Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1890-07-12
Uneis Arches Wife.
CHAPTER X.


coming of that happy day, when |
might beg Dick Martineau's pardon
for the wrong l had done him in my
thoughts, and hear from him the full
explanation of all that had tortured
and perplexed me so long.
At last that day came. The PEN
ance had imposed upon myself was
not hard one. Dick cut my falter-
ing plea for pardon short at once, tax
ing me in his strong arms and looking
into my troubled face with unutterable
love and pity.
'sPoor little Irene, did | make you
suffer so much ?" he said, with keen
remorse and self-reproach in his tone.
Heaven knows | would have died, my
darling, rather than give you one pang
But what could do while | had the
shadow of doubt that the woman
you called your uncle's vile was the
person | took her 10 be ? had no
right to share my suspicion even with
you; and when l had made suspicion
certainty"
i had ceased to trust you, inter-
rupted penitently. .'Poor Dick, you
were hardly used! But 1 know no.
thing yet beyond the bare fact that Es-
telle was not my uncle's wife-that in
some mysterious way she was an i'm
poster whom you recognized and un-
Masked
Yes" and Dick, nodded gravely.
''You remember that afternoon she
came in while we were at tea here;
recognized her face at once, but
could not remember where or in what
circumstances l had seen it before,
though | was sure that its features
had been stamped upon my mind in
some remarkable fashion. All through
the evening the fancy haunted me; |
could scarcely keep my eyes from her,
though uneasily aware that my per-
petual gaze had attracted both her at
tention and yours. She was hattered
by it; but you"
'.Do not speak OF it!n | interrupt
ed, remembering the torture of that
fiery jealousy, which, Heaven be
thanked, had faded now. "Dick, it
was shameful to distrust you
mo; it was only human, dear. But
let me finish my story, please.
knew all the time that / was watching
for some expression which Estelle
Gerrard's face had not yet worn. She
had looked brilliant, alluring, tender,
coquettish, and indignant by turns:
| wanted to see her face blanch and
her eyes dilate with terror, or else
flash with defiance and hatred. Why,
hardly knew, but / felt as though
such look would set at rest the hazy
doubts that troubled me. Naturally,
however, nothing happened to stir up
such feelings in my handsome hostess's
heart; and was on the point of tell
ing myself that | was mistaken-that
had never seen her face before
when, after some hesitation, you may
remember, she began to sing-and
then at once the light had been seek
ing broke in upon me, and remem-
bered ALL"
''And that 'all'?n l questioned
eagerly, as he paused with curious
ly panied and troubled look.
That all was terrible, Irene. It
meant, l feared, broken heart to the
kind old man who knew nothing of
his strange wife's gift OF song-pain
and trouble to you all. As listened
to that wonderful voice, and looked at
the singers rapt beautiful face, saw
her amid other and widely different
surroundings; saw her laden with
flowers, radiant with success, bowling
her thanks upon a public stage to the
plaudits of an enthusiastic crowd, hap
Ply, envied and enviabie, the idolised
heroine Of the hour
''Diek"-I touched him half timid-
ly, for, as he spoke with eager fervor,
he seemed really to see the things he
described-''Dick, did you really
know-did you really see her on the
stage?"
'On two stages, Irene, playing two
widely different parts, but in each the
heroine Of the hour. When | saw her
next, she was in court Of Justice.
standing white-faced and defiant be-
fore a crowd as strongly moved as
that which had applauded her before:
but this crowd booted and Kissed, and
poured out curses upon the woman
who had first betrayed her husband.
and then had done her best to swear
his life away.
Ellis life-her husband?" I echoed
incoherently. ~ cannot follow you,
Dick! Tell me in plain words what it
all means.
ut is story you may have read.
dear-it happened only couple of
years since, and made great sensa.
ton at the time. Do you remember
the murder of young French officer
at Dijon-the attempted murder of the
celebrated singer and actress-Ina
Vertuni?"
''By her husband in frantic ft Of
jealousyP Oh, yes, / remember it
well!' | cried; and indeed the wild
tragedy of love and jealousy and muir
der had stirred even sleepy Ludleigh
to something likeinterest. HBut, Dick
you do not--you cannot mean that
B
That Estelle Girrard and Ina Yer
tuni were one and the same person? I
do, Irene; felt sure of it at once: [