Iuka reporter. (Iuka, Miss.) 1888-1894, 1890-02-06

away off in that Southern
,ity; but have arisen like an unquiet
'pirit conjured up from space to de-
you! Do you know for what
purpose have Gomez"
Once more he shivered, like one with
, chill.
"What?" he gasped hoarsely.
She drew n little nearer and lifted
her solemn eyes once more to his
frightened face.
---- to kill you'll she S.,
in u slow, impressive tone; ito take
your miserable life."
Gabrielle, listen to mel You
shall -"
Il will not listen! I have had
enough of your false words and false
VOWS, your traitorous kisses and wicked
lies.
For years have known you, in all
your hideous vileness, and 1 would not
believe you"
"But, Gabrielle" Che caught her slen.
der wrist with firm grasp, aud gazed
into her dark eyes,. "for the sake Of
OF" (his eyes dropped guiltily)-
"Adele!p
A swift flush shot over the woman's
beautiful white face, for an instant, and
then died away into CHASTITY pallor.
Her lips curled scornfully, and her
voice was laden with bitterness, as she
make answer:
Little has thought of her troubled
you, Gilbert Lawrence, all these long,
hard years You deserted wife and
child, and left us to perish! She was
reared in-in ON almshouse, and now"
-(she caught her breath unsteadily,
and her eyes were suddenly averted-
"she earns her living as danseuse
in theater Fit position for the child
OF Gilbert Lawrence, the merchant
prince! 1t is for her sake, to avenge
her wrongs, that 1 am here tonight to
to kill you'll"
She sprang suddenly forward, swift
and 1.-the as tigress.
Something flashed in the firelight-
something bright and glittering.
He fell back with groan of horror,
and covered his face with his hands.
just at that moment, down the long
corridor outside the door, came the
rustic of sweeping silken skirts, the
click, click, Of high French heels, the
sound of o sweet voice singing softly
selection from popular opera.
Gilbert Lawrence's face blanched to
more CHASTITY Wilderness than before,
while the woman turned swiftly to lis
ten.
"My God" the man moaned feebly:
."it is Ruby-my child, my little grill"
The hand that held aloft the glitter
ing weapon fell.
"Your child!"
Her voice cut the silence like the hiss
of serpent.
"Then you have dared to marry again!
Gilbert Lawrence, you are fiend You
welded me and left me, your lawful
wife, with little babe in my arms fled
from your home because you had tired
OF it, and had grown weary of me, and
for long years 1 knew not where you
were, how you lived, what your fate
might be. But now have found you,
rich, honored, respected, with wife,
perchance, and IA child; my curse
rest upon them both!"
Your curse cannot injure herr" he
muttered suddenly "Ruby's mother
has been dead for years, and she, my
beautiful daughter, is"
He came to halt, and the words
faltered themselves into silence, as he
realized the extent Of the blow which
had fallen upon his life-a blow which
would smite the innocent and guilty
alike.
"Yes; what is she ?" Kissed Gabrielle,
mockingly, her face full of fiendsh trt
umph. "What is your daughter, Gil.
bert Lawrence? A nameles
"Hush!"
He darted forward, his hand uplift-
ed, as through to strike her down at his
feet, his eyes glowing like Goals of fire.
his face SET and stony.
"Hush!' he painted madly once more.
slow dare you?"
He paused, as a slight sound fell upon
his ear. The silver door-knob was turn
ed slightly, and sweet voice called
from without:
"Papa Are you here?"
Silence, utter silence in the firelit
room.
With a baflled look upon her face,
NoOAiCilO SiCPu W bao WluuOW, OucC
there, she hesitated.
Il shall soon return" she said,
bleakly. "You cannot escape me, Gill
bert Lawrence"
She slipped through the window; it
closed behind her, she vanished in
the night and storm, and the darkness
hid her from sight.
Gilbert Lawrence staggered to the
nearest seat and sank feebly into it.
All the light had gone suddenly out
of his life, all the color and fragrance.
He had done wrong-h must suffer
for it; he must pay the penalty-an
awful penalty. He deserved it all, and
he knew it.; yet his heart was sore and
as he thought of his child.
"She shall never know, if I can help
it," he muttered, hoarsely, setting his
teeth sharply into his under lip with
savage determination. "She must not
know my proud. innocent darling
for the knowledge would kill her.
would die to shield her from itl''
And then, once more, the door knob |
was turned little impatiently, and the
sweet clear voice called softly through |
5he keyhole:
Papa, are you asleep? May I come
n? | do want to see you awfully."
lfftr IL II Il