Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1892-02-08

sUit Dusu suauss. nsary vui.Ains iei,
before the window. There was an invit
ing air OF quietude and repose about the
place. She wore wrapper OF soft, cling
ing stuff. She smiled as she greeted US,
and held out her hand. II lay in mine
for an instant--soft and warm.
"Yes, now l may relax" she said, In
reply to a remark of Chesley's. Then TO
me: "This hour after the play at night is
the only one cut of the twenty-four that
my conscience allows me 10 call my own,
you know"
"Thcn q professional breaker Of hearts
really has conscience now and thenY'
Chesley ventured.
She laughed softly. She had thrown q
heavy cloak carelessly over chair, and
sat leaning languidly back against it.
Then noticed how dark her eyes were,
for the first time.
"Well, perhaps not" she replied "My
health, then, limits me 10 this little hour.
l have an astonishing antipathy to dying,
you know"
"Curious coincidence. So have l."
Chesley said. "Don't talk of dying It's
a gloomy subject"
"Yes Suppose we wash away all
knowledge OF IL in glass of wineln
She rose and passed into the next ROOM
She returned carrying q tray on which
were glasses and bottle.
"Allow me,n begged ri sing.
NO, let me show how gracefully can
do the honors," she said, lightly.
She filed glass and gave II to me, q
smile on her lips. When she had poured
out wine for Chesley and herself, she
stood still in the center Of the room, hold
ing her glass aloft.
"The light Is rather dim, don't you
thinks VIII you turn up the gas!n
Chesley endcavored TO obey. Instead
OF turning up the gas, he turned IL down,
by accident.
The curtains at the window were drawn
partly aside, and moonlight streamed In.
IL touched the woman's face with its yell
low glow.
"Great heavensr'
1t was who spoke in loud whisper,
uttering the exclamation before knew
what was doing.
The silence of surprise that followed
was broken by Cheslcy.
"What Is the matter"
The woman looked at me with an ex-
preston of dazed inquiry.
"Wait" / cried, my eyes fixed on hers.
perfectly still-let the light fall on your
face--the moonlight, mean-so. Thal's
II. i have seen your face befOrel'
"What do you meanr
There was less Of surprise than Of vague
alarm in her tone.
Listen" / went on, as il under the
control Of will other than my own. 81
will tell you. Chesley, / swear l am
right. have seen you, Genevieve Royal,
or whoever you are, and this Is where and
when. In Paris
She trembled. The wineglass was still
In her hand.
"In q lonely street whilo a rain was
falling"-
"Well, wAllt'
"Under gaslight'-
"Under n gaslight," she repeated, me-
chanically.
"On the night before the second Of Feb
ruary, 1881. And the''--
The shrek that followed drowned my
voice. 1t rings In my ears now. The
woman staggered back, motioning me
away.
"And the manr' cried; ''the man
who was lying there silent on the ground'
Tell me, what of the maur'
She fell back TO the window. She
leaned there painting. Moonlight bathed
her beautiful face, white and agonized.
In gasps she spoke.
"Thc mani He deserted me, and was
driven mad. I-killed him-and you
have hunted me down! That is allr'
She raised the wine2lass to her lips and
drained it to the last drop. The glass fell
from her hand. She tried TO smile,
uttered n eigh of WEAKNESS, became faint,
raised her hand to her heart, hummed q
few notes of her song in the burlesque,
and sank to the floor, catching al the
curtains for support.
''She has tainted" / whispered.
"Yes," Chesley answered; cher old
trouble, something about her heart. She
must have air. Open the window"
turned up the Gas. Chesley bent over
her. hurried after him to open the win
dow. Flo motioned me back.
"What is TT" asked.
"Shc is dead"-R. N. Stephens In
Frank f.eslie's