Mexico weekly ledger., 1891-12-24

peared.
| "Step over to the corner" said her
! mistress, "and tell Mr.. Garcia / want
him."
| The Iuaid went out, and moment
after the count heard the street door
close.
/ II am sensitive on some points" Sallie
observed, land you hurt my feelings. l
am building no house of cards, Count de
Lisle; am perfectly in earnest, and l am
not so childish as to attempt to fight you
with shadows-as you fought me? As to
! your insinuation about my purchase of
your friend, will not deny it; you shall
judge for yourself. 1t is your doubt of
my intelligence that gals me-not, of
course, the other insult!'
/ The count made no reply. The point
had been passed with him where words
that We're not also acts seemed worth
uttering. He continued to gaze with
certain gloomy curiosity at Sallie. In
heart more savage and cruel than wild
beast, in morality Faustina-and all
this incarnated in gentle, low voiced.
patrician hammered beauty.
| Sirens in Tophet must be like her;
and that she was a woman was almost
| enough to damn the whole sex. She
was not restless under his gaze; she in
| vited him to take some tea, and on his
maintaining his silence she poured out
another cup for herself, favored it,
| tasted it, altered it, and finally, when it
suited her, drank it. just as the door
opened to admit Garcia
| You know the Count de Lisle, Gar
| cia," said Sallie in her musical tones
| He wishes you to tell him where Olym-
| pia Raven is, so that he may go and res
cue her. You know the reward he offers
ten million dollars, is it not? On the
| other hand, | tell him that unless he
| agrees to certain very unreasonable con-
ditions of mine will have the girl killed
| The count has been kind to you. You
| know best whether or not 1 have been
kind. Have you the heart to let that
poor innocent girl perish, when by a word
| you can save her, ruin me, and do your
self the highest service? Tell the count
plainly and relieve his suspense"
Garcia turned to the count and gave
| him dark, Indifferent look, as if there
were in him no instinct of human broth
erhood.
"You had better do as she wishes" he
said in a cold tone. 'She has the power
to do what she threatens, and she will
carry it out if you defy her."
''Do you know where Olympia Raven
Isl" said the count.
| 'Yes; l charmed her there. You can
never find her. Attempt no such folly
Comply at once or it will be too late
She cannot survive indefinitely in her
present state"
"What do you mean by that?" said the
count, with a note of horror in his voice
''She has been in the trance from the
first" replied Garcia. "She is of deli
cate organization, and she is sinking
every hour"
"You see, my dear count" said Sa1lie
with soft laugh, chow injudicious you
were to distrust me. If you had met me
| frankly and cordially all might have
been settled by this time. Of course you
know that Garcia alone can awaken
Olympia from her trance, and that he
has only to refrain from awakening her
: to cause her death. Are you satisfied?
like to see and question:"
"What do you want?' demanded the
count; 81 am at your service"
'After all, think what you are doing
Sallie said. "Why not let the girl die
and forget her? There are many others
! in the world more beautiful and desir
able. Will you for the sake of this frail
creature, who may die next week in any
case, put yourself absolutely in the
power of your worst enemy? Think bet
! ter of it, Count de Lisle."
| 81 entreat you to have some mercy!"
"The Count do Lisle entreats me for
mercy! This is a new role, indeed, for
him to play" she exclaimed, in mock
admiration. did you not tell me half
an hour ago that you were desperate
man-with a revolver, too! And you
entreat me-Sallie Matchin-the forger
! the murderess, the courtesan who buys
men with her favors-you entreat me
for mercy! Where is your self respect
my dear COUNT
"Garcia, will you do nothing"
ooh, this is too bad!" exclaimed Sallie
"You ought to be protected against your
self! You are excited, and don't realize
what you are about. Haven't the heart
to take advantage of you. Take my ad
vice: Have me arrested for my crimes;
am sure to be convicted, and then you
are rid of me forever. Olympia will be
dead, but what Of that! The world will
be at your feet. Your path will be clear
There will be no limit to your ambition
Come. be man! Say the word, Here
/ am, ready for the scaffold. / could
not escape you if would. Will not the
pleasure of witnessing my death agony
compensate you for sentimental pang
or two2"
"That is enough,ss = interposed Garcia
| gloomily. HE cannot suffer any more
Get the papers and let him sign them
You have had your amusement"
He spoke with an air of authority
that gave new aspect to his mysterious
| character. The man seemed to change
his individuality as easily as ordinary
men change their clothes.
"Well," said Sallie with sigh, what
Solomon said is true, Though you bray
a fool in mortar, yet will not his folly
depart from himf will get the papers
Meanwhile do you tell him the purport
of them"
She left the room, and Garcia turned
| to the count, who sat white and trem
! bling in his chair.
| "You are to be brought back to the
| station in life from which you rose,s
said he. 1.-THE deeds which You are to
sign transfers your property to others
| You will execute a paper stating your
| true name and confessing that you are
! the murderer of Harry Trent. This will be
used against you in case you should at
tempt to recover what you have sur
rendered. In other words, your Efe as
/ well as your fortune will hereafter be at
the disposal of this woman. Are you
contenty'
'H Olympia il saved I am content
answered the other.
"She win be conveyed this afternoon
to your house on Long Island, said Gar
cia "You win go there not earlier than
FIVE o'clock Tomorrow you and she
win leave this country. never to return
Your departure viii be satisfactorily &C
counted for. Such are the conditions
Do You clearly understand and unre-
serYedly accept themT
F<vr<x