Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-12-26
her voice before


81 am sick Of taking caro- Of your good
name" she went on vehemently; 'you watch
me till am maddened by it What is your
lover than you are-I have done with love.
l shall not Disgrace you a. those other women
would in my plaza But viii put an end to
truth honestly Tor once. am sick to death
Of the sham and make believe OF my wretched
existence. You. duke, you do as you choose,
and your name Is not dlshonored- Why,
then, am to be SO dogged and watched
Why is it that am to be 80 tied and bound
and watched because Of your name and your
famjlyi am going to end it. I am too
great a coward to kill myself, but there are
others who will do it for me- am going to
tho policei"
"No, no, Claudia!" cried out the duke,
catching at her as she turned quickly to move
away. "Not that; anything but thati Do
as you like, take what lover you choose, only
sail within the wind and give me power to
hold my position. Don't do this mad thing
this is what l have always feared. 1t was
your conscience waking and driving you To
this folly that had dreaded; not anything
else. will give you anything In the world
that you want il you viii but como back
quietly and not make public scandalr'
"a public scandal" repeated Claudia
scornfully. "What does that concern mel"
Vane was looking on at this scene between
husband and wife in complete bewilderment.
1t was impossible to guess how it could end
A strange piecs Of luck brought it to sud-
den conclusion Down a side street came q
night hanson on its way home. Claudia
shook of the dukes hand and few to it like
a hare Springing in she cried out some
magic words to the cabnan, who whipped up
his horse and drove away.
Both men started in pursuit, but the duke
gave in at the end Of three streets Such a
life as he led does not keep q man in training.
Vane, on the contrary. was full Of vigor and
ran like professional He Kept on steadily,
his eyes fixed on the cab, and followed it to
Euston. The horse was not very fresh or
perhaps he would have had to give in
A mail train was just starting. Claudia
darted into it, ticketless, and Vane did the
same a few carriages from her.
Clnudin went to q small seaside place and
stayed at the hotel Vane got some rooms,
where he had a much priced window. 1t
commanded the hotel door and the prone
made
How she walked and walked, to and fro, in
and out. How she thought and thought,
making the most Of her brief respite, her mo-
mentary quieti He read this In her strange,
sad sad face.
AL the time he sat and wondered whether
he should 90 out, meet her and address her.
She was so untanied. 30 mysterious creature,
he feared to act He waited Ind hesitated-
and waited q day too long
One bright morning she did not come out
as usual. Hour after hour passed and it was
afternoon, and still she had not come.
Trembling with excitement, be arose from
his seat, won't out, entered the hotel and
asked for a glass Of sherry. In two minutes
he heard it all. The whole hotel was ia con-
fusion-a lady had been found dead in her
bed that morning, an empty bottle Of choral
in her room showing how the deed had been
done
That unknown lady was never identified,
but lies in nAmsiess grave To this hour
people in the quiet watering place marvel
over the memory OF her beauty, and wonder
what could have driven her to such an act Of
despair.
The odd part Of this uncomfortable story 10
that it is the true history Of a recent scandal
1t is understood that Vane ran away with
Claudia and had hidden her away some
where on tho continent II Is said that he is
absrrdly Jealous OF her, and Ill uses her.
Claudia, who lies SO sill In her qu!et grave.
Who among the conventional creatures Of
q stereotyped age could guess that Claudia
had no taste for intrigue or little sheltered
vices, while her passions were fierce enough
to make her q murderess or suicidei For
Vane's sake she bad killed her rival. He had
known it; yet all the time, and even now, he
wore and still wears, hidden away, minia-
tire OF her beautiful face-London World.