The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1891-07-11

manding an interview and an explana-
ton. once for nil Of NIL that had been.
lately. a mystery 10 me.
/ had seated myself at my desk when
| the door opened and there entered a
yelled feminine figure. My heart
leapt into my throat II was Elita
herself.
She removed her veil and made a
| gesture that forbade me 10 advance.
She was pale. thinner than when 1 had
left. and her large eyes had an un-
natural. brilliant hardness. / was
s~peechless.
II have come 10 tell you" she
began, Immediately.
1T is not my way 10 deceive any
longer han is needful. You may hate
-despise me. l hope you will. IL
will make the parting easier for you.
/ shall not marry you. | am going to
marry Antonio Sismondi."
II was so still / could hear the tick
ing OF my watch.
Here are all your presents. your
letters, your ring"
She laid n little box on the table.
/ don't know whether she waited for
me 10 speak. There seemed to be an
imperceptible pause and then she
turned and was gone.
Sismondi lived at some distance
from me. Lights ilared along the
b%oulevards rs the cabman whipped up
his horse. / had promised HIM n large
pourboire In return for what speed he
could make.
When Sismondi saw me enter a rapid
change. like hat one sees on still
water when the wind rushes across its
surface. came over the impassivity OF
his face. II vanished instantly and he
confronted me calm eyed. firm Tipped.
n self-controlled defiance in his straight
glance.
Il suppose you know what / have
come to sayp"
He nodded.
Perfectly. l see that you have
spoken 10 Mile. Marvern-or heard
from her. i think she did not expect
you so soon. | did not. Let us not
waste idle words! Doubtless you feel
that | have defraudcd you. My dear
friend. IL you were n f~atalist. as | am.
you would take a different view. /
love her. / have loved her from the
first moment. Tried TO win her |
havc-yes. Why not? My passion is
greater than yours. But had il no
been fated SO TO be | should not have
succeeded. II you ask for satisfaction
| am ready TO give IL when and as you
like. But you Americans. | know. do
not fight duels."
They were 20 be married within a
week. ! had left Paris for a few days,
but | was going 20 return. | was go
Ing 10 be present at the ceremony. A
strange position. indeed. for the dis
carded lover! But what cared | for
ridiculep | wanted TO sec this thing
accomplished with my own eyes. j
wanted TO realize the nightmare. |
wanted 10 see the girl who had seemed
10 me the truest and the highest Of her
sex pledge herself before my sight to
the man for whom she had taken away
her love and given II again in the space
OF two short months. Tuesday was
the day appointed. Monday evening
/ came back. The remembrance OF
that last day has always been "A blow
TO me. | never knew just how /
passed Ii.
AS / came in my man told me that
a lady was waiting to see me; that.
hearing that | was expected. she had
insisted upon entering. | opened the
door OF my little salon mechanically.
A cry greeted me. Mrs. Marvern. as
much d~ishevelcd as so handsome and
correct a being could be. started to-
wards me.
''Oh. Franklin. FRANKLIN What "A
miserable busisness il this And what
are we 20 doP We shall all be in the
papers-Elita and all OF us-and, per-
haps. even brought up on the witness
standl Oh. OH IL is too, too dreadful
Oh, can't you do something's Why,
man, you stand here as II you did not
understand. Is IL possible you don't
know?n Her ascending voice ended
almost in a shrek. WHY Sismondi
has been arrested Arrcsted!'
"For whatp When?"
This morning. IL Is i, all the
papers already. For trickcry. for
swindling. for getting money under
false %pretcnscs! The American from
India got off; he has disappeared"
''And ElitaP" / said In n moment.
Mrs. Marvin burst into tears.
''Oh. Franklin. don't ask me. II
makes my heart bleed TO look at her"
Sismondi's trial was one Of the SEN
sations Of the year.
Much Of the curious distant ringing
OF bells much OF the sudden falling OF
strange missives purporting 10 come
from the brethren in India In the laps
OF persons before whom Sismondi and
his confederate had exhibited their
powers was discovered TO be the very