Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1895-06-20
white hand, glittcring with rings,

white hand, glittcring with rings,
lightly against his lipe.
'Of course not. Besides. have said
] will marry you? You are very agree
able as Il lover. but otherwise l am
not sure! And am free now; can
do as | like: want to enjoy my lib
crty. and"
She was not allowed to complete her
sentence. for Fcrrarl snatchcd her
close to his breast and held her there
as in n vice. His face was aflame
with passion.
Look you, Nina" lie said hoarsely.
"You shall not fool me. by heaven!
YOU shall not. l have endured enough
at your hands, God knows! When I
saw you for the first time on the day
of your marriage with that poor fool
Pablo, loved YOU madly, ay. wicked
ly as then thought, but not for the
sin of it did repent. knew you
were woman, not angel, and l waited
my time. 1t came; sought you;
told YOU my story of love ere three
months of welded life had passed over
your head. l found you willing
ready-nay, eager to hear me. You
led me on: YOU know you did. You
tempted me by touch. word and look;
YOU gave me all l sought Why try
to excuse it now? You are as much
my wife rs ever YOU We're Fabio's;
nay. You are more so, for yon love me;
at least YOU say so: and though you
lied to your husband, you dare not lie
to me. tell you, you dare not. l
never pted FabiO. never; he was too
easily dupcd. and married man has
no right to he otherwise than suspi-
cious and ever on his guard; if he re-
lakes in his vigilance he has only him
self to blame when his honor is flung
like a ball from hand to hand. as one
plays with a child's toy. l repeat to
you. Nina. YOU are mine. and l swear
you shall never escape me-"
The impctuous words courscd rap
idly from his lips. and his deep mu-
steal voice had a defiant ring as it
fell on the stiffness of the evening air.
! smiled bitterly as heard. She
struggled in his arms half ansrily.
Let me co." she said. You are
rough. you hurt me-
He released her instantly. The vio-
lence of his embrace had crushed the
rose she Wore. and it's crimson leaves
tluttered slowly down one by one on
the ground at her feet. Her eyes
flashed rescntfully. and an impatient
frown contracted her fair brows She
looked away from him in silence. the
silence of Il cold disdain. Something
in her attitude panied him. for he
sprang forward and caught her hand,
covering it with kisses.
"Forgive me. carina mia" he cried
rcpcntantly. II did not mean to re-
proach you. You cannot help being
bcauiiful-it is the fault of God or
the devil that YOU are so. and that
Your beauty maddcns me. You are
the heart Of my heart, the soul of my
soul! oh, Nina min. lot us not waste
words in useless anger. Think of it,
we are frec-frce! Free to make life
long dream of dclight-dclight more
perfect than angels can know! The
greatest blessing that could have be-
fallen us is the death of Fabio, and
now that we are all in all to each
other. do not harden yourself against
me. Nina, be gentle with me. OF all
things in the world, surely love Is
BEST"
She smiled with the pretty superior
smile of n young empress pardoning
recrcant subject, and suffered him
to draw her again, but with more gen
tleness. into his embrace. She put up
her lips to meet his; looked on like
man in a dream. saw them cling
together; each kiss they exchanged
was a fresh stab to my tortured soul.
"You are so foolish. Guido, milo"
she pouted, passing her little jeweled
fingers through his clustering hair
with light carcss. 80 impetuous, so
jealous. have told you many times
that | love you! Do you not remem-
Der that night when Fabio sat out on
the balcony reading his Plato. poor
fcllow!'-hcre she laughed unusually
land we were trying over some songs
in the drawing room-did l not say
then that loved you best of any one
in the world? You know l did! You
ought to be satisicd!'
Guido smiled and stroked her shin
ing golden curls.
II am satisfied" he said. without
any trace of his former heated impa-
thence, perfectly satisfied. But do not
expect to find love without jealousy.
Fabio was never jealous. know; he
trusted you too implicitly; he was