Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1888-12-13
THE ACE OF SPADES.

4AAI AVA " ~ ~ - LOs
It was whirl of black coats and white
shoulders. and those of the men who did
not dance still remained in the salon to
admire the beautiful walters.
NJ d'Arcueil, in his quality of master
sf the house, was doing his duty turn by
surn with all those women that without
ais example no one would have thought
9G inviting. The card room, however,
was empty, and at the same moment that
Nine. d 'Arcueil, across whose charming
head twenty-five springs had come and
gone, perceived the incumberment of her
salon young officer of 30, perhaps, So
lcited the honor and happiness of a waltz
gith her.
Upon one condition" she responded,
''Ghat we have a game of cards first; but
I warn you that l know only ecarte."
The young officer did not stir, and
Anne d Arcueil, with that freedom of tone
that distinguishes the Parisienne, added
smilingly, "Who loves me follows mel'
Immediately not less than twenty of
those solemn men who believed it dero-
gated from their dignity to dance, and
who had been invited solely on account of
their wives, trooped after her to the card
COON and placed themselves at table.
Every one will thank me for this, 3"
said she. 'and the ladies will be able to
move without tearing their trains. Mes
Eeurs, give you the right to play"
''I.ucienne," demanded in low tone
the young officer, tell me quickly the
true meaning of this!"
simply that we may have pretext
for talking together without disturbance.
Besides. should have G,ed in the midst
Of those dancers. But play, Louis, play"
He obeyed and mechanically distributed
the cards, turning up the ace of spades
And they played, but in the hant. 3 Of
the cards, in pronouncing insignificant
phrases. in giving change to the players,
OF chatting graciously with the guests
who passed beside them, Lucienne, who
was deeply in love, and was experiencing
how cruel the torture could be, was forced
60 bring the same upon her lover.
Her husband eX-ambassador from
France 10 Spain, had been charged with a
secret mission that required a prompt de-
parture Well, NJ. d'Arcueil had decided
that his wife during his absence, the pre-
else duration of which he was unable to
tell, should remain at Andelys, where her
family were then residing. And he, Louis
dc Fremont, captain in the -th, would
have no right to leave Paris, since his
regiment was on duty there.
As he made this reflection he distributed
che cards for the third time and for the
third time the ace of spades was the
turn up.
Again. cried Louis; clearly j. is sig
aiGcant of something"
Significant? yes" murmured Nina
d'Arcuei. "of the manner, perhaps, in
which we have trifed with our hearts as
we now trife with these cards."
But. Lucienne, why do you 60? Why
do you not resist? Why do you not refuse
20 leave Paris? Why do you permit this
man, whom you do not love, to command
your life in this way2 Why do you leave
me, and my love so ardent, so Faithfully l
say my love, you see, for know well that
yours"-
MY love, Louis, so beautiful and
gweeti ] beg of you not to alter it by un-
Just reproaches. l have committed sin
enough in loving you-recogT,ize this IN
place Of torturing me by suspicious. l
shall be punished sufficiently when to-
morrow | find myself alone-au alone
with him.
Alone with him!" repeated M. de Bre-
mont. despair, anger, jealousy, disgust,
tearing at his heart, while the indifferents
eH@O surrounded MIN IOOk ices, pldyeO,
danced, arranged intrigues-obeyed, IN
short, that odious law of antithesis that
since the world began has encompassed in
clouds of joy in rays of sunlight, the sad
dest sorrow.
PLAY Louis, playw cried Lucienne sud-
uehlyi some one comes"
But is it ended? he murmured again;
nave we met, have we loved, and do we
now part forever? For a year you have
oeen to me the universe-you who tell
me with calm tone adieul And II
must respond to you, adieul And after
~ Luclenne, after l have said adieu when
1nis night is over, is it to be nothing
moTe-am | to see you no more? Is it
ana ask it for the last time-is it endedY
les, Sbe answered, "for l must go
.eannot DO otherwise; and l beseech you
hot 10 speak to me in that way-not to
aas .aSlte me to commit imprudencel If have
ttqSed .gtly my love to NJ. d'Arcueil l have
S'a S'tA known how to respect his namel But,
~, they regard us curiously!" And
-nU -.uclenne d'Arcueil gave the cards new
ACE Ace OF spades" announced the captain.
Always thatp she answered aloud and