, 1891-10-31

WAS 4 WHO lLIllCltu Nv hJdAl Luz
AVE repented, and wish you to forgive
me. You are in the way of greater pros
perity thar l could have given you. Can
not you afford to be generous?'
81 know you better now than l did
then" said Garcia.
I'm not going to defend myself" she
returned. Let the worst be true, if
YOU will, / am still the same woman
that you knew, except that experience
has made me wiser. The ambitions that
| had then are gone forever. l recognize
my mistakes-and my greatest mistake!"
she added in a lower tone, looking him
meaningly in the eyes. 'If l had been
true to you l should not stand, as l do
now, in hourly danger of my liberty and
even of my life"
1T is too late to think of that now"
said he. II regret nothing"
mo; why should you? On the con-
trary, you may thank me for having
acted toward you as 1 did, for otherwise
you would now be entangled with me
a woman whom you lever really loved,
but who had infatuated you. Ny feel
ing toward you was more genuine thar
yours for me, though in my selfshness /
betrayed you. And it is the same now
that it was when l still deserved your
preference"
"Are You trying to lime me AGAIN.
said Garcia, his face ~darkening.
well, l can't blame your suspicious"
she rejoined, with a half sigh. II am a
fool to subject myself to them. But i
am sure of one thing-no one will ever
know you as 1 do. You have not told
this new ally of yours who you really
are. He thinks that you are the poor
wandering thing that you choose to APP
pear. He does not know the social dig
nifty that you might assume if you
would. | have been your only conidant,
and you will never nave another. l
nave beer TO you what no one else can
ever be. You cannot deny it, and the
only satisfaction left me in life is that it
is so. When are you going to have me
arrested?'
THAT is not for me to say" he replied,
biting his lips.
She put her hand upon his arm. The
touch was light, but he felt it to the
marrow of his bones.
"If it is to be done" said she in a muir
muir, 'let it be done by you. 1 could
bear ruin that came from you-but not
from any other!'
"Ah, yes; you think l cannot do it?~
said he, scarce audibly.
sit is 30 much to ask-for the woman
you have lovedf"
He turned away and took a step as if
to depart. go, them" she said with u
sigh.
He turned to her again. II am a fool
and a villain" he said. Where can i
see your"
"Come to me tonight" she replied;
I'VE shall be alone"
That evening Garcia was expected at
the Bannicks' house, but he did not come.
His absence was scarcely noted. The
lovers had enough to think of in each
other. He has been looking rather
under the weather lately" remarked the
count. II suppose he is taking a rest"
They intended after the ceremony to
take a trip to southern California, where
the count thought of buying some land,
and they would be back in New York in
June, by which time the summer dwell
ing on Long Island would have been
completed. Here their estate extended
across the island, from the sound to the
SEQ a region twenty miles long by ten
miles in width. The house was erected
within a mile of the place where once
stood the hut in which Keppel Darke
had passed a memorable night. The
hut had been removed, but the swamp
still remained.
The wedding breakfast was to be given
in the Fifth avenue house. Olympia
was to proceed to the church from the
Bannicks, and in their company, and
would there be met by the bridegroom.
Mrs. Raven decided not to be present at
the wedding. She would bid her daugh-
ter farewell at the breakfast, and would
take up her quarters at the Fifth emu
house during their absence. These de
tails were all settled by the night of
April 80, and at that time the lovers
babe each other good night for the last
time. Thereafter they would part no
more. 1t was a happy good night; nc
shadow rested upon it. A life of sum
shine lay before them.
Olympia slept soundly and was up be-
times. She was in an exalted mood; her
eyes deep with sweet reveries: she hum
med songs to herself in a minor key; she
hardly seemed conscious of her surround
ings; her heart and mind were elsewhere.
Mrs. Bannick helped her dress and put
the finishing touches to her packing.
They were to be at the church at eleven.
Everything was ready by ten. There was
nothing to do but wait. Olympia had
been growing more and more distracted.
She looked pale, and her friend coun-
seled her to lie down for half an hour.
Olympia nodded assent, went into her
room and closed the door. Mrs. Bannick,
a careful housekeeper, went to the kit
chen to give her orders for the day. At
ten forty-ive the carriage was announc-
ed. She tapped at Olympia's door, but
there was no answer. She opened the
door and looked in, saying, at is time,
my dearl" But no one answered. The
room was empty, nor was Olympia any
where in the house.
1t took some time to establish this fact,
but Mrs. Bannick was not easily fright
ened, and, though making every effort
to find Olympia, did not permit herself
, to believe any harm. If she was not in
the house she must have left it v~olunta
rily-so much seemed certain. The
apartment house in which their fiat wa,
contained a dozen other fats, at all OF