Morris tribune., 1886-04-28


she let her head fall with sigh on the
breast of the young man, who trembled
violently.
When he had recovered from his agi-
tation he disengaged himself from the
embrace of the young girl, and, lead
ing her to q seat, said to her, in a brok-
en- voice:
"And |, Hortense, / adore YOU"
"Ah, my Godm exclaimed Hortense,
with great joy.
"Let me speak, adore you! Ihave
loved you for long time. have
struggled in vain against this passion,
fool that l was! How could help low
! ingyou?"
"Ah, my darlingr
"Let me speak. When | perceived
that this love had taken possession OF
| nv heart the memory of Paul came to
me like reproach. At this very mo-
ment see him before me, the embodi-
ment of my remorse.
II love youm stammered Hortense.
'.Be silent! Such words must not be
spoken. Poor boy! he is calm as he
stands there, trusting in our honor,
I counting upon your loyalty upon my
word, and we -"
He stopped, choked by his tears.
''Why is Paul not hereP" said Hor-
tense.
Because he has confidence in us.
Whatever it costs me, I will not betray
it will rather die"
'sAnd will die toon'
They paused, and strange look
passed between them like a magnetic
current. All their accumulated ideas,
all their emotions, seemed to fix them
selves upon that one thought of death,
which had suddenly presented itself as
q refuge or an eXpiation.
ooh, yesr said Hortense, summing
up all her impressions in that second.
Il would rather die than think Oh,
She did not finish. She was about to
pronounce the name of Paul.
Emile took her hands, and, gazing III
her face as if he would read her
thoughts, said, slowly and mournfully;
you wish it?''
Hortease raised herself to her full
height and said, calmly and solemnly
'sAt once"
They threw themselves INTO each 9TH
er's arms and remained in long en-
brace.
They were about to pronounce their
own sentence of death
Early the next morning the postman
presented himself at Emile's lodging
with a letter bearing the postmark o.
: New Orleans.
He knocked in vain at the door. Nc
one answered the summons. The post
} man was about to 60 away, when one
of Emile's neighbors, a woman, calieo
him back, saying that Emile was in his
: lodging.
The postman knocked again. Sud
denly the woman turned pale.
: "Do you notice nothing?" she asked
? in frightened tone.
/ "No.7
( 'That odor. 1t is of gas. My God
} has there been an accident?"
The porter was questioned and sale
J that late on the previous night Emile
7 had gone out to buy bushel Of char
coal.
: The neighbor remembered that sew
eral times on the preceding evening
4 she had seen Hortense at the window
[ her eyes swollen and red from weep
= ing.
!'Without doubt" she exclaimed
l ''they have persisted. The authoritie:
should be warned.
: This was done and the door was OPP
ened.
D The fears of Emile's neighbor proved
S to have been not without cause. The
e two young people were found senseles
and cold Hortense on the bed anc
S Emile in a chair. Every care was be
n slowed upon them, but all efforts to re
i vive Emile were useless. The fumes O
o the charcoal Rad done their work-h
' was dead.
Hortense still breathed, and the,
o succeeded in reviving her. When sh
y came to her senses the officer of tn
e law proceeded to open before her tn
:, letter addressed to Emile.
0 1t contained only these words:
MY DEAR FRIEND: Receive my wishe
e for the happiness both of yourself an
n your little wife, for you know that ! an
not fool enough to think that you hay
0 waited for my permiSsionto. make love t
q HortenSe. Do not regret this little breacl
:. of trust on your part. have been Marie
= a month. PAUL.
\ Hortense, when she had heard tn
letter read, rose and ran to the chair il
which lay the corpse of Emile, and
.. holding the letter before the face OF tn
3 life1ess man, exclaimed:
4 sis it not funny, this farce?"
Then she turned away, breaking int
loud laughter. She was mad.