The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-02-24

She ,pas the most dtCftI sight epeT Dc
held.
NV thoughts wandered to Estenega.
Who shall analyze the complex heart OF
n man-the deep, intense, lasting devo-
ton he may have for the one woman no
recognizes as his souls own, and YET the
strange. wayward wanderings OF his
fancy. the nomadic assertion OF the AMI
NAL: the passionate love he may feel TO-
this woman of all women, yet the re-
servo in which he always holds her,
never knowing her quite as well as ne
has known other women; the last test OF
highest love. passion without sensuality'
And yet the regret that she does not
crafty every side of his nature, even
while he would not have her; regret for
the terrible incongruity Of human ma
ture. the Iningling of the beast and the
divine. which cannot find satisfaction In
the same woman; whatever the fire In
her, she cannot crafty the insuncts
which rage below passion in man with
out losing the purity of mind which ne
adores in her. She. too. feels vague
regret that some portion OF his nature Is
n sealed book to her, forever beyond her
ken. But her regret is nothing to his
he knows, and she does not.
Nv meditations were interrupted sud
denly. heard door stealthily opened
knew before turning that the door was
that of Chonita's room, the last at the
end OF the right wing. II opened and
she came out. 1t was as If face alone
came oAt. She was shrouded from head
20 foot in black, and her face was as
white as the moon. Possessed by name
less but overwhelming fear. turned the
knob of the door nearest me and almost
fell into the room. closed the door be-
hind me, but there was no key. by the
strip of white light which entered
through the crevice between the half
open shutters | saw that ! was IN the
room Of Valencia nAaendez, but she
slept soundly and had not heard me.
/ stood still listening for many min
utes. At first there was no sound; evl-
IDENTIFY had startled her, and she was
waiting for the house to be still again.
At last heard some one gliding down
the corridor. Then suddenly l knew
that she was coming to this room. and,
possessed by horrible curiosity and
growing terror. sank on my knees In O
corper.
The door opened noiselessly and Cho
nita entered. Again / saw only hel
white face, rigid as death, but the eyes
famed with the terrible passions tha
her soul had flung up from its depths a
last. Then saw another white object
her hand. But there was no knife in 1t
Had there been think ] should hav
shaken off the spell which controlled me
never would see murder done. II wa
the awe of the unknown that paralyze'
INV muscles. She bent over Valencia
who moved uneasily. and cast her arm
above her head. saw her touch he
finger to the sleeping woman's mouth
inserting it between the lips Then sh
moved backward and stood by the hea
of the bed, facing the window. Sh
raised herself to her full height and e'
tended her arms horizontally. The pos
ton gave her the form of cross--a blac
cross. topped and pointed with malev'
, lent white. One hand was spread aboN
yalencia's face. She was the most av
full sight ever beheld. She uttered I
sound; she scarcely breathed. Suddel
ly. with the curve of a panther, her fl
: ure glided above the unconscious won
. an, her open hand describing a strant
motion; then she melted from the roor
& Valencia awoke, shrieking..
n "Some one has cursed mel" she erie
y "Mother of Godl Some one has curse
a mer
o | fed from the room to faint upon n
a own bed.
d CONTINUED TOMORROW.