Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1895-08-22

know that l Kissed her passionately on
lips, throat and brow, and that In the
feryor OF my embraces the thought of
what manner of vile thing she was
came swiftly over me, causing me to
release her with such suddenness that
she caught at the back of a chair TO
save herself from falling. Her breath
came and went in little quick gasps of
excitement, her face was flushed; she
looked astonished, yet certainly not
displeased. No, she was not angry,
but was-thoroughIy annoyed-bit-
terly vexed with myself for being such
q fool.
Forgive me- / muttered. II for
got-I--
A little smile stole round the cor
ners OF her mouth. you are fully
pardoned," sne said in a low voice,
you need not apologize"
Her smile deepened; suddenly she
broke into a ripping laugh, sweet and
silver. as a bella laugt that went
through me like a knife. Was 1t not
the self-same laughter that had
pierced my brain the night l witnessed
her anlorons interview with Guido in
the avenue? Had not the cruel mock
cry of il nearly driven me mad? /
could not endure it, i sprang TO her
side. she ceased laughing and looked
at me in wiid-eyed wonderment.
LISTEN I said in an impatient. al
nfsst fierce tone. "Do not laugh like
that! Ii jars my nerves, it hurts me!
1 will tell you why. Once, long ago,
I'm my youth, l loved a IN She
was not like you, no, for she was
Fa4un Is1Ioa m thu yarv haapf'a anrn
false In every word she uttered. You
understand me she resembled you In
nothing-nothing! But she used TO
laugh at me: she trampled on my life
and spoilt 1t: she broke my heart, Ii
is all past ov. | never think of her,
only your laughter reminded me
there. And / tool her hands and
kissed them. Il have told you the
story Of my early foll~y-forget IL and
forgir. me. 1t is time you prepared
for your Journey, Is it not? Ii l can
be OF any service TO you. command
me: you know where to send for me.
Good by. and the peace of a pure con-
science be with your
And l laid my burning hand on her
head, weighted with it's clustering
curls of gold. She thought this gest-
uLt Was bHt Oi uiessluS. Il 1T
God only knows what l thought-yet
surely If curses can be so bestowed.
my curse crowned her at that mo-
ment! l dared not trust myself long
er In her presence, and without an
other word or look l left her and hur-
.ied from the house. | knew she was
startled and at the same time gratified
10 think she could thus have moved
me TO any display of emotion; but /
would not even turn my head to catch
her parting glance. / could not; | was
sick of myself and of her. I was lit
orally torn asunder between love and
hatred-love born basely of material
feeling alone; hatred, the offspring of
a deeply injured spirit for whose
wrong there could scarce be found suf-
ficient remedy. Once out of the infiu-
ence Of her bewildering beauty my
mind grew calmer, and the drive back
10 the hotel In my carriage through
the sweet ehil!ness of the December
air ouieted the feverish excitement of
my blood and restored me to myself.
1t was a most lovely day-Drlght and
fresh, with the i've of the sea in the
wind. The waters Of the bay were Of
a steel-like blue shading into deep
osive-green, and a soft haze fingered
about the shores Of Amalfia k a veil
or gray shot through with silver aud