Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1891-09-12
BY MARIE. CoRELLI.
CHAPTER xxx.

ments OF clear light, hours OF long
darkness-all things gross, refined, ma
terial and spiritual were shaken up In
my life like the fragments In a kalcido-
scope. ever changing into new form and
bewildering patterns. My brain was clear
yet often questioned myself whether
was not going mad-whether all the
careful mcthodical plans l formed were
but the hazy fancies OF hopelesslY
dlsordercd mind. Yet, no; each detail
OF my scheme was too complete, too con-
sistent, too business-like for that. A
mailman may have method OF action to
n certain extent, but there is always
some slight slip, some omission, some
mistake which helps to discover his con-
dition. Now ! forgot nothing had
the composed exactitudc OF careful
banker who balances his accounts with
the most elaborate regularity. can
laugh TO think Of 1t all now; but them
then moved, spoke and acted like
human machine impelled by stronger
forces than my own-in all things pre-.
else, in all things inIlexible.
Within the week Of my return from
Avellino my coming marriage with the
Countess Roman was announced. Two
days after 1t had been made public,
while sauntering across the Largo
del CASTILLO, met the Marquis
DAvencourt. had not seen him
since the morning OF the duel, and his
presence gave me q sort Of nervous
shock. He was exceedingly cordial,
though fancied he was also slightly
embarrassed After q few common.
place remarks he said abruptly:
$50 your marriage will positively take
placer"
forced laugh.
ma certamente! Do you doubt it?"
His handsome face clouded and his
manner grew still more constrained.
mo; but thought had hoped"
''Mon cher" said airly, II perfectly
understand to what you allude But we
men OF the world are not iastidious,-|
we know better than to pay any heed to
foolish love.fancies OF woman before
her marriage, so long as she does not
trick US afterwards The letters you
sent me were trifles, mere
tribes In wedding the Contessa
Ronani I assure you be-
live secure the most virtuous
as well as the most lovely woman In
Europe" And / laughed again heart.
lily.
D'Avencourt looked .,uzzled; but he
was o punctilious man. md knew how
to steer clear Of delic,..e subject He
smiled.
IA Ia bonnie heure," Re said-'T wish
you Joy with all my heart! A minuit,
tous les chats sont girls! You are the
best Judge of your own happiness; as for
me-vivs IL libertO!"
And with gay parting salute he left
me. No one else in the city appeared to
share his foreboding scruples, II he had
any, about my forthcoming marriage. 1t
was everywhere talked Of with as much
interest and expectation as though
II were some new amusement invented
to heighten the merriment Of Car
nival. Among other things, earned
the reputation Of being most impatient |
lover, for nov would consent to no de-
lays hurried oil the preparations on
with feverish precipitation. had very
little difaculty In persuading Nina that
the sooner our wedding took place the
better; she was TO tn .all as eager as
myself, q READY TO rHsh on TO her own
destruction as Guild had been. Her
chief passion was i"arice, and the re-
peetod rum0urs Of H.. supposed fabulous
wealth had aroused / r greed from the
vary moment she haG first met me In my
assumed character oil the Count Olivia.
As soon as her engagement to me be-
came known in Naples, she was an OBJ
ject Of envy to all those of her own sex
who, during the previous autumn, had
laid cut their store OF destinations to en-
trap me In vain-and this made her
perfectly happy. Perhaps the
Supremest satisfaction Q woman OF
this sort can attain to Is the
fact Of making her less fortunate sis
ters discontinued and miserablel
loaded her Of course with the costliest
gifts, and she, being the sole mistress OF
the fortune left her by her ''late hus-
band" as we'll as Of the unfortunate
Guido's money, set no limits to her ex-
travagance She ordered the most ex-
pensive and elaborate costumes; she
was engaged morning after morning
with dressmakers, tailors and milliners,
and she was surrounded by . certain
.'set" Of female friends, for whose bene-
nt she displayed the incoming treasures
of her wardrobe till they were ready to
cry for spite and vexstion, though they
had TO smile and hold In their wrath and
outraged vanity beneath the social mask
Of complacent comp0sureL And Nina
loved nothing better than TO torment
the poor women who were stinted Of
pocket money with the sight Of simmer
Ing satinS, soft radiant plushes, rich
Volvets. embroidery studded with real
gems, pieces Of costly old lace,
priceless scents and articles Of btjou-
tsrie; she loved also TO daEIle the eyes
and bewilder the brains Of young girls,
whose finest toilette was garb OF sim
plest white stuff unadorned save by q
cluster Of natural blossoms, and to send
them awsY ack at heart pininR for thew