Omaha daily bee., 1891-02-20

THE one you are wearing for the
mask ball?"
Isn't that sufficient?"
"Well, it depends"
AND l haven't your consent after
all?'
YES, Yes; all right. Only who is to
| be the first to disarm?"
Naturally the stronger one."
(Which is?"
| "You. -
Then do you allow yourself to be the
| weaker?n
"Well, men always regarded women
| as the weaker?"
80! then l will begin"
Il am all ear"
'In truth I'm no such an egotst as I
| appear. to be. "
"And you doolove somebody else be-
| side yourself?"
| II have loved"
| "Your Azor."
| "A girl who was not worthy of my
| love-"
WAS she untrue to you?"
'She never loved me, therefore she
| could not be false to me"
And have you never loved another?"
Il never found another"
| Whom it was impossible for you to
| love?n
mo, not that; but no one who was
capable of loving me unselfshly.o
How do you paint to yourself such
love?n
Il demand that the one who loves me
shall forget everything and sacrifice
| everything fol me-her family, her am
| bitiOn, the whole world-all that is dear
| to her. l demand that she shall be
wholly absorbed in this love and surren-
der herself to it unhesitajingly, and
even though it draw down upon her
only sorrow and suffering , sl'd he
growing more impassioned with each
word.
"And what will you offer her in re-
turn for all this?' she asked, scornfully.
Nothing"
Certainly that isn't much, and have
you ever asked yourself worthy
of such love?' i
''If were worthy of it then there
would be no merit and no sacrifice in
! this love-"
Ibid not your beloved one consent to
| these demandsp'
1--WE already told you that she never
loved me-"
And have you ceased to love her?"
30, long ago"
''And hate her now?n
Hate! that is too much-for her: she
has simply passed out of existence for
me-"
Don't you care ever to see her
again?'
mo, not in the least, but let us drop
thi S tiresome theme; my confession is
| ended; l have unmasked myself Now
| it is your turn" he said, as he drew her
aside almost by main force.
| Slowly, you'll pull my arm out of
| joint, she whispered, and seated herself
on couch standing near, while ne fol-
lowed her example.
Now it is your turn,' herepeat ed i'm
patiently.
Not yet-you have not yet told me
| IL; you love affair interests me-" said
| he, as she pulled off one of her gloves
| because of the heat.
| What more do you want to know"
| he asked almost angrily.
II want to know what has become of
her who has ceased TO exist for you."
''You demand too much and overstep
the limits of the conditions we agreed
| upOn-the result"
| What is the result?"
| THE treaty is broken"
| And you will not tell me anything
| more about her?"
| mo, for it is superfluous and has moth
| ing to do with what we are talking
| about"
| ''Ho! you've BETRAYED yourself, thought
| less fellow" and the mask laughed
scornfully.
II don't understand you."
1.-The memory of the faithless one is
| not Indifferent to you. You love her
| STILL"
snow it is my turn to laugh. Your
suspicion after all have said, beautiful
mask, amuses me-"
| IF it is really true, then, convince me
| by telling me everything"
rs the matter of so much Importance
to your"
"Perhaps."
Good, then-aslS and I'll answer" he
| said resignedly.
| What has become OF her?"
'She Is married."
''To whomW 1g.-
''To man thirty years older than her.
self but rich"
"How old was she?"
Eighteen years"
'Forty-eight and eighteen. The diff
| ference is not SO very great-perhaps
| she loved him." 500 "a
''She was incapable OF loving any,
body" he ejaculated with fury.
You know her better, therefore I
will not contest the matter with YOU"
But tell me the reason your engage
| ment was broken off"
The loss of my property"
Did this happen through your own
| fault?'' issI
Through the undue confidence I
placed in the honesty Of man."
Did you discuss the separation 2ith
herr"
mo; it was enough that heard her
say all was over between u.s."
And you had no objection to fer t
her decisionY'
II was too proud to make any,"
"Where is she now?"
probably with ner count in Paris. +"
"Ah, then she is a countess? That les
sens her guilt"
"Do you think SOP"
"Of course-for how often people sac
rltce love to an empty title. Why
shouldn't one sacrifice his hand for
understanding nameg"
"Curious philosophy"
Women philosophy, isn't it?'
"Of course-bnt enough of this-I have
now told all and it is your turn"