The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1889-06-14
BY MAURICE LEGRAND.
!CHAPTER X. = Continued.

!CHAPTER X Continued.
Her eyes literally blazed In their passionate
scorn at the insolent words.
ga promise that needs bribery will never
be kept" she answered curtly. Forget tina
ever asked you to serve nee. 1t were dearly
paid for at the price you ask"
Stay" he implored, rs she turned to the
!oor. Forgive me; will not offend again
( will do your bidding"
at needs not, if you are unwilling" she
answered proudly. 81 sue no mans favor Il
he wishes to retain it."
And with no other words she left him.
He went out into the quiet street, and the
morning air struck chill and cold on his
lushed and fevored face.
"rhe first time Il woman has ever refused
ne anything" he said to himself, ''and
strange to say, the novelty OF the sensation
$ not unpleasant. wish 1 was not going
lway so soon; this girl interests me. With
uch IL scoundrel Of n father, 1 wonder where
she had derived her notions OF honesty and
purity. What is this Frenchman to her,
Wonder? There can be but one tie possible
'etween one OF her youth and beauty and a
man of his years; she said he was young"
Thus ho mused going homeward through
the quiet city. He was man Of wide power
In all his life he had but to ask and to have
ct he had u calm wisdom that kept even his
worst passions in restraint and made them
ministers to his pleasure, not masters of his
lfe.
"When civilization has laid thousand
,onquests at my feet why should 1 waste a
cond thought on the beautiful barbaran2'
/, asked himself impatiently. But he could
not answer the question, nor could he with.
hold the thought.
Meanwhile, Ninette went up to her room
her face still burning with its seorch Of shame
and indignation, her heart beating with the
quick agonized thoughts of mingled pain and
anger.
Glow dare he?" she said to herself again
and again. "The lips that he once kissed nc
Dther shall ever touch while I have life and
will to prevent it."
And she threw herself down and wept the
hot scorching tears Of utter despair and pas.
sionate longing, wondering whether any NOR
tai power could ever cut asunder the meshes
Of the net that bound her now.
"He will never know" she sobbed, "nover
that loved him. Oh my love, if you cou!c
but have trusted me once, it would have beer
we'll with US now!"
She lay face downward on tho floor, dea
and blind to all but the sense of her own mis-.
ery-the terror OF her own despair. To
think that he. her husbanl, was SO near to
her, breathing the same air, and yet far re-
moved from ali speech or sight OF her yearn
ing voice and her longing eyes-this indeed
was misery she scarce had strength 10 en-
dure.
She tried 10 think calmly, dispassionately
she conscious, that her own sin, her own
weakness hal brought this i'll upon him
that ho lived Oh now u prisoner at the mercy
of his foes subject TO all privations, endur.
ing all possible sufferlngs- broken
hearted, despairng-and she had given him
this fate to bear. The gray chill shadows
wrapped her PROSTATE form, the FIRST sun
rays stole through the dim and desolate
chamber. She rose and shivered, and gazed
iround, her eyes dull and blind with mist
of pain, and the slow sickening stabs OF
memory piercing her heart afrcsh. All she
had previously endured seemed as nothing
to what she suffered now. Now, when she
had gazed upon his face once more. and read
there the tale OF her own sufferings, and the
scorn OF her imputed sins, what could he be-
leve Of her but the worst2 Had he not seen
her with all the evidences OF wealth and
fashion, thrc nod and surrounded with luxury
while ho had dragged his weary limbs past
her, prisoner in the power of those among
whom she dwelt In splendor and IN safety?
"No power on earth could make him be.
| lieve in me now," so she told herself again
and again, and with each telling, wondered
how long life would drag itself on, seeing
that lifo meant nothing for her now but q
ieen sense of suffering that memory never
eadened, and regret could never kill. Slowly
and wearily she rose ami went to the little
window, and stood there gazing with throb.
ing, aching eyes at the splendor OF tho sun
rise as it swept tho gray hues OF the dawn
from the face of the smiling sky. and flooded
all tho earth with light and glory. "Only tc
look at that would have made me happy
once" she thought, "but now"
Tho thought ended in sob One great
grief and one great passion had absorbed nj
,ower of Joy in any gift of nature. in any
phase OF life. 1t seemed that one thing
tlone could set her free-deathl