San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-07-21

! "What! no love words for me?" l
cried, mot one kiss. not one smile, not
one word of welcome? You say you
know Newell, are you not glad to see
your husband?-You,-who were such
an inconsolable widow!"
A strange culver passed over her face
she wrung her hands together hard,
but she said no word.
"Listen!" / said, "there is more to
tell. When l broke loose from the
| grasp Of death, when l came home,-I
Sound my vacant post already occupied.
/ arrived in time to witness very pretty
pastoral play. The scene was the lick
avenue-the actors, you, my wife, and
| Guido, my friend!'
She raised her head and uttered low
exclamation of fear. l advanced
step or two and spoke more rapidly.
''You hear? There was moonlight,
and the song of nightingales, yes; the
stage effects were perfect! 1 watched
the progress of the comedv.-with what
emotions you may imagine. learned
much that was new to me. l became
aware that for lady of your large heart
and sensitive feelings one husband was
not sufficient, here l laid my hand on
her shoulder and gazed into her face,
while her eyes, dilated with ter
ror, stared hopelessly up to mine,-
land that within three little months Of
your marriage to me you provided your
self with another. Nay, no . de-
NAL can serve you! Guido Ferrari was
husband to you in all things but the
name. l mastered the situation, rose
to the emergency. Trick for trick, COM
edy for comedy! You know the rest.
As the Count Olivia you cannot deny that
l acted well! For the second time I
courted you, but not half so eagerly as
you courted me! For the second time 1
have married you! Who shall deny that
you are most thoroughly mine-mine,
body and soul, till death do us part!''
And loosened my grasp of her; she
wrthed from me like some glittering
wounded serpent The tears had dried
on her cheeks, her features were rigid
and waX-like as the features of corpse;
only her dark eyes shone, and those
seemed preternaturally large, and
CLEANED with an evil luStre. | moved
little away, and turning my own coffin
on its side, sat down upon it as indif-
ferently as though it were an easy chair
in drawing-room CHANGING at her
then, | saw wavering light upon her
face. Some idea had entered into her
mind. She moved gradually from the
wall where she leaned, watching me
fearfully as she did so. l made no at
tempt to stir from the seat occupied.
Slowly, slowly, still keeping her eyes
on me, she glided step by step onward
and passed me;-then with sudden
rush she reached the stair
way, and bounded up it with
the startled haste of d hunted
deer. smiled to myself! l
heard her shaking the iron gateway to
and fro with all her feeble strength; she
called aloud for help several times. Only
the sulen echoes OF the vault answered
her, and the wild whistle of the wind as
it Surged through the trees in the ceme-
terry. At last she screamed furiously as
savage cat might SCream-the rustic of
her silken robes came swiftly sweeping
down the steps, and with spring like
that of a young tigress she confronted
me, the sblOod now burning wrathfully
in her face, and transforming it back to
something OF its old beauty.
Unlock that door she cried with a
furious stamp of her foot Assassin!
traitor! hate you! l always hated you!
Unlock the door, l tell you! You dare
not dsobey me; you have no right to
murder me!'
looked at her coldly; the torrent of
her words was suddenly checked, some
thing in my expression daunted her; she
trembled and shrank back.
mo right!' | said mockingly. 81 diff
fer from you! A man once married has
some right over his wife, but man
twice married to the same woman has
surely gained double authority! And
as for dare nOtn there is nothing | dare
not do tonight"
And with that rose and approached
her. A torrenO of passionate indigna-
tiOn boiled in my veins; l seized her two
white arms and held her fast
You talk of murder!" l muttered
fercely. "You-yOu who have remorSe-
lessly murdered two men! Their blood
be on your head! For though 1 live,
am but the moving corpse of the man
was-hOpe, faith, happiness, peace, all
things good and great in me have been
slain by you. And as for Guido"
She Interrupted me with u wild Sob
bing cry.
HE loved mel Guido loved me!'
AYE, he loved you, oh, devil in the
shape of woman! he loved you! Come
here, here!" and in a fury l could not
restrain dragged her, almost lifted her
along TO one corner of the vBult, where
the light of the torches scarcely il
lumined the darkness, and there 1
pointed upwards. above our very
heads, TO the left of where we
stand. the brave, strong
body of your lover lies, fostering slowly
in the wet mould, thanks to you!
the fair, gallant beauty of it all
married by the red-mouthed wormS,-the
thick curlS of hair combed through by
the crawling feet of vile insects-the
poor frail heart pierced by gaping
wound :"