The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1890-01-12

Itftf AEltL IlQIkl lult tlii1t W VIlSs AtltA
had believed there could be no meeting
ground for them in the future, sat oppo-
site each other at the little mosaic table,
nnd the countess poured out her fra
grant Orange Pekoe into the tiny
china shells, and offered delicately thin
bread and butter to her unwilling guest
and everything was as natural and COM
monplace as possible, In this age we act
our tragedies with forks in our hands in
place Of daggers, and put them decor
ously to our mouths instead of planting
them in our enemies breasts.
The countess talked of the weather--his
journey--her late voyage; and lac tried to
do his best, but was aware that he did not
succeed over we'll
"Do you stay long in American he
asked
~ have no plans, she answered.
'The count is not with yous" was his
next question.
II am widow she replied.
Then he did not know what to say, and
tried to shy several things, and broke
down in each.
so YOU had heard nothing of me?n she
inquired t'Yet you had correspondent
from this house, think But / suppose
Mrs Laurence and Miss Hastings thought
you would only be bored by news of an
old acquaintance =
Several letters have missed me
lately, he said probably the very ones
in which | should have learned all this, -
The countess bowed her head in assent,
which did not in the least express assent
and upset the mans last power of self
control.
2 know what you mean, he exclaimed,
rising from the table more quickly than
good breeding would dictate.
The countess quietly put out her hand
to keep her cup from overturning with the
jar he gave the table, and looked at him
with placid interrogation.
g You think they were afraid to tell
me- he went on; afraid of giving me
pain, or that Dora was afraid for her en-
pire-you know am engaged to her?''
1t seemed to his listener that her month
was changing into iron--the muscles of
her tongue almost as useless as If they had
been made of sponge--but she still looked
at him; the half smile was on her lip, the
voice which replied was INDECENT and
musical as ever.
~ do, now that have it from the best
possible authority Neither
your betrothed nor ybody else had given
me reason to suspect it. Your name has
not been mentioned, Isaid.
~ SttpLOSC AlTS. LAURENCE LUlu DOTa
4 You would not be interested. y
II suppose sol Mrs. Laurence was
mistaken; I am intercsted-I con-
graduate you with all my hearth
have seen Miss Hastings constantly since
my arrival. | am sare you have won a
{ prize, and | am sure that you are worthy
of it."
1t was a rather neat speech, and she
/ knew that she delivered it very nicely,
and all the while sparks of fire danced be-
fore her eyes, and the floor went up and
the ceiling came down; the chairs and
tables moved about in a frantic dance,
/ and everything grew so misty and indis-
tinct that she could see nothing clearly
/ except his pale, angry face as it con-
fronted her.
i 'You are very good,'' he said, stifiy.
ssYour pretty compliment to Dora is sim
pie truth, and l viii try to deserve my
share
''You win do it, she replied quietly.
He began to sneer-tIied to get out q
+ biting speech in regard to the spirit of
i prophecy she had developed. But angry
as he was-bitterly as he hated her-the
taunt died unuttered beneath the fixed,
solemn lock in those brown eyes. So he
buttoned his coat and uttered common
place. II WIKI not intrude upon you any
longer; I have rather a tiresome walk
back to the station.
''Will you let me drive you down9' she
/ asked. 81 always have my ponies out Of
/ an evening"
'tIhanIs-the walk will be relief after
50 much railway journeying as | have
had.
$50 you will not even let me do you SO
slight favor as thatg' returned she, and
this time her lips quiyered little
4 ut really is not necessary, countess. I
will say good-by now---or rather, as sup
pose we shall meet before long, I'll be
/ French enough to make it au reyoir."
j 1t was the first sentence with which he
I felt satisfied, and for an instant he was
more at his ease. She speedily upset
! that.
''Give it any pretty name you will"
she said; sit is plain that you mean good
/ by, and so-adieu. y
She held out her hand-that perfect
hand which had been the envy of queens
that hand he had kissed SO often
prayed over, aye, fairly wept over in the
mad passion of his youth, the sight of
which made his very heart ache with
recollection of the old pain as sorely as il
the wound was not scared over He had
to take it. She kept her fingers pressed
slightly on his, and said, calmly enough:
Before you go, there is one thing
should like you to 1o-you see am willing
to accept favor from you, though you're
fused mine.
Certainly, Mime. Ia Comtesse; you
have only to speak"
"And because bear that title, because
you are just entering o new life, can ask
it. Say, Adele, forgive you.'n
She raised her heseeching eyes to his
face. He fairly flung her hand from him.
81 won't do itr' he said, harshly. 81
don't forgive you'll never shalt You
broke my heart--you destroyed my
youth Why, you so utterly ruined my
life that now, though you are nothing to
me-nothing, l repeat, thank God!-the
memory of what you have made me suffer
leaves me capable of only half enjoying
my present happiness
She bowed her head in patient submis-
sion
II was wrong to ask it,'' she answered;
''but | thought now you might, because
had passed utterly out of your life. l am
the same as dead--we don't bear enmity
against Them
Il am not sure,' he retorted.
Il am, y she replied, ''and 1 speak from