Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1895-09-19

= 1AAou,At NAAuANs l1sll LII
stead of that rose. there should he
blood indeed,-instead Of n diamond pin
there should be the good steel of q
straight dagger. But l had no weapon
i stared at her. dry eyed and mute
She locked NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. lovely!
No trace of grief marred the fairness
of her faceher eyes were as languidly
Impid and tender as ever-her lips
We're parted in the childlike smile that
was so sweet-so innocently trustful
She spoke-ah. heaven! the old be-
Witching music of her low voice made
my heart leap and my brain reel
You foolish Guido" she said in
have happened. wonder. if Fabio had
not died so opnortunely:'
waited eagerly for the answer
Guido laughed lightly.
He would never have discovered any
thing. You We're too clever for him,
piccinina! Besides, his conccit saved
.him-he had so good an opinion of him.
sell that he would not have deemed it
possible for you to care for any other
man.
My wife-fawless diamond-pearl of
pure Womanhood!-sighe half rest
lessly.
Il am glad he is deadr' she MUIR
INJURED; but Guido. milo, you are i'm
prudent. You cannot visit me now so
often; the servants will talk. Then I
must go into mourning for at least
ok months; and there are many other
things to consider" Guido's
hand played with the jeweled necklace
she wore; he bent and kissed the place
where it's central pendant rested.
.Again-again, good sir, l pray you!
let no faint scruples interfere with
your rightful enjoyment! Cover the
white flesh with caresses-it is public
property! = a dozen kisses more
or less will not signify. So 1 madly
thought as crouched among the trees
the tigerish wrath within me making
the blood beat in my head like hun.
.dred hammer strokes.
NAY, then my love-" he replied to
her, sit is almost pity Fabio is dead.
While he lived he played an excellent
part as screen; he was an uncon-
sclous but yeritable duenna of propri-
ETY. for both of us. as no one else could
be"
The boughs that covered me creaked
land rustled. My wife started and
looked uneasily around her.
"Hush.' she said nervously "He
was buried only yesterday; and they
say there are ghosts sometimes. =
This avenue, too. l wish we had not
come here; it was his favorite walk.
Besides" she added. with slight ac-
cent of regret, "after all he was the
father of my child, you must think of
that
BY heaven" exclaimed Guido al
most fercely, '.do 1 not think of it?
Az, and I curse him for every kiss he
stole from your lipsv'
listened half Supplied. Here was
a new phase of the marriage law.
Husbands were thieves then; they
@'stole'' kisses; only lovers were honest
in their embraces! Oh. my dear
friend! my more than brother-how
near you We're to death at that mo-
ment! Had you but seen nv face
peering pallidly through the dusky
leaves; could you have known the
force of the fury pent up within me,
you would not have valued your life
at one baiocco!
"Why did you marry him?'' he asked
after little pause, during which he
toyed with the fair curls that floated
against his breast
she looked np with little mutinous
,pout, and shrugged her shoulders.
why? Because I was tired Of the
convent and all the stupid, solemn
ways OF the nuns; also because he was
rich, and | was horribly poor. 1 can
not bear to be poor! Then he loved
tme; here her eyes glimmered with
ITl tpsi1, nj,
Tor me, and"
You loved him." demanded Guido
almost fercely.
''Afa cher' she answered with an OK
pressive gesture. 81 suppose l did
for week OF two. What does one
marry for at all? For convenience,
money, position; he gave me these
things, as you know
You will gain nothing by marrying
me then,'' he said jealousy.
She laughed. and laid her little
white hand. glittering with rings,
lightly against his lipe.
''Of course not! Besides, have l said
will marry you? You are very agree.
able as lover, but otherwise I am
not sure! And | am free now; I can
do as / like; l want to enjoy my lib.
She was not allowed to complete her
sentence, for Ferrari snatched her
close to his breast and held her there
as in vice. His face was af1ame
with passion.
Look you, Nina" he said hoarsely
You shall not fool me. by heaven
you shall not. have endured enough
at your hands, God knows! When
saw you for the first time on the day
of your marriage with that poor foo
Pablo, l loved you madly, ay, wicked
~ as then thought, but not for the
sin of 1t did repent. l knew yor
were woman. not angel, and waited
my time. 1t came; l sought you;
it0ld you my story of love ere three
months Of welded life had passed ovel
your head. I 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 sought. Why tr!
to excuse II now? You are as muci
smy wife as ever YOU! were .Fabio's