San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-05-26


brain? Was she roaming about. poor
child, like 0phelia, knowing not whittier
she went, and was her apparent gaiety
the fantastic mirth of disordered brain?
l shuddered at the idea-and bending
slightly apart the boughs behind which
was secreted / looked out anxiously.
Two figures were slowly approaching
my wife and my friend Guido Ferrari.
Well there was nothing in
that-it was as it should be
was not Guido as my brother?
1t was almost his duty to console and
cheer Nina as much as lay in his power
but stay! stay
did l see aright?-she was
simply leaning on his arm for support
or fierce oath, that was
almost a cry of torture, broke from my
lips! Oh, would to God | had died!
Would to God / had never broken
open the coffin in which l lay at peace!
What was death-what were the horrors
Of the vault-what was anything l had
suffered to the anguish that racked me
now? The memory of it to this day burns
in my brain like inextingushable fire,
and my hand involuntarily clenches it.
self in an effort to beat back the furious
bitterness of that moment! | know not
how / restrained the murderouS ferocity
that awoke within mellow | forced
myself to remain mOtionless and silent
in my hiding place. But did, watched
the miserable comedy ont to it's end |
looked dumbly on at my own betrayal /
saw my honor stabbed TO the death by
those whom | most trusted, and yet |
gave no sign! They-Guido Ferrari and
my wife--came so close to my hiding
place that | could note every gesture and
hear every word they uttered. They
paused within three steps Of me-his arm
encircled her waist-hers was thrown
carelessly around his neck-her head
rested on his shoulder.
Even so had she walked with me thou
sand times She was dressed in pure
white save for one spot of deep color
near her heart-a red rose, as red as
blood. 1t was pinned there
with diamond pin that flashed in the
moonlight. l thought wildly, that in
stead of that rose, there should be blood
indeed,-instead of diamond pin there
should be thegood steel of straight dag.
ger! Butt had no weapon-I stared at her,
dry eyed and mute. She looked lovely
exqisitey lovely! No trace of grief
married the fairness of her face-her eyes
were as languidly limpid and tender as
ever-her lips were parted in the child
like smile that was so sweet-so limo.
Gently trustful! She spoke-ah, heaven
the old bewtChing music of her low
voice made my heart leap and my brain
reel.
You foolish Guido!" she said in
dreamily amused accents. ''What woulC
have happened, wonder, If Fabio had
not died so Opportunely?"
WAITED eagerly for the answer. Guide
laughed lightly.
''He would never have discovered any
thi"E. You were too clever for him,
piccinina! Besides, his conceit saved
him-he had so good an opinion of him.
self that he would not have deemed il
possible for you to care for any other
man."
My wife--nawless diamond-pearl OF
pure wOmanhoOd! - sighed half rest.
lessly.
II am glad he is dead!" she muir
INJURED: ''but, Guido, MIC, you are i'm
prudent. You cannot visit me now SC
Often-the servants will talk! Then |
must go into mourning for at least six
things to consider" Guido's
hand played with the ieweled necklace
she wore - he bent and kissed
the place where its central pen
dant rested. Again-again, good sir,
pray you! Let no faint scruples inter
fere with your rightful enjoyment!
Cover the white flesh with CarcSScS-it is
public property! dozen
kisses more or less will not signify So
mady thought as crouched among the
treeS-the tgerish wrath within me max
ing the blood beat in my head like
hundred hammer strokes.
NAY then, my love-" he replied to
her, lit is almost pity FabiO is dead!
While he lived he played an excellent
part as a SCreen--he was an unconscious
but vertable duenna of proprietv for
both of us, as no one else could be!''
The bOughS that covered me Creaked |
and rustled. My wife started and looked |
uneaSily around her.
"HuSh!" she said nervously. "Hc was |
buried only yesterday-and they say |
there are ghosts sometimes. This |
avenue tool wish we had not come |
here-it was his favorite walk. Be
sideS,' she added with slight accent |
of regret, latter all he was the father
of my child-yOu must think of that"
"By Heaven!" exclaimed Guido
fiercely, "do not think of it? Ay-and
[ curse him for every kiss he stole from
your lips!'
l listened half stupefied Here was a
new phase of the marriage law! Hus-
bands were thieves then-they "stole"
kisses; only lovers were honest in their
embracesl Oh, my dear frend my more
than brother-how near you were to
ieath at that moment! Had you but
'een my face peering pallidly through
he dusky leaves-could you have known
he force of the fury pent up within me