The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-10-19

Did he know Alicia's disguise. ]
wondered, and then for a moment
cursed my own stupidity. How should
I know her in that passing throng2
The starry eyes would. beyond all
doubt be yelled. and the si1very voice
would hardly reach my ear in such a
Babel Of confusion
7 turned and scanned my brothers
poor disguise, hoping. 1 knew not
why, for something that would aid
me in my dire dilemma Another in
slant and my heart grew light Fer
nando turned. and my eye caught in
stantly golden CLEAN, the glitter Of
a shining star, pinned directly above
his heart
$50 that is your private badge OF
recognition I mnttered bitterly, and
then began to scan more closely than
ever the occupants of the gorgeous
carriages.
At last she came drawn by,
fourmilk white prancing steeds,
whose necISs were hung with crimson
roses. and then for the first time 1 dis
cerned that my brother held q mon
strOus bunch Of the same rare, fra
grant blossoms
Curiously, eagerly. athe starry eyes.
behind q snow-white veil, searched
everywhere the teeming balconies.
and at last. just as she reached his
seat. Fernando rose. and bending
toward her displayed his golden bau-
BILE.
He bent and dropped the ruby clus-
ter directly at her feet and a rush Of
feeling seemed to overpoyver her, for,
fOrgetf Of both time and scene, she
touched her fingers to her lips and
waited kiss directly to the giver.
Coward 1 Kissed, ito steal a
woman's love-" And then, as the
man, half puzzled at my words,
turned suddenly and took one step my
way, I rose, and. throwing my roses
in his face, sprang like tiger at his
breast and stabbed him to the heart
exactly over the spot 50 lately shield
ed by the golden trinket.
There was shrek from the street,
so fierce. so loud and 50 long, that for
an instant everything was still, but
when I crept unhindered from the
spot only a second later, the battle
had begun again and the tragedy Of
love and rage was over and forgotten.
Why I was not stopped I do not
know, unless it was that some had
seen the dagger and believed the
whole thing to be farce to add ex-
element to their pleasure. However
it was 1 eluded them all and quickly
undoing my disguise, left it to be
trampled with the flowers while 1
hurried away from the sweet con-
fusion
Turning my back upon the city I
went my way until on the following
day I found myself mounting the
marble steps that led to the gambling
den at Monte Carlo Half way up the
stairs, with the memory of my evil
deed still burning in my brain. I
stopped suddenly. chilled to the very
marrow, for just before me, noble,
handsome as Of old, 1 beheld my
brother Fernando.
MY Godr' 7 shouted hoarsely-
What have donel What have !
donel''
Fernando quickly descended the
steps and stood beside me: Have
you been losing. Pedro2" he said
kindly. IF so take this and he
held a handful Of gold before me.
while stared in stupid horror
'.When-when did you come here?"
asked him wildly. and for answer
Fernando took me by the arm and 4
led me slowly away
You are my brother, Pedro. and I
viii tell you all" he said in a
strangely mournful tone. You see.
was fool enough to fall in love and
the y's-AIicia's husband has re-
turned he finished sadly
1 caught my breath with a sitting
gasp. Does this man, Alieia-s hus-
band. resemble you2' I asked in horror
I'm form. yes, in face, no." he re-
piled briefly.
With a sudden sob of weakness I
told him the awful story. and Fer
nando. noble Fernando. only took me
by the hand and said compassionate :
Yours has been hard lot. Pedro
Deformed and hideoHs from your
birth. but let Us not add more Of
vviclxedness to crime. Leave this
cursed spot and 20 you quietly to
Paris and await me there. It is
Just possible that You did not kill
the man, and as no one suspe cts you
now you can safely trust it all TO me. "
went to Paris and waited After
a week. nv brother. handsomer,
sadness in his tones. brought me the
following Information: mo one sus-
poets you and the man is yet alive.
There was a badge of some kind
pinned above his heart that turned
the dagger's edge, but" he con-
tinued sadly, The had better have
died at once. for this sin Of yours has
brought about his capture, and
Alicia will lose her husband soon,
either behind the prison walls or by
the stroke of Ia guillOtine-
Thoroughly subdued and IN misery
Of spirit. returned to Nice The
streets seemed deserted in the silence
the carnival, and It was
only when an execution was an
NON rred that there was auv show Of