Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-04-26


was colored brightly, her eyes shone
like stars; her manner was, perhaps,
little more animated than usual---a
little less composed, and when she
caught sight OF Eberhard, she sudden
ly grow pale, and moved away from.
not towards, him. But with quick
resolute step forward he arrested her.
Il want TO speak 10 you, Elvira. /
have come for that purpose alone-to
speak TO you, possibly for the last
time"
She gave one quick, frightened, up
ward glance, then yelled her eyes be-
hind their long lashes; with an invol-
/ untary movement she pressed her
hand to her heart. and the color now
quilted her lips, as it had quilted her
face u moment ago; she looked on the
point of fainting.
Leigh watched every change in her
appearance with keen glittering eyes,
| from which every sign OF tenderness
| had vanished.
"You appear very much affected by
my appearance, Elvira; yet it is not
unexpected, surely"
"You look-you seem so strange!"
she faltered.
Il have n strange tale To tell.
| He had drawn her into the conser-
yatory, which at present was empty
save for themselves.
Elvira sank into chair. for her
limbs seemed unable to support her,
and she attempted 10 hide her agitat-
ed face with her fan.
Eberhard calmly took it from her,
and kept his keen unfaltering glance
upon her changing countenanoe.
Il can't spare time for you now.
must go back to my guests-to receive
them. You forget | am hostess, :"
she stammered.
Il forget nothing. You must hear
what | have to say before you return
to those people. Elvira, have just
been arrested on a charge of forgery"
\ shiver went through her frame;
her lips quivered; she made an effort
to recover herself
Arrested But you are here" she
gasped
Il am here pro tenn. have escaped
to be arrested agai.i, no doubt, but
before then it was imperative that
| saw you. Elvira, who forged my
uncles name for two thousand
poundsp"
"Why-why on earth should you
ask me?"
II will not ask you again if you can
look me straight in the face and tell
me on your honor that YOU know
nothing about it.
He took her two cold trembling
hands in his as he spoke, and holding
her thus, bent his face nearer to hers.
'Of course | know nothing" she
tried TO stammer. bat it was miser-
able attempt, and failure. Her eyes
were lifted spasmodically, then drop
ped. She trembled from head to foot.
"Merclful Heavens! / could have
borne anything rather than this" the
man groaned, and dropping the girls
hands, he leaned with DIN attitude OF
despair against the doorway; still he
blocked Elvira's road.
She could not escape, though she
looked around wildly for means of do
ing SO.
Silence, broken only by the heavy
irregular breathing of the man lean
ing against the doorway, fell upon the
faintly-lit, heavily scented conserva-
tory.
Upon the silence came the discord-
ant merriment of the music in the
room beyond. The band was playing
a mad, merry polka, and its strains
Jared in horrible mockery upon the
suffering within n few yards Of the
quickly moving feet, the bright voices
whose sound reached Leigh's ears.
Silence, seeming horribly long to
Elvira, whose every pulse was quiv-
ering with impatient dread, and last
ing until in despair she almost broke
it; then Eberhard moved his position,
and, turning, faced his companion.
Such dainty exquisite figure she
looked, Swallowed by the heavy grace
full palms, outlined by the roseate
light, so fair aud frail and lovely, and
capable of this!
deliberately, then"-his voice
rang stern, though w-"deliberate-
| ly, then, you planned this thing
With it in your mind you smiled and
poured sweet looks and words upon
me yesterday. All c!everly you lured
me into the trap; by inviting me TO
drive with you you arranged-how, it
matters not; the facts are enough for
me-that | should be supposed To be
in your brougham and receive the
money while YOU were supposedly out
of it. You told me you would accept
my love, | remember. You took it,,
and in return you gave me-this.'
The stern anger faded out of his
voice with the last words. and an in
teusity OF pain--such pain rs Elvira's
shallow selfish nature could never un-
derstand made the tones culver and
brake.
She could not understand the pain,
but she was quick To take advantage
Of the softened tone.
"Eberhard, you will not betray
me?" she gasped looking in his face
now, clinging with convulsive grasp to
/ II. II 4 n i 4 Il.