Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-08-17

the shining river, but she was not thinking of
the golden CLEANS on the ripping tide. Juan
Iowed In presently. and grinned again ct her, as
ne secured the boat to the stockade, and then
calmly resumed his fishing, but Madame de
Costa neither looked ct him nor spoke to him.
Presently, however, she reused herself from her
abstraction. and in her languid graceful fashion
proceeded up the garden to the villa, which she
entered by one OF the windows, that opened on
the little terrace in front Then she went
through the luxuriOusly furnished room she
had entered, into an inner room beyond, and
kneeling down before an inlaid cabinet, she I'M
locked 1t with little golden key, that hung
from her girdle.
Still kneeling she drew forth from this cabinet
a portTait-the portrait of n man young and
handsome and kissed it passionately, pressing
1t against her bosom as if it were some living
NY beloved, my beloved, for thy sake, - she
murmured, as she gazed with her dark lustrous
eyes on the smiling pictured face.
But they are too like, too like, - she repeated
again below her breath, and moan escaped her
lips, as If wrung forth by some strong mental
agony. And while she still knelt thus another
woman entered the room; q woman long past
her first youth, and dark and swarthy looking
like the Spaniard Juan, to whom she bore a
strong resemblance.
''Well,'' she said in Spanish, addressing
madame de Costa familiarity, have you shared
the BRO YETI saw you from the windows row
'.Be silentl be silent!'' cried madame de
Costa with sudden anger in her lone, rising TO
her feet. go from this room-I do not want
to talk. -
The Spanish woman shrugged her shoulders
and obeyed her. and then Madams de Costa hav-
ing once more kissed the portrait, locked it
away, and sat down by one of the windows of
the room; sat with clasped hands and dreamy
eyes her heart full of strange, terrible, yet Oft
times tender thoughts.
In the meantime Gilmore was rowing down
the river towards Maidenhead full of excite
ment. Never before had he looked ON such a
face as Madame de Costas he told himself:
never before seen such perfect form. He was
ardent admirer of beauty, and the rich
Southern tints, the wondrous lustre in madame
dark eyes, seemed TO have completely fascinated
him.
''She IS more like some lovely Andalusian
woman, than Frenchwoman. - he thought, re-
calling madanl's charms ''but she said the
South of France, so very likely she has some
Spanish blood in her VEINS
He was still thinking of her when he reached
Maidenhead, and after leaving his boat. walked
up TO the pleasant old house he had bought
there, which stood amidst some green feids, a
garden he heard voices, and when he neared the
house, saw standing before 1t, enjoying the sun
shine, May and Mr.. Viii more, who was the
young man who had accidently encountered
John Summers nj Gilmore's rooms in town.
''Ah, whitmore, - cried Gilmore, for he was
always hospitable, run down to have breath
of fresh air, ehf Awfuliiy GLAD to see you, >,
more, shaking Gilmore's outstretched hand: Il
was Just telling Mrs. May here, it's such
lovely day ! thought would look you up
''Delig hted e. see you-come into the house
and have drink; I've been rowing and feel
confounded' y thirsty"
But not du ring this ''drink,' nor the many
drinks that followed during the course of
the day, did Gilmore give one hint of his ad-
venture with the dark-eyed woman the river.
Nor cid he speak of it to May, and yet it was
always present in his mind and to his secret
annoyance he found that Mr.. Whitmore not
only intended to spend the day, but TO remain
he had bought was named, because in their
mysterious fashion small colony of the sable
hued birds had dwelt for generations in some
ancient elms a. the garden loot.
Gilmore was too hospital to hint that he
wished his friend TO so, aud to his vexation Mr.
Whitmo remained; remained all night and the
best part of the next day, and 1t was late in the
afternoon before Gilmore found himself free.
i am going for a row up the river, he told
May, ''now we've got rid of that fellow
lit will be very nice on the river now," said
May little wistfully, for she also thought she
should like a row.
But Gilmore did not offer TO take her, and in
deed made haste 10 leave the house, lest she
should ask to accompany him. Soon then he
found himself swiftly passing through the water,
on his way to the little riverside villa, and ~
he drew near 1t. he perceived Madame de Costa
sitting idly in boat, just in front of the stock
AIDE. ana the Spaniard Juan fishing from pre-
cisely the same spot where he had been sitting
yesterday.
Madame turned quickly round when the dip of
Gilmore's oars fell on her ears, and her rich
olive tinted complexion paled little as she
recognized him Then Gilmore Towed up beside
her boat, and taking off his cap. bowed low, bis
handsome head.
II could not have the pleasure OF conine be-
fore.' he BEGAN with an ingenious blush: ~