Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1894-02-22
I5NAV HGAIN8Y WOMAN.
RY MRS. NJ. E. HOLMES

tba+ wo,,,.o anu dn!-WhO was
INA thaC !. woman: She crouched down az as
5ins oea, trembling in every limb. hen en
seemed Fv fnoa 20 scream, but the sound
GU are quite safe, dearv: liz ao.
ana rest again. Myra. 90 awav. d do"!1 Il
you see you brighten her He ,ui uoh :
mean Paul-will be angry ), ~ will
L don't mind Paul's anger Fr;oh+
ened, is she? I'm sorry for hrrlgnt-
that will wear off; she will sae ner, ou5
dea! OF me, and she'll Get used - go -, u
IN Tune. perhaps" ~ nio
Alice was still crushed on tho hoa.
she did not understand the words o ~
wa IN state OF bewilderment. but
sone1nlhg IN the malignant tone
rouseu her. She realized at once
some terrible event had occurred to
her; she could not grasp the full ho W
ror at that moment, bnt she yaana1,r
understood that she was in sooa 10y
strange horrible place, separated f,.n,re
all she knew, and the fear IN ha ln
breast lashed her almost to madnase
She staggered from the couch and fali
at Myra's feet.
oh, have pity-help me,n she mnr-
INJURED piteously; 81 don't know hot
has happened to me. I can rememh her
nothlng clearly. seem to have been
asleep, but [ feel-I am sure-some-
thing terrible has come. I am fripht-
ened OF this gloomy place-it is
strange. ., help me to get away!
You are a Woman-you will understand
L don't know where [ am, but let me
get out-breathe the air, and | shall
feel better. You-wilL help me-"
Come, come" broke in Dame Rnr-
den, trying to lift her from her knees:
you must lie down again and go to
sleep. lou will be i'll. -
Alice chung to Myra; she pushed the
old woman away with a shudder.
'Oh. have pity, helpme 7 am afraid.
| cannot tell what has come to me;
but it is hideOus, it is terrible. Take
me away, carry me out into the air.
oh, help-help me, for Heavens sake"
Myra stopped, her face sOftened this
girl was no willing accomplice. The
next moment she would have pushed
aside her mother and carried Alice
across the vault to the other door, had
not sounds of steps outside stopped her.
Her expression changed.
Here is someone coming who can
help you, perhaps. [ can't plead to
him." she said roughly.
Alice looked round eagerly, while
Myra folded her arms and fixed her
glance like a hawk on the form enter
ing through the curtains. She saw
the froWn gather on the Count S
face as he saw her, but made no sign.
He advanced towards Alice with out
stretched hands. She rose from her
knees: her face was white, her hands
clasped to her heart. She gazed at
the Count with q look of deadly horror.
He did not see it, but placed his hands
on her arm.
'You are i'll; rest here for a while.
You will"
Don't touch me-" gasped the girl,
her brain reeling. "You-you-Oh,
God, what terrible thing has happened
to me? II
There was confused sound in her
throat, she made a faint movement with
her hands, and the next instant Alice
would have fallen to the ground IN a
swoon. but in two strides Myra left
the wall. and had clasped her in her
arms before the Count could touch
her.
leave her to me, George" she said
softly. vet to well-toned ear her voice
sounded stifed: Il will take her to my
room. You don't understand women. -
Il will carry her" interposed George
hastily.
But she shook her head, and lifting
Alice in her arms moved away as
though the inanimate girl were but a
featherweight.
The Count stood watching her as she
walked away, and could not repress a
feeling of admiration for her graceful
muscular figure and wonderful strength
and ease. He turned to the old woman
as she disappeared. &C..
"She will be kind to the other," he
muttered quickly.
The old woman nodded.
Eyes, Myra is a strange one, but she
amt cruel. She-she thinks it's Paul S
oirl-L told her so. | thought it would
be best. como
"You did right, though [ don't care
much She must know it sooner OF
later. mean to make the golden
haired girl my wife ~
.:Do YOU, George?" answered the ola
woman in surprise, then AFTER d
moments pause she added cunnlngly
..Rut how will you do that? | see she i
wears a wedding-ring on her niger.
The Count laughed.
..Haye YOU lived all these years,
Burden. to learn from me that rlhs
does not make marriage. ,,4
.:Veu. we'll. it's nothing to me- o s.;
what about the diamonds, GEORGE
tbe old woman asked eagerly.
1Paul Ross entered as he sp 0
CARRYING the case containing the Daf-
rell diamonds. ia ioo,lorlv:
"aIi alone? Where's Myra ana sam ga L.
.:AGvra's in there" Dame B Bur di, ee
P 5ioa Of nf the inner chamber. Sam $
out doing his duty"
Paul laughed. ia +,e Count
abruptly. ~ Mace
about five niles from here; pelonsa sag
t.9a q man named Armistead; they sm na1
he has a pile of plate worth . s'n''
fortune. pa,l Ross
"Armistead., mn ute mus tad beware npe:
with a dark look; me musu y