Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-11-01

BeSS still held unopened.
Then for the first time Bess saw it,
: superscription,-"For the beautiful
dark-eyed young American lady Sht
hastily removed its wrappings and s
wonderful opal was revealed. Sc
around with diamonds, a gem fit fol
a princess.
Looking up in amaZement. she
caught sight, through the window. OF
the departing Mediterranean steamer
already far out on the blue waters o1
the bay. Then her eyes fell again on
the glittering gem in her hand.
Was it not keepsake from the lit
tie countess?
But lay an opal On her breast.
And hope will lHll those words to rest
II.
That happened two years ago. The
MarSdenS are back in their Washing.
ton home, and BeSS is with them still:
for Mr.. and Mrs. Marsden have come
TO love her like second daughter. and
utterly refused to let her GO from them,
on their return.
eve will never give you up. my
dear,-except to a good husband,''
Mrs. Marsden said: and she smiled to
think that perhaps the day of their
separation might not be far distant,
after all. Nellie, blissful in her new
engagement, openly advised her friend
to $50 and do likewise" yet Bess has
apparently smiled upon no sutton yet.
There is, however, a young German
nobleman attached to the legation,
who has seemed wonderfully smitten
by the bright and piquant girl; but as
often as his attentions are alluded to-
Bess laughiEgly protests that ''Barons
do not wed penniless Americans
She has even tried to convince her
self that only chance has thrown them
SO much together. and that his appar-
ent earnestness is but his manner to-
ward every one alike; yet, though she
will not admit it to herself, deep in her
heart of hearts the fair young Teuton
is enShrined.
. And now, as she enters the crowded
ballroom with the MarSdenS she
meets the eager eyes of the young
baron, who has been watching for her
approaches her through the interyen-
ing throng. 1t is the first ball of the
season, and the first ime that he has
seen her in full evening dress.
| She looks very lovely in her delicate
gauzy gown, which changes from gray
to faintest rose color with every move
ment of her lissome form. Her face,
crowned with its wavy masses of
gold hair, had seemed a trif1e
pale as she entered the room, but now
her cheeks are all aglow and her large
eyes are darkly luStrous. On her
neck lies the wondrous opal, her only
jewel, hung from its slender chain of
gold.
Otto Won Holder bends to greet her
and begins to speak, then hesit;ltes and
stops confused; and EeSs sees that his
eyes are fastened upon the unusual
gem she wears.
A nameless dread takes possession
of her as she sees his changing color
and the strange expression upon his
face. A vision Of the little countess
rises before her, and with it comes
the startling conviction, "Thou art the
MANI
Her smiling lips have grown white,
but she forces them to say slowly and
very clearly, you are admiring my
opal; it was given to me by fair
young countess,-who was dying of a
broken heart"
10 Stn
with strange perpleXity, but before
he can speak an officer has come up to
claim her, and carries her away to
join the dance.
Never has gay and witty Bess been
brighter or apparently more joyous
than on this night; and though Won
Helder makes every effort, he cannot
get an instant's speech with her alone.
The following evening finds Won
Helder at the secretary's reception.
He was lingering near the doorway,
still strangely puzzled by her words
and manner of the previous night, and
impatiently awaiting her arrival.
But when at last the Marsdens do ap-
pear the mother and daughter are
alone, and to his inquiry Nellie an
swered gaily, 'Bess ill? Oh, no in
deed; just simply tired, she said, and
so begged off tonight; we left her read
ing in the library" Then she passed
on, and Won Helder vanished from the
room.
The Marsdens' home was not far dis
tant and in five minutes he stood, un-
announced, at the library door. Bess
sat before the open fire, alone; her
head upon her hand, her eyes upon the
darling sea-coal dame. She looked so
bonny in her pensive attitude; Bess-
whom he had always seen so merry
and so gay,-and he wondered what
grave subject she was bordering then.
He came forward into the room, and
! hearing his football she looked up, and
rose in sudden sweet confusion Then,
how did it happen?
! For one brief rapturous instant her
head lay pillowed on his throbbing
heart, and her eyes smiling up at the
eager face that bent so near her own.
Then with the low cry, "Never, never!
she broke away from the encircling
arms and fed from him, her face hid
den in her hands.
Blaming himself bitterly for having
allowed his passion to gain the mas
terry for even that one brief moment
Won Helder went to the library table
and seized a pen.