The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1889-06-28

81 am tired OF my own. 1 shall doubtless
have to thank my foes soon for shortening
it,"
you are rs quick with your tongue as
ever. Have you any complaints 10 maker"
"None. know how useless it would be-"
The dark fierce countenance before him
turned livid with rage.
"If you are not less insolent, will have
you thrashed within an inch of your life."
You ure not moro anxious to have that
life than am to yield it up, monsieur"
"Say you SO? Well, perhaps have some
thing to tell you that may sweeten it. You
remember the woman told you was inter-
ested in your welfare?"
~ remember monsieur, thinking TO delude
mo with such n belief"
"Oh, you do? We'll, have sent for you to-
night to learn her whereabouts. That you
know it 1 am sure. lam resolved to tear the
secret from you at any cost, even of your
life. This is no idle threat. l mean it to the
very letter. Tell me where she is p The man
laughed hoarsoy and scornfully.
"You ask mo of your mistress's where
abouts? Are you mad, monsieur, or am If'
"When told you that, 1 lied" said his ad-
versary, flercely. "She is nothing to me.
learnt only lately that she was your wife.
WE'LL where is she now?"
Pierre looked at him in incredulous amaze
ment.
"This is poor jest" he said, calmly. II
know nothing of any woman whom mon.
sieur is pleased to honor with his attentions.
Even If did"
"Well?'
81 should not,toll."
"Dog! Do you dare to brave me thus?
You lie You do know where she is. Out
with it, or will wiring the truth from your
throat as I would wiring birds neck"
"You are welcome to do SO. 1t is your
prerogative doubtless to-murder. Well, it
will be the ono benefit have derived from
my foes p
Won Brandstein rose to his feet, literally
trembling with rage and passion. His eyes
swept over his antagonist. meeting nothing
but the patient, calm disdain that no threat
could change to fear, no bribe could win to
Difference. For an instant they faced each
other thus, both silent. Won Branstein spoke
at last.
"To kill you would be too great boon to
bestow on you. No, you shall live. But
listen first. 1 have that to tell which will
make you curse your folly till the last day of
your life. In the first place, this woman
your wife of u week-whom you like mad
man forsook in q moment of frenzy, has
never wronged you even by thought, all
the while that you have believed SO i'll of her.
She has been basely deceived, cruelty
wronged but for all that she is u heroine
in her bravery and endurance, q saint in her
pufty, Il woman in her fidelity. Docs it hurt
you to hear this? To think OF all you have
lost by your rash action! All, you arc silent
nowl What, incredulous still, and she has
loved you? Oh, fool, fooll Why. to stand in
your place and hear these words, and know
an enemy's lips reluctantly confessed the
truth, 1 would die dogs death the next
hourp
Over tho soldiers weary, suffering face q
great wave OF feeling swept.
"Why do you torture me thus?" he cried.
SIT is not true. l cannot be-"
sit is true. will prove it."
"Do So"
"You believed your wife fed from you with
lover, did you not?"
"Hcr own words confirmed that belief"
"Tho man whom she sheltered at risk of
her own reputation, the man for whose sake
sho has become an outcast, for whom she
has borne your desertion, and your base in
depreciation of her motives, is her fatherp
There was utter silence.
Ono gaspnS breath the man drew, one
shiver as OF some terrible and intense
emotion shook his limbs, then over the dark.
ness and haggard misery of his face light
as of glad and glorious hope flashed. For
'getful Of all around, of the presence in which
he stood, OF the doubts that had rackeI and
tortured him so long, he threw himself down
on the bench beside him, and burying his
face In his hands he wept like n child.
'God forgive me! Oh, God forgive mep
he cried, with the cry OF a heart breaking
with its own glad rapture OF re lief.
"How have wronged herp
His enemy looked on him as no lay
crouched there in tho abandenment and
forgetfulness of that moment. "You believe
me now" he said.
There was no answer. The man did not
even hear him. He came nearer, and laid
his hand on his shoulder and shook him with
savage force. "Do you hear?" ho asked, "Ii
you believe in her, confess where she is hid
den. Have you held communication with
her? Say?"
Pierre looked up. His face still radiant
with that wonderful knowledge, his eyes
glowing with the intensity of IL love that had
never died, and now seemed but to have
) gathered fresh force from its many suffer
ngs, its long denial. Il will say nothing, u
he answered, calmly. "Her very name is
polluted by its passage through your lipsr
Won Brandstein threw himself on the foe
who thus dared to brave him, and with his
hand at his throat he shook him to and fro
till the breath clme in spasmodic gasps from
his lungs, and his weakened frame lay like a
log where he had thrown it. In tho struggle
a paper fell from the mans bosom The
eagle eyes of his adversary caught sight of ii
he sprung forward, raised it from the
, ground, and began to peruse its contents.
80, he shouted, triumphanLly. 81 have
caught you at last, my fine soldierl My
sanity martyr! Aplot, indeed-and as live
heavens, it is her writingl
"Hers"
These words brought back life and strength
10 the stunned and weakened frame. Witt
one bound he staggered to his feet, and
hurled himself upon his powerful foe.
All was forgotten now. The long endur
onoa tho 0antla Datianca tho hla alf