The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1891-09-11
ar. u,,c o1rru,ueur NC aouru, snr11rng.

acter-I have no talent in that way-and
/ really don't know whether 1 am just
like other people Or not If seeing very
few people can make me peculiar, l
ought to be So"
"My own experience" observed the
count, after pause, "has made me pre-
fer the realities of life to any shows.
When / asked you to come here and help
me feared you would refuse. Most
women would have done so, because they
are either fools who do not think or cow
ards who dread critics, Your husband
was murdered in this house three years
ago tonight. Even to this day it is IN
known who struck the blow"
mo, count, must correct you there"
interposed she, slightly disturbed, for the
counts manner was strangely emphatic,
and the topic upon which he had fallen
was not. after all, an attractive one.
"There was no doubt about who com
mitted the crime. There was no mys-
terry"
mo? And was the true criminal pun
ished?"
Eyes; so far as the jury was con-
cerned. But he did not live to serve out
his But, really, my dear sir" she
broke off, laughing, 1--WE must not spend
our valuable time discussing these
things. 1t will not help our guests to
enjoy themselves"
81 will say, however, what was in my
mind, "rejoined he, regarding her gravely.
30 &c
you better, madame; but no friendship
can be secure which is liable to the open
ing Of skeleton closets. l wish to have
your assurance that you have no secret
horror Of this place on account of what
was done here? You do not fear to see
specters? You do not scent blood in the
air? In a word, madame, you are not
superstitious-you do not believe that
the influences of an evil deed are. to be
felt more in one place than another?
That the ghost Of your husband, or of
the man who was condemned as his
murderer, is more likely to confront you
in this house than anywhere else?"
''Why do you say these things to me,
Count de Lisle?" she asked, leaning back
in her chair and regarding him between
her narrowed eyelids. do you think it
is quite considerate? am not of hys-
teric temperament, but if 1 have any
nerves, you are not taking the best
means to soothe them; and what has my
late husband to do with our acquaint-
ance or with this dinner? | am not su-
perstitious; don't believein ghosts. lac
cepted your invitation to come here be-
cause l wanted to come; | wanted to
greet the first guests who came to Harry
Trent's house. 1t the time of his death
he was planning Il reception here, and if
il hal taken rlGCe 7 sb0Ull have been
the Aoa,-ss. Oar marriage, as you may
have heard, was secret one. I had felt
for long time the injustice of zly posi-
ton, and l looked forward very eagerly
to that reception in cur own house as
public recognition and acceptance. In
stead Of that l was forced to tell my
own story in a courtroom.
cit was more of a disgrace than vim
dication. Now, after years have passed,
and | have kept to myself, your request
appeared to me in the light of long de-
layed opportunity. Society here knows
that this house has just passed from my
hands to yours, and 1 am glad to be able
to stand here beside you tonight and
say 1T was mine to give, and gave itv
l do not mind their criticisms. l have
the means and the power to take my
place in New York society, and tonight
my new life begins. If / meet with
some antagonists, SO much the better; it
will make life more interesting. don't
wish to stagnate in success any more
than in failure. | have sometimes
thought that l should value deadly
enemy more than the dearest friend.
War is wholesome. Well" she added,
in different voice, rising and standing
before him with smile, "what do you
think of me?"
81 was not mistaken in you" said the
count, nodding his head amusingly. 81
ask forgiveness for my discourtesy and
brutality, but do not regret it, since it
has moved you to speak as you have
done. There is something akin in US,
madame; we may perhaps find some
means of rendering life more interesting
for each other. But am not going to
bore you any further at present Come
and see what l have done to make the
house pretty"
The lower rooms of the house were so
arranged that when the sliding doors
were withdrawn they seemed to consti-
tute single large hall, interrupted by
massive, irregular pillars rising from
the polished floor to the ceiling. AS you
moved from one point of view to an
other the scene took ON new changes of
beauty, the tone of the decorations in
clined to a warm depth of hue, against
which stood out here and there delicate
shafts and arcs of brighter color. Lamps
in jeweled shades hung here and there,
looking themselves like pendant Jewels,
but the main illumination of the rooms
came through the frieze, which was of
semi-transparent sheets of alabaster and
other oriental marbles, cut as thin as
panes of glass, and lighted from within,
so as to appear self luminous. The
ceilings of the rooms had been covered
with white and pink roses, arranged in
geometrical figures. The house. though
kept at summer temperature, was per