The Iola register., 1891-07-10

from where It had rested, and passed it
with o caressing touch through nv
hair.
"No-you do not really love me-" she
whispered, ,-''but / will tell you the
truth-I love you!"
And she drew herself up to her full
height and smiled again as she uttered
the lie. Iknew it was s.iie-but seized
the hand whose caresses stung me, and
held it hard, as ans wered-
"You love me? No, no-I cannot be-
lieve tit is impossible!"
She laughed softly. s'It is true
though she said emphatically, 'the
very first time I saw you l knew
should love you'll I tell you
frankly 1 never even liked my hus-
band, and though in some things you re-
semble him. you are quite different in
others-and superior to him in every
way. Believe it or not as you like. you
are the only man in all the world l have
ever loved"
And she made the assertion unblush-
ingly, with all air of conscious pride and
virtue. Half stupefied at her manner, /
asked,
"Then you will be my wifeP'
al will" she answered." and tell me
your name is Cesare, is it notP"
Yes" said mechanically.
"Then Cesare," she murmured tender
ly, II will mako you love me very
muchr'
And with quick 1.-THE movement of
her supple figure, she nestled softly
against me, and turned up her radiant
glowing face.
kiss me!'' she said, and waited. As
one in whirling dream, stopped and
Kissed those false sweet lips! l would
have more readily placed my mouth upon
that of poisonous serpent! Yet that
kiss reused sort of fury in me. l
slipped my arms round her half-reclin-
ing figure, drew her gently backwards
TO the couch she had left, and sat down
beside her still embracing her. "You
really love me?" asked almost fercely.
"Yesr'
"And am the first man whom yoy
have really cared for?"
"You are!''
"You never liked Ferrari?"
"Neverr'
"Did he ever kiss you as have done?''
'Not oncer'
God! how the lies poured forthI q very
cascade of them! and they were all told
with such an air of truth! i marvelled
at the ease and rapidity with which they
glided off this fair woman's tongue, feel
ing somewhat the same sense of stupid
aStOniShment rustic exhibits when he
sees for the first tine a conjurer draw
ing yards and yards of many-coloured
ribbon out of his mouth. / took up tho
little hand on which the wedding ring l
had placed there was still worn, and
quietly slipped upon the slim finger a
circlet of magnificent rose brilliants
had long carried this trinkst about with
me in expectation of the moment that
had now come She started from my
arms with an exclamation Of delight
''Oh, Cesare! how lovely! How good
you are to me!'
And leaning towards me, she kissed
me, then resting against my shoulder,
she held up her hand to admire the
flash of the diamonds in the light. Sud-
denly she said with some anxiety in her
tone
"You will not tell Guido?'n not yet?''
NO" l answered: 81 certainly will
not tell him till he returns. Otherwise
he would leave Rome at once, and we
do not want him back just Immediately,
DO we?" And 7 toved with her rinnlirC
gold tresses half mechanically. while I
wondered within myself at the rapid sue
cess of my scheme. She, in the mean
time, grew pensive and distracted and
for few moments we were both silent
If she had known! ! thought, if she
could have imagined that she was encir-
cled by the arm of her own husband, the
man whom she had duped and wronged.
the poor fool she had mocked at and de-
spiSed, whose life had been an obstruc-
tion in her path, whose death she had
been glad of! Would she have smiled so
sweetly2 Would she have kissed me
then?