The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1894-10-25

/ feature 1ovlier than ever, and she
! drew back with the sunlight falling
on her locks which looked more ether
cal than ever.
1t is a life's ambition. monsieur
said Vivien. 4 had coupled it with
another am bition, but that one is sat
isfed satisfied forever. You did not
see me? No, I got away eluded the
police and - she broke into such a
strange, wild laugh that thought Of
what Jadet had told me about her
| mind s s
! This was the nearest she had come
| to referring to her alteration with
the officer, and I did not press her to-
| tell me more.
The thrill of the opening night Of
s'The Countess Claire" remains with
! me still. 4is3
I recall the crowded house, the
critics come to write the new drama
down and the throbbing Of my brain
as Vivien appeared before the foot
lights
But 1T was a success.
The moment she spoke I knew
what would happen. Her grace, her
bewitching face and figure, her
beauty, fragile but passionately
strong-all these united to insure me
a triumph such as the little theater
had not scored in years.
l found Vivien, brilliant eyed. in
one of the wings after the fall of the
| curtain.
| Sho - l. e.
one, and when came forward to con
graduate her she did not seem to see
me at all.
I spoke, but she did not look up
l touched her arm and spoke again,
and then she seemed to recall that
she owed me answer
lit was success, Monsieur M ;"
she said. s'You are satisfied with
your 'countess?'''
How could I tell her how proud I
was of her? How tell her that she
had not only made her fortune, but
my own, as we'll?
'sYou shall go home with me to-
night said the girl. 81 believe the
time has come, but you will let me
precede you a little"
told her that would be delighted
to see her at home, and below we
called a cab.
1T will be going home with me if
we go in separate cabs, monsieur"
spoke Vivien at the door ssYou can
follow. I will direct the driver
She called another cab and directed
the driver to take her to the Rue Bor-
laise, men tioning the number in the
same breath. The man fell back and
| looked at her.
Vivien was in the vehicle and the
door was shut and in another minute
we were rafting over the streets Of
Paris, but in different cabs
Eager to see Vivien at home and to
note the route taken by my cab, I
leaned against the glass and took
note of the Streets / was not far
behind her, and soon saw
that we were entering the poorest
quarter of Paris, the quarter where
the petroleuses and commune mad
gasped and died before the bullets Of
the soldiery.
Her cab halted and mine soon came
up, but Vivien was already out of sight.
entered the tall house and ran up
the steps, for the girl I ad told me that
I would find her on the third floor
back, in little room ten by twelve
I heard the noise of closing door
- as started down the grimy corridor
was there in moment
In another instant had opened the
door and stood on the threshold.
A light was burning on a table, and
near it in a chair lay the form of an
old woman.
Vivien was there, too, standing at
the chair, with her face as white as
death and her eyes riveted upon the
wrinkled face in the chair.
advanced, but the girl threw ur
her hand.
''She is dead monsieur she said
''She promised to live till came back
successful and she kept her word.
This is my mother-the little woman
who followed me from Haute Lor-
i raine, and whose son, my brother,
avenged by cutting to pieces the face
of the officer who had him shot those
awful days. have lived to achieve
the only triumph [ ever painted for
Oh, the long nights over the drama
oh, the patching it took and the oil
we burned, and the bread we tried te
save till it was ready for you.
I Sc emed thunderstruck.
''What, was it your work? the
drama?-'The Countess Claire?''
Vivien smoothed the white hal,
: that struggled over the cold temples
of the dead and smiled
1T was my work. but it took ms
blood. Mother always said find hin
first, and found him. Monsieur
r you have lost your countess; you car
I find another, but she will not be Wv
. len: no, not the little butterfly of tn
Haute Lorraine"
1 sprang forward to prevent he
. from falling to the floor in a faint
: but she was down already, and ten
derby laid her upon the poorly drapee
bed in one corner Of the room.
The little doctor whom summone &c