The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-09-11
.@szgzs7@'

q
made her eyes swim with a power that
maddened him. Moreover she recklessly
played with him.
He laid thousand plans to win her.
She laughed at every one
Fate served him. They cruised along
the coast with a mutual friend whose
yacht had been placed at their disposal.
A storm drove them, they knew not
whittier, on the rocks. The vessel went
to pieces. Horton never left her side,
but at the imminent risk of his life
placed her upon the beach in safety.
HE had saved her life he argued, he
had led her to fortune; the opportunity
was ripe to share her wealth and tri-
umphs.
"Soon after they were brought together
on the occasion Of the first assembly
ball Of the season. The foyer of the
Academy of Music had been transformed
into great mass of flowers and gorgeous
women. Here o cluster of large blood
req camelias emitting musky odors, there
Gala lily, immaculate white, nodding
to the sweep of wine colored silk.
Walters hurry to and fro, bearing NINA
ture oceans OF surgng champagne. In
the distance above the multitudinous
babble OF blended voices rises listless
rocking waltz invitingly in opening
hiO"ouiCo' DOuy bueT0. Inc
oVerdressed woman of fashion. fat, bold
and powerful; the debuaute, standing
close, cas- ing ashamed 6 lLnces at the
men, are mingled with thu dapper
" lngstef, the old lie, the man about
town and the par Jnue
above them Daisy moves consciously
superic'. An almost imperceptible
change has taken place. Her eyes have
lost the appearance of intoXioation, her
dress never was so simple and delicately
tasteful. Her beauty transHgured; thu,
soft senr'ent tone cooled and dig lifiet
into rapt spirituel essence, quicken
ing the pain in Hol toms breast to gem
u'ne Madness conquering genuine love-
Midnight is past; there is slight Obj
in tho tide of pleasure. 1t is then they
lind themselves in a seclu led niche,
whore every variety o. rose, tastefully
arranged, emits delicious perfume, and
where the distant murmur OF the orches-
ira soothes the heat and irritation OF
the " altz. table with sweet wines is
by them, and during the alternate rise
and fall of their conversation they sip
away the contents of the bottles.
"Deftly he guides her 70 remem-
b'ance Of her quaint life in the village,
and she talks freely OF those early days
about the old church. Speaking of tie
time when they first met, he continued:
NV companionship with you was
revelation to me. / have now spent
over twenty years in devotion to you,
strange TO myself. No movement of
youls during all that time, either a.
home or abroad, has affect ID passion
for you, so often told and retold. Daily
1t increases. Unless win you 1t will
drive me mad. L can MT 'ose you, but
will never cease to implore your hand
that you may become legally my wife
as you undoubtedly a:e before God"
Listening with sweet patience art
had made her master OF, she leaned for
ward, her pure white dress COMING in
marked contrast with the blackness of
his suit, and touched him pleadingly on
the sleeve. What saint she seemed
TO him?
"Suppc Ie that after such a life as
mine has been," she answered, land
very openly it has been known, without
Disguise. 1 had found courageous
man, OF wealth, OF static n. OF morals,
who loves me as live truly; and have
at last learned to love as truly; who has
persuaded me to abandon iif, OF in
toxicating pleasure for the quiet Of his
Preside. From your worldly point of
view do you think the two years of pas
sion passed with you should ALWAYS
bind meo"
st is an impossible suppositic A." he
said; "why discuss it?"
Far from impossible" she replied,
sit is the very truth. Betote the year
Is gone will be the wife OF the Earl
OF --. 1 take this first opportunity
OF announcing our engagement"
mo, never! it shall never be-" he
ragged with unconquerable passion. "Y GU
are mine in the sight of God. mine you
shall be in the sight OF man"
with quick movement he drew
from concealment at his belt o small
sstilletto, which shown dangerously in
beam of light, and coolly testing the
keenness of its point, stepped merci.
lessly toward her.
81 ne time has come for you to make
final choice" he whispered.
She arose before him the picture OF
an enraged tigress in human form
Not retrea ling an inch she barred more
openly her already low covered bosom
passionately saying:
Then kill me; you saved by life;
take 1t back. only let me warn you ere
go into the world where the wrongs of
this shall find reparation, that while
to you owe the possession of my life
and the initiation Of my SUCCESS; yet
you shall stand before the Judgement
seat and answer for the crime OF first
leading me into life OF open shame,
and shall pay the penalty Of that
dishonor. Would to God, though in
abject poverty, had not listened to
your devilish Establishments; you knew
the life should be foiced to lead from
the moment L would commit myself to
your hands; you knew despite the
scandals Of village gossip that at the
old tavern was not pointed out by all
who knew me q cynosure OF evil; you
knew that I could rove the hills and
meadows as Innocent as any bird