San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-07-07

Ouce what has happened"
Kiss h.,! So soon after kissing the
dead hanI of her lover? No, l could not
and would not, l remained standing
where | was, intleXibIy silent. She
glanced at me again, very timidly, and
~whimpered afresh.
"Ah, you do not love mel she
murmured. "You could not be
so stern and silent if you
loved me! If there is indeed any bad
news, you ought to break it to me
gently and kindly. thought you would
always make everything easy for me"
''Such has been my ~endeavour, mad
anne" | said, iaterrupting her com
plant. From your own statement,
judged that your adopted brother Guido
Ferrari had rendered himself obnox-
ious to you. | promised that would
| silence him-you remember? / have kept
my word. He is silenced. for
ever"
She started.
.'Silenced? How? Yon mean"
l moved away from my place behind
| her chair, and stood so that i faced her
as | spoke.
Il mean that he is dead"
See uttered a slight cry, not of sorrow
but OF wOnderment.
'.Dead!' she exclaimed. mot posi-
BILE! Dead! You lave killed him?"
l bent my head gravely. II killed
him-yes! But in open combat, openly
witnessed. Last night he insulted mt
grossly; we fought this morning. We
forgave each other before he died"
She listened attentively. A little COL
our came back into her cheeks.
"In what way did he insult you?" she
asked in q low voice.
l told her all. briefly. She still looked
anxious.
Did he mention my name?" she
asked.
| glanced at her troubled features in
profound contempt. She feared the
dying man might have made some con-
fession to me! l answered.
NO; not after our quarrel. But l
hear he went to your house to kill you!
Not finding you there, he only cursed
you"
She heaved a sigh of relief. She was
safe now, she thought. Her red lips
widened into a cruel smile.
What bad taste!' she said coldly.
"Why he should curse me | cannot i'm
aginel | have always been kind TO him
too kind" .
Too kind indeed! kind enough to be
glad when the object of all her kindness
was dead! For she was glad! | could
see that in the murderous glitter of her
eyes.
You are not sorry?" l inquired, with
an air of pretended surprise.
Sorry? Not at all Why should l
be? He was a very agreeable friend
while my husband was alive to keep him
in order, but after my poor FabiO's
death, his treatment of me was quite I'M
bearable."
Take care, beautiful hypocrite! take
care! Take care lest yOur poor
Fabio's'' fingers should suddenly nip
your slim throat with a ~COnvulsive
twitch that means death! Heaven only
knows how | managed to keep my hands
off her at that moment! Why, any grow
elling beast of the tield had more feeling
than this wretch whom | had made my
wife! Even for Guido's sake-such are
the strange Inconsistencies of the human
heart-I could have slain her then. But
l restrained my fury; l steadied my voice
and said calmly
Then l was mistaken? l thought
you would be deeply grieved, that my
news would shock and annoy you
= greatly, hence my gravity and apparent
, GOODNESS. But it seems l have done
well?'
She sprang up from her chair like g
pleased child and flung her arms arOunC
I my neck.
I you are brave, you are brave!" she
! exclaimed, in a sort Of eXultatiOn. You
= could not have done otherwise! He in
L Snltpn ynu onH unn killaH him That
n was right! l love you all the more fol-
being such a man of hOnOur!'
= | looked down upon her in loathing
aud disgust. Honour! Its very name
e was libelled coming from her lips. She
} did not notice the expression on my face;
she was absorbed, excellent actress as
she was, in the part she had chosen to
= play.
And so you were dull and sad be-
cause you feared to grieve me! Poor
Cesarer' she said in childlike caresisng
accents, such as she could assume when
} she chose. But now that you see | am
not unhappy, you will be cheerful again.
!, Yes? Think how much l love you, and
how happy we will be! And see, you
have given me such lovely jewels, sc
many Of them too, that | scarcely dare
e offer you such a trifle as this; but as il
q really belonged to Fabio, and to Fabio's
4 1 father whom you knew, l think you
L ought to have it. viii you take it anC
y yea it to please me?" and she slipped
on my finger the diamond signet,-m!
own ring.
l could have laughed aloud!
Ie but bent my head gravely as l accepted
lie it.
"OnlY as a proof of your affection
" cara mia" l said, Though it has a ter
rlble association for me. | took it from
Ferrari's hand when
i'd