The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-05-23

American couple that evening, tney re-
mained seated for q while at one of the
tables in the garden of the hotel, smok-
ing and chatting.
II say, old boy" quoth the Lieutenant,
while he raped on the table for wait.
er-for he insisted on having some more
AssmannshauSer-*1 say, that handsome
American woman is in love with you"
"Nonsepse!" the young diplomatic re-
piled, with laugh"
"I tell you she is. Did you not see her
make eyes at you?"
aAbsu.dl They're on their wedding
trip"
aWhat's the difference? Stranger
things than that have happened. Let
me see-didn't you say she was an act
ress? Well, congratulate you on your
luck"
aThank you, thank you, dear boy. But
you're on the wrong scent"
II will bet case of champagne on 1t. .
ut is a wager"
aAll right. Payable one month from
date. So much time III give you for
developments. by JoVe, but she ts
handsome.
While this conversation was taking
place in the hotel garden, Ralph had
hidden his wife good night with the
most formal Doliteness and retired to his
room.
Mrs. Warringham was terrified at her
husbands manner. There could be no
doubt that he suspected her fidelity.
And had he not cause for suspicion?
Lucy's conscience was not dead yet.
As she slowly undreSsed before retiring,
she heard voice continually in her ear.
1t had an ugly sound and conveyed an
ugly meaning. "Faithless wife!" she
heard the voice mysteriously murmur-
ing again and again. How dreadful the
words sounded in the still night A cold
shower crept over her body, yet 1t was
warm night
In the adjoining room she heard Ralph
walk up and down with hasty, excited
steps. Every step rouses an echo in the
stiffness of the night, and the echo calls
out; "Faithless wife!"
Oh!
She thinks of Desdemona-no, mol
Desdemona-not she, but Othello-he-
Othello-yes, that is it!
She violently trembles, her eyes fast
ened upon the door that opens into her
husbands room. The door is closed, but
not locked.
Stealthily, on tip-toe, she creeps to the
door and noiselessly turns the key.
Then she listens-the footballs still con-
tinue-he has not heard what she has
done.
Deeply breathing, she stands, ther
she sinks into an armchair and covers
her bowed face with her hands.
But after while she raises her head.
Her eyes shine forth defiance. Love re-
bells against Conscience.
What right has he to demand from
her fidelity? She does not love him
She loves another, who is ten times-a
hundred times-worthier than he! Is not
love the supreme law Of nature? Is il
not impious, then, to attempt to fettel
love?
Vanities! vanities! The voice will
not down! Again she hears it, that
dreadful, ugly sound: "Faithless wife!S
Down on her knees she throws herself.
"Oh, God help me, for I am lost!"
But prayer does not avail the impeni.
tentl Love will not submit! She actll
love him! How handsome he is, how
chivalrous, how noble! She a0ill not be
bound to him she hates, whose caresses
she loathes!
She rises from her kDees-the dread.
full voice goes on: "Faithless wife! Has'
thou not betrayed him? Didst thou not
lie to him? Hast thou not told him thou
lowest him?"
She will hear the voice no longer! She
must 60 to bed! She must sleep! She
will dream Of him she loves.
She does go to bed. She sleeps! What
does she dream?
Who knows?
There arc days in summer when the
atmosphere is sultry and oppressive, and
threatening thunder cloud stands on
the horizon. Everybody expects. nay,
almost hopes for, violent outbreak ol
the elements. The most destructive
tempest would be preferable to that dead
calm, that scorching sun, that leaden
sky. But day after day the suspense
continues.
Such was the condition of the War.
ripgham matrimonial atmosphere. The
Journey was continued to Mayence and
thence to Frankfort. Both husband and
wife knew that the other was aware Of
the situation. But Ralph shrank from
a decision, and contented himself with
treating Lucy in chillingly polite man
ner, that was more painful than the most
violent outbreak of passion.
Mrs. Warringham, on her part, gave
herself up to her passion with an aban.
don that sometimes became almost reck'
less. Count Won Hohenfels must have
been obtuse, indeed, If he had not soon
become convinced that his friend Grei-
bern would win his bet. This conviction
produced decidedly mixed sensations in
the young diplomdtiSt.
On the one hand, his vanity was, OF
course, immensely gratified by the easy
conquest of one Of the handsomest and
most amiable women he had ever known.
Tickled vanity, however, of this kind is
very apt to engender feeling which, II
not love, is at least close counterfeit o1
it. On the other hand, he was perfectly
conscious of the embarrassing conse'
uuencss that such a liaison would in al
probability have. The Count was in
quandary. Finally, however, his good
sense prevailed, and at Mayence he pro
posed to take leave of his American
frienda and proceed southwark, while
they turned east toward Frankfort, with
the intention Of going further to Thur
ingia.
Count Won Hohenfels, however, had
not taken into his calculations the OBJ
stinacy Of On enamored woman. When
he intimated bis plans, Mrs. Warning
ham directly invited him to accompany
them to Thuringia. She did so in the
very presence Of her husband, who shot
q glance at her that revealed terrible
abyss of jealousy and rage. She mel
his ewes boldly with look OF defiance.