The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-08-23


At the same table, on the other side, Sal
lie was seated. ''Do you mean to tell me
that woman is dream" she asked in
low voice. 'sI know her."
probably each person present sees her
with q different face. according to their
own nature or mental state" the count re-
turned. "But she is nothing but air, and
will vanish again in a moment"
''She may vanish, but she is flesh and
blood,' said Sallie in the same 1ndertorfe.
''She is Olympia Raven. How came she
here? She was not among the guests.
Perhaps by way of the magic mirrorn'
The count smiled. "You must ask her
yourself said he.
'Do you give me leavenh
"Undou btedly,"
Sallie rose at once. The count also rose
and said: ''My friends, Mrs. Harry Trent,
whom you all know, declines to believe
that the appsrition which our iuggler has
produced yoGder Is not real flesh and blood.
She has kindly consented TO make trial OF
IL. l maintain that it is an illusion only"
Don't go near it, my dear, said Mrs.
NanGerdonoe. "You'll be turning into an
apparition yourself if you're not careful!''
There was rustic and murmur Of ex-
cited expectancy throughout the room.
Juggiery TO match this exhibition, though
not unknown in India, had never before
been beheld by any OF the counts guests.
Meanwhile the apparition stood motionless,
wrapped IN its white robe with unwinking
eyes fixed on vacancy. Sallie stepped for
ward. She held her closed fan in her right
hand. A distance Of three or four yards
separated her from the figure. The Juggler
sUill squatted on his mat As Sallie ap-
preached he bent forward and drew some
character on the floor with his finger
Within pace of the apparition Sallie
paused and looked earnestly at it. A hush
1ell upon the assembly. No one knew what
10 think or what was 20 happen. Sailie
stretched forth her arm, and with the tip
OF her fan touched the figure on the
shoulder.
Immediately thick mist of steam arose,
enveloping and hiding from view not only
the figure but the iuggler and Sallie as
well. loud voice, proceeding none knew
whence, pronounced some words in an I'M
known tongue. Following this piercing
Shrek was heard, echoed by many women
present. Every one started; many sprang
10 their feet. The mist cleared away.
Sallie was standing alone. Both the Jug
gler and the apparation had vanished,
leaving no trace behind. But Sallie
Grasped in her hand no longer her fan. but
q long japanese dagger with a carved hilt.
The point of the dagger seemed to be drip
ping with blood
She staggered, turned partly round and
would have failed, but the count was near
her and caught her in his arms The COM
pany was all in confusion. 4 sofa was
brought and Sallie was laio upon it. She
had tainted.
Garry her into the east room" said the
count TO two Of the Nubian servants.
doctor Nenables, - he aided, turning to
the eminent woman's physician, who was
one of the guests, may / request you to
take charge Of Mrs. Trent! One of the
maids shall attend, and anything you need
will he M dfannSo1 I
sorry, he went on, turning to the others,
that this should have happened. Had it
been possible TO foresee it-but we under
stand so little of the ways of these oriental
wizards that we must be cautious how we
NEEDLE with them. l presume he is as
badly frightened as any one. / need not
tell you that he Will be held strictly &C
countable if anything serious comes of
this; but | trust there will be nothing
Mrs. Trent has great courage.
Il dare say she will be better directly
observed Miss Fitz-Murray. Indeed, now
that they have recovered from their first
scare the company were inclined to rally
themselves and one another on the even
ing's sensation, and there was perhaps a
tendency to make Sallie the scapegoat of
the affair. Ii she had not interfered all
would have gone well. Some of the ladies.
who had been not far from fainting them
selves. whispered to one another that moth
AhB SlS0 W do " NC SAD6CLSu u a WOMAN
like that; she had taken advantage of Eav-
ing formerly been the owner of the house
to force herself upon the count (Who was
too polite to deny anybody anything), and
of course she had made an exhibition Of
herself. Meanwhile, General Bristowe
MIR. Roylance MIR. Montague Gossett and
other gentlemen were discussing the lug
Elery performance, and had formulated at
least two theories TO explain the whole
mystery. But all agreed that it was the
most astonishing thing ever witnessed
jE New York, and when DR.. Venab.es ap-
peaTed with Sallie on his arm looking
pale, but smiling and entrealing the gen
eral pardon for having so mis6ehaved, the
complexion of affairs resumed its former
geniality. The tables had been removed
the music stormed and palpibated, and the
people who danced began 10 look Ut one
another and beat time with toeir feet, as il
apparitions, wizards and bloody daggers
were but diverting preliminary to real
enjoyment. Society uniformly deprecates
serious views, and, if its spirits have been
dashed for moment, laughs the more
lightly the moment after.
But while the ball was at It's height Sal
lie took an opportunity to withdraw unob-
served, making q private signal to the
count as she aid so. tie followed her to
the eastroom, where for a moment they
were alone.
y
evening"" she said. Il can never forget
itn
1.-The pleasure has been mutual ;, re-
turned the count, bowling.
II feel that know you SO much better
than | did before l came here . Sallie CON
Inued. Before you had seemed mysteri-
Gus ana enigmatical; you were something
like d prince in fairy tale; you might
undergo transformation at any moment
into hobgoblin or a wisp of straw, But
now-well-now 1:think there can never
again be any doubl between us as to our
true relations to each otheI"
81 am glad TO hear you say so, y RESPONDED
the count courteously.
Salie eyed him for moment, and then
stepped close in front of him, changing her
tone OF polished sarcasm to one of intense
earnestness. II can be good friend and q
good enemy she said. "You have nearly
everything that a man could wish for
Count dc Isle, but if you had twice as
Eluch il would still be worth your while to
make woman like me your friend And
J am ready to Join hands with you on any
terms you propose. What motive can Won
possibly have to antagoniZe me? l have
done you no harm. If L have harmed any
friend of yours 1t was unknowingly, and I
am willing to make reparation Gomez
shall we be allies. Am L so repulsiveF,
Sallie certainly did not look SO at that
moment. There was something, not an
gelically, but superhumanly attractive in
her eyes and aspect. To see her now was
10 understand how some women rise to the
highest points of social or political emil
hence with nothing but themselves to help
them-themselve or the devil Beauty.
brains and utter unscrupulousness In com
bination make a dangerous power before
which the strongest men have weakened.
The count looked at Sallie, and as he did
SO he removed his gold trimmed eye glasses.
This altered his appearance not little.