The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1886-11-25

sideration, and felt that her opinions were
entitled to respect. ~
At Mixes place the discussion ran high.
Shorty leading gallant minority in favor
of Deering and his claims. s...
81 tell you," said Old Sims excitedly,
'ishe's-"
"a trump" said Shorty, doggedly,
ia regular trump card, she i, =,
t!The little Joker" said Sims, scorn-
fullyi "bound to take the best trick in
the gamc of life, especially where dia-
nends ore trtlmls.h 49,
speering's the right bower in that
game, certain, said another, with poor
attempt at joke. $751;. Pr. ..-......
Sand lack MLc"L.ir's left at any rate"
added Shorty, humoring the joke, amid
shouts of hilarious laughter. -.-
AtieE this JACK MA n got the s9bltqaet
of tho cleft Bower, " and instead of re:
senting it he welcomed 1T as an added
humiliation. s3f '.. - a.
He became reckless and wild, fond of
parading his misfortunes, and growing
more desperate and careless of his per-
sonal appearance, finally disappeared
from the village, no ons knew whittier.
4 i e..
''fifne, think I see WFiakleia' and
pretty Mrs. Deering motioned her French
maid to draw aside the heavy silken cur
tain that subdued the glare of the morn
ing sunshine.
Fifine held up both hands in token of
her horror at the mere thought.
-, .As s!I1I " shs hssaHss ''tast is aRita
Madame flashed smile fran her linz
pid gray eyes and white, irregular teeth.
''Nonsense, Fifne! There is no need
of any deception between us. You know,
as well as I do, that between French
cooking and late hours the freshness of
my complexion is gone"
Driven to bay, a: it were, Fifine ad-
mitted that there was q certain prepare
ton canip:unded with wax, said TO hare
been used by the Empress Eugene, that
possessed rare virtues for restoring the
complexion, that she could prepare. ''Not
that there is any need" she stoutly as
serted, but if madame Wishes
Madame interrupted her lying loquac-
ity.
~ must keep it on my face twenty-four
hours, you say Very well; prepaba it at
once and we will apply it tonight. / can
be through with 1t In time for the Rus
sian princes ball"
At 10 O'Clock that night a man wearing
black mask over his face stepped eau
tiously through the window of Mrs. Deer
ing's boudoir from the little balcony out
side.
'Iet them catch mo IL they cam" he
muttered, as All awkward motion Of his
foot nearly overturned q chair: "Let
them, ] say, I've been in hard luck 80
long, that it's neck or nothing with me
now"
He turned the light of the dark lantern
he carried into the room and looked
around. A low fire smoldered in the
CRATE and cast dull, red glow over the
tiled hearth and messy carpet, rich with
the softened coloring of oriental dyes,
Low Egyptian couehes and chairs, with
ebony frames carved with Sphfn&es,
heads and lotus leaves, and upholstered
with satin damask wrought in gold,
stood about the roam:
A dressing gown OF dull color, trimmed
with filmy yellow lace. hung over a chair,
beside bed arched with handwrought,
silken canopy. Rings and bracelets lay
on the dressing table, and in velvet
case left earelessly half open glittered
diamond necklace.
The burglars eyes fastened on the jew
ELS. He had hseh hungry and gold for
many days, and animal wants are merci-
less.
He reached out to grasp the necklace,
when his eyes happened to turn toward
the bed.
"My God, Felicia, deadr'
She looked so white, so corpse like in
her transparent, waxen mask that Jack
Mohr turned away the light af his iaatern
a siekening sense of suifneatian almost
oyerpowertpg him, for he was weak from
hunger and exposure.
A soft voice broke the silence.
slack, is it your"
"Yes." in q half whisper. To save his
life he could not have spoken loud.
"GOod night, dear. can not open my
eyes. Fifine has SO covered my face with
this cosmetic preparation. Don't try to
kiss me, it's quite impossible"
There was sound of some one stirring
in the next room. Nevertheless Jack
MOhr fingered long enough to step for
ward, kneel by the bed, and touch his
bearded lips to the warm dimpled hand
lying on the e0unterpane:
''How sentimental you are, Jack; do
you know for one moment as your lips
touched my hand 1 was back in that hor-
rid old mining village in Colorado. saw
the gulch with the miners camps, the
rows of struggling shantics, and that
awkward Title with the freckled face,
who used to wait on our table; and that
ridiculous Jack Mohr, WHO was so fond of
me. I could even hear the rustic of the
dead leaves on the branches as the night
wind swept through the trees. Odd,
wasn't it!'
The sweet voice died away in a drewsy
murmur. Jack laid down the jewels and
softly stole from the room.
At the princes ball next night, Felicia
was greatly admired, and had tho honor
of dancing with Prince Versakopf him
self. .. -. y
At pause in the dance the prince
said: "That was sad story in to-day's
journal of the young American who shot
himself in front of your palace, last night,
madame"
Felicia stood in the full blaze of the
chandelier, and the nervous tremor that
shook her from head to foot broke the
rays Of light from heE DIAMONDS into a
thousand rainbow colored fragments
Prince Versakopf followed the direc-
ton of her eyes toward an open doorway,
but saw nothing.
But Felicia saw there as plainly as she
saw the handsome prince BIZ her side, her
old lover, Jack Mohr. Julia Mills Dunn
in Boston Traveller.