The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-05-31

lSlanQ saw MIN tney were plainly, yet pleas
urably shocked. But the women, young
and old. could not keep their eyes from his
face. Stayne, while watching him. thought
of TennyS0n's lines:
Lfker to the nhabitant
OF some cloar planet close upon the
Than our mans earth
CHAPTER ".
After while the Nomad brought them to
California shores. Chalc0 was in a way
changed by this time. lie had lost the
charming and delicate air of wildness which
had marked him at first. He had become, as
it were, more earthly" His new cOnyen-
tional garb suited him far better than
Stayne had expected. When at last he had
grown able, with his almost miraculous ia
cility, to master the English tongue there
was an element of peculiar diversion for his
auditor in the regret with which he spoke of
his thwarted schemes.
''GolordOn," he said, suppose that you
would send me back 10 him. He hardly
doubted that in your world science had
gained the same Roadway which it possessed
in ours. He and thousands of others are
awaiting me-"
And you wish to return ?" asked Stayne
No l am cOntented herewith you"
"ChalcO, you are not cOntented," replied
Stayne. placing hand OH his shoulder
you are secretly miserable"
81 remember Alaria," he responded,
dropping his head.
'Our women are none of them so fair as
this Alara OF y0nrs?" asked Stayne, when
they had been for some little time on the
California coast and were about TO dismiss
the yacht prior to travelling eastward by an
inland course.
mo; they are almost ugly to me-"
ChalcO answered. Il do not know if you
can understand"
81 do understand" said Sfayne, when ]
look at you and realize how you surpass ali
earthly men both in mind and body"
Stayne at last had found something to in
tereSt him. The society of ChalcO was an
ncessant intoxication Wherever they went
together his superb personnel woke adm ira
tion, delight. Stayne introduced him as
Mr.. Chalcott, relative who has spent
many years among the PolyneSian Islands"
Remembering his own madness, and the ex-
treme improbability of Chalcatts history,
this course to the young American wanderer
seemed much the wiSest Meanwhile a GER
tain idea had entered Stayne's head. They
fingered only a short time in New York after
reaching it. At a supper Of fashionable men
and women which Stayne gave in the me-
trOpols, and at which Chalco, with his in
secure yet engaging English and his modlsh.
becoming dress. took the whole company by
storm, a lady of famed taste and social dis
tinction murmured in his ear:
This cousin of yours is an enchantment
| have never seen so wondr0usly handsome
a man. We women are all at his feet. Blu!
he does not care for us. That is plain. He
is like a god-like some one from another
sphere. LIS as though he had come from
another sphere aud loved a woman there
or a goddess-whom he cannot forget"
will she have the same feelingY thought
Stayne, whose mind was concerning itself
with Nine. d'Autrevile.
When, a fortnight later, they reached
Paris. the winter season was at its gayPst
height. Stavne brought his friend into the
salon of the Duchesse. She was radiantly
handsome as ever. and quite as coldly so.
He watched her intently as she spoke with
Chalco. He saw change creep over her
manner. Suitors, as usual, surrounded her,
put she turned 10 Chalco with novel
spark OF interest In her brown eyes,
deeDened sweetness in her fTigid
smile. Time went on and soon all Paris was
talking of Nine. d 'Autrevlle's grande pas
sion. She mace it almost public; she
seemed like woman drunk with infatua-
ton. Stayne often accompanied ChalcO
when he visited the Hotel d Autreville. but
not always. He was secretly triumphant,
vet not at all cOntented. One day be said to
ChalcO:
"You are the rage here, as they call it.
And yet everybody thinks you unhappy"
/ am" was the answer.
You desire to return?"
No. Why should /? She is forbidden
to me-"
"And Nine GAutrevIIleP pursued
Stayae. There is a woman who has never
loved living man till she looked upon you.
Have you no real regard for her2"
None"
Stayne laughed. go and tell her so,'
he said.
81 have told her so, was the reply.
StaYne started terribly. You have!"
he exclaimed "When?"
This morning" returned Chalco, with a
loss of his poetic head. II vas in her
b0udoir. as you call it, She suddenly burst
into tears. 1t was very strange. | could
do nothing nothing but smile and speak
the truth. She was like statue that mel Is
from marble into flesh. She flung herself
at my feet. Well" he fnishei, 81 left her
very unhappy and very disturbed
During these words Stayne had felt him
self growing CHASTITY pale. Here was his
victory Hortense d'Autrevle had been
conquered at last But a sudden transport
inconsistent, idle, absurd, as he clearly
realized.
"You-you have been very kind and COM
PLEASANT to me, " he tried to say calmly, yet
not knowing just what he really said. Eyes,
your-yOur acceptance of the situation.
have told of your orIgin-you might have
spoken OF -"
He paused in horror, for Chalco had
abruptly drawn a small, keen dagger from
his breast. AID now thrust II into his heart.
AS the splendid young creature fell, self
murdered before him, Stayne sprang to his
side.
'Chalcow he shouted. ''What have you
dOne?"
IL was tired Of 1t ALL" came the gasped
answer OF the dying man. You were 6
true friend, but Alara haunted me so! /
| cannot live without her, and so die sor-
rowing for herW
When the gossip and CONSERVATION OF
"Mr ChalcOtt's" suicide were at their height,
Stayne went to Hortense d'Autreville.
He found her tremul0us, tortured wi til
anguish.
SO" he said to her, "you have loved at
last"
Eyes, yes" she faltered. "Why did he
kill himself? You know. Tell me-"
He loved another woman, who was lost
to him forever" Stayne answered, and
turned on his heel and left her.
This was the revenge of Aubrey Stayne.
But it brought him no consolation. Does
any revenge ever do that2 AS for the
secret of Chalco's origin, he religiously kept
it through the rest of his life. Why should
he not have done So To tell what he knew.
without shred OF proof for his support,
would simply have made him the jest of the
Implying skeptics.
|
DIR. Talmage Smiled Broadly.
Upon street-car the other day couple
of yOung women began talking n hout ilr