Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1890-11-14


Drummond The rigid outlines Of his
body stood out beneath the merciful
white covering which the hands Of low
ing care had placed over his death dis
torted features. All the rest Of the room
was black with the darkness Of night;
only the CHASTITY light Of the single can
die, shaded by her hand, bathed in the
Pickering white CLEANS the body Of the
man who had gained eternal sleep. /
saw her kneel by the bedside; I saw her
lift the linen from his face with deliber-
ate hand. Then. after gazing long and
earnestly at che face Of her lover, she
drew a penknife from her pocket and
with a quick movement punctured the
vein at the side Of his temple. 'Peste,'
she said; I forgot that dead men do not
blee1' Then changing her resolve she
cut a lock Of brown hair from his fore
head and swiftly passed me as l stood at
the door. Good night, she whispered,
as the faint echoes Of her footsteps rang
down the corridor.
"The whole party broke up the next
day, and we one and all departed to diff
ferent points of the compass. 1 do not
suppose that any one but myself knew
of the scene l have tried 70 describe; but
on me it left an ineffaceable impression.
It was, perhaps, natural that she should
wish to zee him. but her strange action
and her abrupt, swift movements utterly
dissipated the idea of n touching fare
well. Did she really love him Oh not
Was the situation. Of which | was an
unwilling witness, the last act III a
hearts tragedy? Perhaps you can tell
mef'
"Well, / can give You my experience,
and then you can judge for yourself. As
/ told you, l met her under an another
name at Monaco. You remember that
a merciful d%isponsation Of providence
secured me in the nick Of time the accu-
INFLATED life treasure of an affectionate
aunt. l was abroad at the time when
heard the news Of my good fortune, and
as ] owed neither regret nor, perhaps,
respect to my defunct relative, ]
was not deferred byany feelings of com
pnnction from enjoying myself. At
Monaco Imet the Lady Violet Montargis
real celebrity, rs l learned, who was
not unknown at Paris OF Vienna or even
Buda-Pesth.
''There had been an unusual run on
the bank. and every one was watching
her game and stalking on her luck. The
first time 1 saw her she was only Just be-
her career of triumph. fol
lowed her, more out Of gallantry than
out Of any determined gamblers resolve.
.fterward l had sufficient instinct in
matters to know that Twas in the
presence Of one of those who, for the
moment, cannot even by accident go
wrong. It was really wonderful to see
her ut the tables; Il few strangers and
newcomers, who did not know how the
cards lay, played their usual cautions
game aud lost; the older hands kept
aloof, as they always do, when some
diabolic influence is in the air. After
"A few days afriend introduced me to her,
and Igot to know her pretty well. Any
where else, except at TIE tables, she was
positively charming, insouciante, debon-
nair. full of polished allurements and
insidious beauty. Immersed in the game,
she wasa devl; no other word could de-
scribe her.
One night thore was a strange inver-
sion of tlings-a positive dcbacle. Lady
Violet Montargis was losing heavily and
leading her followers to incurable ruin.
She came hurriedly to me, and in u low,
whisper spoke these remarkable words:
For the love of heaven 90 to my
rooms and ask my maid for my ring; she
win know which one I mean; you see
have not my usual rings on my fingers.
"She spoke norvously and rapidly with
a face out of which had departed all the
triumphant calm, giving place to a low
contracted look Of inscrutable cunning.
| performed her commission for her, and
then ventured to ask her the reason. II
knew that all gamblers are superstitious.
but was hardly prepared for her reply.
Sang de Dieu,' she said, could You
not guess that the ring contained a sui
eide's hairl John NJ. Marquand in AT.
lanta Constitution.