Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1890-11-19
e, and they earnestly wished tha,


consented to Irene's going, promising
| to follow myself in a week or so.
1t was the first time that l had been
separated from her since the day OF our
marriage, and nearly every day hung
most heavily on my hands.
L was angry, too, because she had,
even with my consent, been willing to
| leave me. Much sooner than l had
| expected, L went after them.
1t was about eight o'clock in the
evening when L alighted from the
| stage at the hotel. l saw none of my
| acquaintances in the throng on the
veranda, and went into the office alone
and registered my name.
Walking toward one of the large
| parlors, L heard Irene singing with
| some one. Looking through the win
dow L saw my wife at the piano with
: dark-faced man, very handsome,
who, L afterwards learned, was an
| Italian, Signor Barilli, a famous tenor
While L was looking, the song ended
and the audience, which had been lis
tening attentively, applauded yigor-
| ously.
Irene's face was flushed with pleas
ure and covered with smiles. Some
thing in the Italians hook, which he
! cast at her, convinced me that he was
not Indifferent TO her. Ny heart be-
came cold and my blood seemed to
stand in my veins. was madly teal-
| Gus.
| l made my way through the crowd
TO door near the piano, wondering
in the profundity of my suspicious
soul if she would regret to see me-if
my presence there might not interfere
with her pleasure III receiving the ad-
mirstion of others.
| She saw me before I had reached
| her, and ran TO meet me with cry of
seeming gladness. / led her from the
/ crowd, few of whom knew me, and
walked by her side down one of the
corridors.
"Oh, Clare, am so glad you came
We were not looking for you so soon"
she exclaimed, putting her hand in
mine.
| tried 10 speak naturally, for I was
beginning TO be half ashamed of my
self for entertaining doubts about her,
but something in my unsteady voice
attracted her attention.
"'You are tired, Clare, poor fellow;
! it is hard ride over here" she said.
''They are playing for the german.
1 promised TO dance it with Signor
| Barilli, Clare, a gentleman with
beautiful voice. But l will ask him TO
excuse me, since you have come"
s'You will do no such thing" :" I re.
| piled serteHtiously, my blood rushing
madly to my brain at her praise of his
voice, and the information that she had
promised to dance with him.
Il am tired and will retire" ] said,
! Just as Signor Barili FASTENED UP to
her, evidently not knowing me.
at Is ours, l think, if you remem-
ber," he said.
my husband; Signor Barilli," Irene
said, introducing Us, and | noticed that
she was turning pale and looking at me
helplessly.
''He has just arrived, +" she continued; /;
''I know that he must be weary"
Il will excuse you, of course, if you
wish" the Italian said, bowling politely,
and looking frustrated.
| ooh, no." / interpolated, firmly;
II will not interfere with your dance -
! and L turned inditferently away, leav-
inf Irene no alternative but TO accept
the Italians arm to the ballroom
| Although had actually compelled her
to leave me, / was angry.
At loss for something to do,
went to my room and sat smoking,
mad at myself and Irene.
Two hours passed; the dance was
still in progress, for l could hear the
music from below. She had made
the engagement with the anticipation
of enjoying il, L thought; why should
l interrupt it? During those moments
of solitude | almost argued myself in
TO the belief that [ was decidedly fl
the wav Of her pleasure.
The Italian was undoubtedly in love
with her, and / could not recall any
society woman OF my acquaintance
who would not have enjoyed receiving
his attentions. Was | to think that
nv wife was unlike her sex2 Had
not Mrs. Sanders, woman of great
experience, told me that they were all
alike in that respect.
The dance was ended; l heard the
sound of the dancers footsteps az they
quilted the ballroom. 1 waited,
momentarily expecting Irene tc open
my door and enter.
/ see now that | greatly exaggerated
her DELI in coming, so highly was my
imagin IN worked up. Where could
she be: What excuse could she have
for lingering after the dance was over
Ny brain was aflame; was insanely
jealous. opened the door. | heard
voices. They were Irene's and Barilli's
on the landing just below me. 1 went
softly TO the Jo> of the stairs, and
leaning over the baiustrade, l saw them
! La L., l..
drawing away from him.
Il love you, L cannot live without
you'll" l heard him say.
/ don't know how / got over the
.teps that were between them and me.
] sprang between them, murder in nv
heart, clutching him by the throat. He
struggled uttering no sound. In my
grasp he acted like an affrighted cur
She twined her arms tightly about me,
and he struggled from my embrace
rnnuing down the hall. Irene remained
. half fainting in my arms, for even in
nv madness, / strove TO keep her from
falling down the stairs.
The doors of the rooms along the
!, 5orridor were quickly opened and the
occupants gathered around US. Con.
! fronting the probability of a scandal
about my wife, my presence of mind
and calnness came TO my aid. l ex.
planned that my wife had fallen on the
steps, but was not injured. The crowd
!! dispersed, satisfied with my explana
ton.
l led her to our apartment, wonder.
ing at her strange quietude. When
had turned around after closing the
door behind US, she was standing be
fore me in the center of the rooH