The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1889-11-28

IluS-au amethyst. his nanO SHOOK
so that his wine was spilled. He knew
that ringl w fere did you get that
amethyst
"Surely, you ought to know! Then
am forgotten! 1t was you who gave
it, Edward
HE sat down beside her on the win
dow seat; he had no strength to stand.
They were concealed by the lace cur
tains. He stared in her face, trem-
bling. Yes, it was she; there could be
no mistake. francesca
"Ah, at last = she said, laughing
softly. But why do you stare SO at
me?'
"'I heard you were dead-dead,
years and years ago!
"'Oh, l am: alive! I am all life /
have been ii foreign countries. But
have not forgotten those old days of
ours, Edward. How sweet they were!
Have you been happy since ?
"'The happiness Of lost soulsl This
is my first happy moment. Is it real
You have changed, Francesca. You
were never so beautiful as this. Have
you come to taunt me
Il am Francesca-your Francesca
she said. But other changes have, in
deed, come to me. l am no longer q
girl. have wealth and power She
leaned toward him, fragrant and ir-
resistible. Edward, do you care for
me still ? she whispered.
"His self control forsook him. Il
would give my soul for your he said
"What a look-what smile she
gave Tim! Come with me. then, said
she. Come to my home; we cannot
talk here. There, no one will inter-
rupt US. Come, Edward =
"He hesitated. MY guests will ex-
pect you know I am
"She laid her soft fingers on his
hand.
Never mind them. What are they
to US? Let this be the proof that you
care for me-to leave them and come
with me. Are you afraid ?
"He rose to his feet.
"'Let us CO. he said
"He was reckless. But the dining
saloon was now empty. The guests
had gone to the drawing-ro"ms and
the bands were playing a waltz. How
the music sang and throbbed! They
passed out into the hall unnoticed.
No one seemed to heed them. Fran
cesca was now enveloped in long
pearl gray cloak, lined with swans
down. He had his hat and coat. Her
hand was on his arm. They descend
ed the stairs, treading OH roses. The
door opened before them, and they
went out. Her carriage stood at the
bottom of the steps. Snow was fall
ing; but, in moment, they were seated
side by side in the carriage, where it
was warm and perfumed. Edward
Daventry could have believed himself
in heaven He felt the gentle touch
of her arm and shoulder. He saw
the darkness of her eyes and hair, the
pure bloom of her face.
"He loved. She loved him !; what
was the world compared to that? The
carrisge rolled along swiftly, on easy
springs. They we're leaving all things
all care and trouble-behind. He
bent to kiss her cheek; but she put up
her hand with tenderest coquetry.
"'Not yet, Edward she murmured
wait! wait 7
"At length the carriage stopped
they were at her home. They alight
ed; he followed her up the steps, and
into the softly lighted hall. As the
door closed behind them, she turned
to smile on him-a smile of love and
invitation. She went on into an inner
room, pushing aside the heavy cur
tains that hung in the doorway. Here
all was warm, sumptuous, luxurious
softly lighted. In the middle of the
room she turned upon him with An en-
chanting gesture.
| "'Now-the kiss!' she said.
"His lips we're almost on hers. Sud.
denly she lifted her two hands to ths
sides of her face, and her whole fact
seemed to come away, as one remover
mask. Beneath was disclosed bare
grinning skull, with fragments of earth
and mold clinging to it. A cold, damn
scent of death emanated from it
Something seemed to burst in Daven
try's head. He uttered an awtu
scream, and fell to the floor senseless.
| The doctor stopped and re-lit hi
pipe. My eyes fell on the skull besid
him.
"What does this mean ?" faltered
"Is that all?"
IA mere hallucination, of course,
said the doctor, chuckling. "Daven
try's brain had given way on tha
evening. as had warned him it would
He imagined he saw this woman, an
he followed the spectre into the street
An odd coincidence, by the way: h
was found the next morning, nearl
frozen to death, and quite mad
where, do you suppose ??
"Where p said I, shuddering.
"Why, in a deserted house on til
, other side of the Harlem, which ha
previously been occupied by this sam
Francesca. How he got there nobod
knows. But he raved about thi
} hallucination for years afterwards
and when he died, the other day, b
. shrieked out with his last breath, tbs
he was being kissed by a skull"
II "Who was Francesca p asked.
"Why do you ask? That is he
skull. And this ring of mine is he
{ ring. What does a name matterf
) is only within the last fifteen years {
80 that / have borne my present nam
t I was married some forty years sine
!. I lost my wife early. She left me
. danuhtnr hut she died too when al