiritual death
come first"
His hand left her wrist. He turnel and,
without word, strobe away. Wh;therl
Even as Tannhauser returned to the Venus
berg, so Gerald Leigh returned to his studio
and Carlotta.
Eugenia wept all the way home Wept
for herself and Gerald Wept for the
Shame she had endured. Wept for the use
lasslesS of the contemplated atonement.
Wept for the life before her and for mans
future and career wrecked by her weakness.
The next week she married Sir Ralph
Norgate. The ceremony was surrounded
by befitting splendor. Yet, even at the
altar, Gerald Leigh's pale, passionate face
rose before her, and she knew it would
never leave her thoughts She loved him
still.
On her wedding morning she received
many letters. She hal no time to read
them, SO took them with her and perusei
them as she went north with her husband.
Among them was one in strange hand
writing. 1t ran thus:
For your sake he struck me-Carlottal
But he came back to me ana is mine again,
Him forgive, not you. We go abroad to.
gether to warm, sunny lands. Some day
we shall quarrel and part. Then l shall re-
member you and take my revenge. Howl
That husband for whom you deserted Ger
aid. shall take from you"
Eugenias lip curled. She tore the letter
and threw the pieces out of the carriage
window.
Two years aftor wards Lady Norgate was
listlessly turning the leaves of q society
journal. Althou IA she was q great a2d
fashionable lady. she was often listless, and
found life rather dreary proceeding. She
read today among the theatrical notes that
Mile. Carlotta, the divine oper bouffe ac-
tress, was engaged to appear next month at
the Frivolity. Although the woman's
absurd threat was unheedei, if not forgot.
ten, her name recalled too wildly the most
painful episode in Lady Norgate's life. She
turned to another part of the paper and
read that the gentleman who committed sui
eide under such distressing circumstances
at Monaco, had now been identified, He
was Mr.. Gerald Leigh, the sculptor, whose
first important work attracted so much at.
tention two years ago. 1t was limited
that his passion for q well-known actress
was the cause Of the rash deed.
Lady Norgate dropped the paper and
covered her face with her hands. He had
spoken truly. Her love meant life or death.
Had she believed or troubled about the
concluding paragraph of the notice, had she
venture1 to tell herself it was true that
Gerald had forgotten her and Carlotta was
responsible for his death, her mind would
soon have been SGT at rest.
Like courteous foe who gives fair warn
ing. Mile. Carlotta wrote once more:
He is dead. He died for your sake, not
mine. Your name, not mine, was on bis
lips. Look to yourself. i am coming t.
London"
No doubt Carlotta meant this letter an q
first blow towards revenge. She would
hardly have written it had she known that
Lady Norgate would cherish those words
forever. Poor comfort as it was, they told
her that Gerald had loved her to the last.
Then Mile. Carlotta, more beautiful, more
enticing. more audacious than ever. came
to London.
For some months it had been whispered in
society that Sir Ralph Ncrgate was not so
perfect husband as such q wife Us Eugenia
might rightly expect. After Carlotta's re-
appearance the whispers grew louder. the
statements more circumstantial Eueenis
caught IN echo of them aud smiled dlsdain-
fully.
Then the name Of Carlotta's new victim
became town talk. Yet EIgenia made no
sign.
Not even when she met her husband. in
broad daylight, seated side by side with tho
siron. The man had the grace to turn his
head away, but Carlotta shot q glance of
malicious triumph at the Iale lady who
passed without culver Of the lip. James
Herbert was wlInnls SISTER, ana found this
encounter too much, even for his cynicism
He was bound to speak.
The blackguard!' 90 said But, En-
genia, don't think woull have a divorce
OF separation. 1t makes such a scandal"
at is matter Of perfect Indifference to
u.s." she said, coldly.
She spoke the truth. CarlOtta's romantic
vengeance was an utter failure LADY Nor
gate and her husband wera, in truth. no
further apart than they had been for many
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