The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1891-06-25

"Meester Pheuix!" announced ser
ant
She turned and, ali tho unbrialed
passion in a moment under control.
swept with her tiexile Incidence of
motion across the room. The soft hand.
SO plant, SO steeIy strong held, his and
drew him a little away.
Come; it is cooler here. The lights
make SO much heat and glare"
She led the way into n small adjoin-
ing boudoir. She unwounh tho lace
from her throat and head with her in
lmltable. supple grace and stood smiling
before him.
Il sent for you because you had been
here this afternoon and [ had missed
you," she said. She leaned little
toward him and laid her hands upon
his shoulders. Her warm. perfumed
breath was on his cheek. Her eyes
shone into his like the stars in the night
outside. Time had been when this near
ness, this caress, would have filled
phenix with rapture. He had been long
i'll her tolls under her spell. The
awakening had come in part when the
beautiful widow refused to marry him.
"Why?' he had asked sharply. She
had thrown herself, weeping passion
ately, on his breast. But he knew
why. He was plain American, poor
at that. Nine. d'Erlotf rcigned like
queen now, while in case of a second
marriage she lost by her husbands will
the colossal fortune which surrounded
her with her prestige of utter su-
premacy. But if she could not bear to
abdicato all this supremacy neither
could she bear to give up this hand
some, cold stranger who had taught
her heart to beat, aud there came strug-
giles and recriminations i'll which the
womau's complex passion grew ever
more intense, while the mans simpler
love drooped and lost It's strength.
Il took Arville that tiresome ArvilIe
with me this afternoon" she muir
INJURED. You do not mind?"
Phenix had acquired dreary insight
into her Vaccinations. He knew that
her osteutatious Haunting of Aryille in
his face was done TO excite his jealousy.
No" he answered little wearily.
why should 1 mlnd?"
She started away from him. She had
not intended to let him know what she
fe.t, what she had seen. But her mask.
had dropped from her.
"lou do not mind because YOU love
that white faced chit of grill That
dependent. That child whose ,.or,h-
less services | engaged out of charity.
companion for me-for me-" she
laughed sardonically, yiciously. But
you-I tell ,vou that you love her"
Phenix looked at ar, turning little
pale. Then he made Struggling mo
ton.
What folly! l have talked to Miss
Penrhyn two or three times. | have
felt great sympathy for her and tried to
be kind to her. She is friendless lit
tie American alone in strange land.
As countrvman of hers could one do
less? Does that constitute love?"
Her eyes held him merciless ssy.
You do not speak the TRUTH" she
said
Again he shrugged his shoulders.
Suddenly Nine. d'Erlofi began to tai
Of other things. As lie WAS about
leave she held him back.
Why not go by the terrace and gar
den? 1t is shorter
As he passed the terrace he started a
little on seeing Arvilie sitting on
bench there and Monica Penrhvn Ie-
side him. No, he was not in love with
that pretty child, but he would have
liked to warn her. He had ieep dis
trust Of this unctuous Cheyalier. This
little American girl whose whole sad
history-a srendthrift father, sickly
mother, then death, poverty and the
need OF Gaming her bread-he had
heard from her contiding lips that after
noon, was very inexperienced. very in
nocent. Dumb anger rose up in Phenix
he wished that he could protect her.
Come to me at once. l have a
special reason for asking Your presence,
Lena"
These lines reached Phenix early one
morning. He had not seen Nine.
d'ErloH for days. He asked him elf
sometimes why he did not go away.
His unhealthy passion for the beautiful
widow was thing of the past. And
still he fingered on-sometimes taking
q boat and rowing near the gardens of
the Villa d'Erlotf, sometimes walking
III that direction; but never stopping
He found Nine d'Erloff envelored in
n epeignoir Of white silk and lace, in the
boudoir she affected.
Miss Penrhyn has eloped with the
Chevalier Arville," she said.
There was a deep silence
Il do not believe it," then uttered
Phenix. Il do not believe it, She
| laughed
"lou are tlatteriug to me yet it is true.
If you had fancy for the girl, am
sorry to give you such bad news. N.Y.
self, too, | have reason to grieve.
thought Arville SO absolutely, COM
pletclv devoted to me-and to me
alone"
There Is some mistake
"Ob. no, none. The maids found
that her room was as it had been left
last night. Aud one of the gardeners
remembered seeing her get into boat
at the foot of the terrace steps with
Aryille late iu the evening. The man
thought it was a row just for pleasure
they were going to take. There was a
bright moon, as YOU know"
Phenix, blindly, had turned and van
ished through the door.
Nine. dErloff sat in the same place,
breathing quickly, her eyes darkening
what was that? Was he returning !?
Those were not his footsteps. The
portiere was drawn aside. The woman
started up.
"You."-
IT was Arville
The game is up!'
"What!" she tremb,cd from head to
foot. What do you mean?"
Simply what l say" His eyes were
lowering and sullen. "The game is
up. She got away from me-"
idiot Dolt!"
"She got away from me. 1t cost me
good deal to ersuade her to enter the
boat. Then when we landed down
beyond the grounds and she saw
the carriage waiting she took fright
Before wei aud my two mcn-coult
prevent it she had shrieked out alouf
for help Some fishermen down til
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