The Red Cloud chief., 1888-11-30

with sne nash slowly diving from Der cheel
M IovsnGH DcVU GAossly = ~ pail0r o.
before. tUfnod now and walked - The opp
site side Of the room. - b Aid In . los
and weary tone: YES. he 10 coming. Goo
|0agA3 0oeA-~
Five minutes later. abe stood alone. lear
ing her brow On her clssped hands abov
the mante!, the very droop Of her figure b
speaking . iDaless. desSoirfnR weoSiness q
soul and body. when . rich sad melodies
voice suekc close 1t her side:
"4sAame-ms6sme, Az you Ms"
She started violently. Mo looked up Int
the handsome face Of Count Dubois. h
wss standing very e her. She tre@ble
with . strange agitation
You are certaInIy i'll" - said. and b
drew her hsnA Ia hin arm and led her eenii
% sdiyaa and scaled himself b-sl6e her
They Were silees for . moment
Il met monsieur Jon husband. madame
- ] came in" the Count said. prcsentIy
1T 10 . strange mystery "a M how . ma
with such . Lesutisol hone and . bvei
wife can lesve them both ~ often Cor III
bOudoiP Of - arfrees like Nsnioe. he
brxxen beauty would repel. not attract. re
! an glad. madame. that yon do MOI ALLOW
yourself 10 pine away in solitude, and max
yourself miserable 10 thai account ] NJ
glad that you allow yourself the pleasures o
society, ven though you starve your .
and the hearts Of those who adore you"
While the Count spoke. ClSrice felt her
self growing cOld and numb. She c.oset
her eyes and swayed backward, where
gentle srrn was stretched 10 support her
She yielded herself 10 its pressure urcon
sciously. Heart and brain were 80 tor;Irce
and siung with pain. she gave No thought Z
her body.
What were you saying Alou,-aboI'
MANNER she asked In . hoar-e whisper
surely you are testing. NJ husband doe
not go u see tina: actress. save 10 the au
dience. We have all been r. see her seyera
times. She plays well. Ba; he-oh. no
you are mistaken, Count Dubuis.'
The count laughed, . bitter sarcastic
laugh, Unpleasant 10 hear.
My dear lady !" he said, Il did not sup
pose you ignorant OF This matter or ! never
should have beer the first 70 speak o: !; 10
you. But the whole city knows what q
slave TO Nanine Monsieur Bickcster has TIE
come during the last two months. No day
passes thai he does not see her. He is SAID
IA be most favored OF all her lovers, just
now. But surely, madame, YOU Al
this junc,ure. the Count, remark were IN
terrup,ed by the sudden dropping OF a limp
tgure against his shoulder. Clarice hal
tainted.
She recovered consciousness 20 find her
self held closely in the Counts arms. hi-
hands s,rokinp her brow. his pale face bent
above her own, while he murmuret
passionate words OF cndearmcnt.
MY darling. my beautiful one" he cried,
AZ she opened her eyes. you must no
grievc ever one mans erfiy and faiseness.
Here il one who loves you better than his
life, who will give you devotion. tenderness,
happiness forever. Fly with me-. dearest
this very night. Let your husband seek
the actress. but never again let him insult
you by coming home TO you. IL IL more sin
full To dwell with him after he il untrue 10
han TO fiy with IA who will devote
his life 10 making sou happy. Come. go
with me this very night, Claricc-'
But Claricc drew herself from his arms
weak, trembling and pallid a. death.
NO, no." she cried. wait, wait. must
sec him frst-I must hear the confession
his " lips. can not believe II I'll!
tells RE il is 30. I can not condemn him
unheard."
You have but TO go with me this ve:y
evening. TO the side entrance OF the thea'c',
I will give you proof OF my Words
.ount Dubois answered. quietly. Your
husband will emerge therefroin al Naninc's
side. and drive away with her In q Close
-arriagc. Will you got DO you desire the
Il dol will 60" h answered.
.Au-hour later, two c,oakcd figures stood
mt the pr. ate entrance OF the
fheaier where the beautiful Mamie" per-
formed nightly 10 enthusiastic audiences.
A thousand wild thoughts. memories. Incl
dents. were floating through the excited
Of Ciarics. rs she wsi,ed there. Her
husbands prolonged absences. his increas-
ing disregard Of his home. his avoidance Of
quiet evenings alone with her. All. why
had she been 80 blind rs not 10 see and un-
lerstand that she had a rival in his heart (:
Wny had she haSn the last 10 know The
bitter, humiliaiing truth! And yet-and yet
after all. il was not true: perhaps
he was not tbo-e; perhaps he would not
rome forth with Nanine, and Count Dubois
would confess il all u cruel Jest.
But. even as the wild hope began TO find u
place in her tortured mind. there was a
murmur Of voices. the sound ~ footsteps, a
light ~laugh-and Nanine, all wrapped in a
snowy fleece Of cloud-like drapcry from
which her face shone like a star. came trip
ping into the glare Of the Easlight, leaning
upon the arm % Hugh Bicses:er. They
Just "a second in the full blaze Of the
light
why. where /. nv c~arriages" cried the
voice of Nanine. "!Ah. there il il Al
the corner. Let US walk down there. Hugh
is hut . step"
Count Duboi. felt his arm pressed BY the
Of two convulsive hands. He did not
iare look At his companion for u moment.
Let us 60" she said. quite calmly.
HOPE for the first time awakened in the
breast as he saw h eject OF this
convincing proof on the sighted
woman. She still held her head erect. still
quietly At his side, apparently, I'M
moved by the sight OF her husbands con-
iuct. But Dubois new better: he saw that
he blow had stricken C'arice with Q sort Of
,umbncas which would make her utterly
Indifferent 70 every thing save her own
He compassionated her deeply.
hough there was . thrill Of triumph MN
He'd with his better feeling. Surely. he
culd. in time. make her happy: she would
lot 60 on caring for her false husband for
'ver. Love. mortal,y wounded. must die:
md. some dav. in return for his own uutir-
devotion. she would give him her heart
le looked down 1t her pityinsiy ~ she
urned mechanically away, still supported
" his arm.
Where shall we 9or he naked softly. In
csponse 70 her worda.
'Anywhese. snywheee-it does not matter
o me-" she answered. in . tone OF dull.
despair.
'Shall I take you homer the Count in
luircd. laying Ren,le stress on the last