Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1886-04-17


pay me when you suppose could waste
a thought or else than idle curiosity or
Rimano. But as for his hating me, ]
doubt it! l don't believe any man would
hate me, absolutely! would even wa
ger could have him here at my feet, re
stored to his old 'unreason' this very
night, did choose"
1.-THE conceit of the Princess is superb
might almost be tempted to wager ;
box of bon-bons against against even ;
kiss-of the the Princessa's hand, thai
her reconquest on such conditions is i'm
possible. should like to be an eye
witness, however"
Done" said the Princess.
II.
1t was scarcely possible for Joconda t.
recognize Kimano in the drawn features
of the gaunt man who was shown thai
evening into her drawing room, although
she sat expecting none but him. She
looked enhancing in long robe of sal
mon colored satin, with an opal claspine
bunch of jessamine at her bosom. He
was all in black, his eyes two centers Of
darkness. which seemed to irradiate his
personality with gloom. Il saw Gis-
eppe," he said; Il asked after you; be
said you had forgotten me, and so !
have come once more"
She had risen to her feet, and gazed at
him with the spectre of the old love
mocking the disdainful pity of her
splendid eyes. She held out her hand
to him, and, as he clasped and kissed it
over, she shrunk slightly from the burn
ing touch of his haggard lips.
II must seem no better than a cur
he hurried on, to kiss the hand that
struck me. But one can not entirely
forget, madame, is it not SO? And for
once more only could not refrain from
seeking you. 1 am no longer the old
self. If I were, you would not now
have to wonder at the humility of the
Rimano you knew, and loved and threw
over your garden wall, as you would
last nights bouquet L have been i'll at
deaths door, and sick in body as at heart,
and among strangers, reeking in poverty,
perhaps worse. came here again only
to make preparations for permanent de-
parture. But the sight of you unnerved
me. All, if only-do not shrink, the old
Rimano spirit is no longer fierce. Give
me at least a white blossom from your
breast
He sank painfully on one knee, his
eyes flaming and fixed, and reached out
his hand while she dropped jessamine
into his trembling fingers. His breast
heaved under the lace and satin, and
faint glow came into her cheeks. The
great crimson portiere behind her parted
slightly, and through the folds peered
the face of Alteranto, lowering.
As the soft, white petals futtered down
Rimano spring toward Joconda, and
throwing one arm around her waist and
the other about her neck, kissed her lips
with fiery passion. She, uttered slight
scream, the first time she had opened
her mouth during the interview, and
shuddered violently. The portiere part
ed, and Alteranto sprang out, liyid clutch
ing her as she fell backward. At sight of
him Rimano was convulsed and fell for
ward, rigid foaming at the mouth. The
Marquis and Giuseppe carried him down
the path and threw him over the garden
wall.
The pest-house was square building
of brick, covered with yellow stucco, on
the top of a weather-worn bluff which
sloped into the ocean. The scanty shurb-
berry about it appeared itself diseased.
The crumbling chalk on which it stood
suggested earthly decay.
The morning sky was growing yellow
and pale blue when doctor in the re-
gulation dress threw an open upper
lattice and looked out to sea. The
dawning day hared on the pinched, dis
scolored features of Rlmano, as he lay
quite motionless on the his narrow cot.
'sThirty-six hours, doctor, of the plague
bring one to the crisis. Is it not So"
he struggled to say. Il must be at my
thirty-six, and may now look forward, 1
believe, to being the first victim this
summer on the island. Pull the cot
nearer; I'd like to die looking out to
sea-"
.'Be quite" replied the doctor; you
have no right to sentence yourself.
Let me feel your pulse After silence
he continued: "How did you come to
have the plague, and why were you not
more prudent than to communicate ?" -
!, "My God! I woke only an hour ago,
and found myself here! Do you tell me
how 1 came to this place."
"You were found in the street, by the
Princess Joconda's garden wall, just
twenty-four hours ago, and brought here
by the Brothers of San Bernadmo. You
were then in the first fatal rigor, and 1
had been called already to two other
cases--strangely enough in the palace of
the Princess, by which you were found.
What connection could there have been
between your case and theirs-and yet
some there must have been! Explain, in
the interests of science!
The dying man smiled; his counte-
nance fairly glowed in the growing light.
Sand what of those Others" he asked,
'swho take it so promptly?"
The weird chant of the brothers of San
Bernadino was at that moment borne into
the window. The measured click of their
pattens on the stony cliff path to the
hospital cemetry came nearer and nearer.
Victims of the plague are always buried
in the early morning or at night.
'.They are both dead" said the doctor.
''as you will be in hour"
Rimano struggled to a half-sitting
position and, leaning on his elbow, saw
there beneath his window, on the edge
a IL. al:& 4xr1, IlaoE ooffinc loworod into