Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1895-06-27
THE DEVIL STONE.

1t was in the dusky, tepid twiliehta
particularly hot vaporous, drowsyday
at AK les Bains, in Savoy, that mass.
ed through the hotel garden and prepar.
ed to take languid stroll through tbs
streets of the little town. was tiredd
having nothing TO do and no one total
to- The other people staying at the Ho.
tel de Europe were mostly foreigners
and apart from that entirely uninterest.
ing, and, as to my father, he was almost
nonentity to me at present till his
"course" was completed. From early
morn to dewy eve he was immersed IN
the waters, either outwardly or inward.
ly or both, and beyond occasional
glimpses of him arrayed in costume
resembling that of an Arab sheik being
conveyed in pomp and sedan chair to
or from the baths / was, figuratively
speaking, an orphan until table d hote
As crossed the veranda some one
rose from long chair, and throwing
his book down said: 'Nhere are you
going, Miss Durant? May 60 too?'
IF you like" answered politely
but indifferently. II am only going to
look for spoons I"
For
Spoons. am collecting, you know.
1t IS something to do, and one can al
ways give them away when one is tired
of them
So we sauntered along side by side,
and as we did so ! began to feel less
bored and more reeonciled to the trou.
BILE of existence, and finally amused and
interested and flattered.
For this quiet looking, middle aged
man, TO whom my father had introduc.
ed me two days before as an old friend
of his and whom had mentally sum.
med up as rather handsome clever
perhaps, conceited possibly and married
probably, was making himself agree
able as only cultivated, polished man
of the world who wishes to make "a
yorable impression can, and gradually
| found myself acknowledging that his
dark, intellectual face, with its crown
of waving, iron gray hair. was some-
LAOl lleRlidDOhAIt nGi JIhp HAS
cleverness was sufficient to carry him
beyond conceit, while it did not set him
above q very evident enjoyment of a
girls society and conversation.
He had already learned most Of my
tastes and occupations and drawn from
me, by a magnetic sympathy, some con-
fessions as TO my Utmost thoughts aud
aspirations, telling me in return tha6 he
was travelling YEARLY in search Gf rest
authoritatively ordered by his doctor,
and he was deploring his lonely
bachelorhood, when my attention was
attracted by some quairG spoons half
hidden among other old dull silver
things in forsaken looking little shop
to which our wanderings had led us
through narrow. dingy byways. Il won.
der how much they are, | said and
asking me to wait outside Colonel
Haughton disappeared into the obscure
interior Iremained gazing through the
window for moment; then, impelled
by what idle impulse | know moi J
walked slowly on.
The sound of easement opening just
over my head and feminine laugh ar.
rested me, and | looked up. 1t was
curious laugh, low and controlled, bus
with malicious mockery in 1t thai
seemed a fit ending to some scathlng
speech, and just inside the open lattice
her arms resting on the sill and chin
dropped lightly on her olasped hands,
leaned the most beautiful woman have
ever seen. 1t was brit a glimpse Of au-
burn hair in white forehead, Of eyes
like brown pansios, and parted lips tnas
looked like scarlet petals against the
perfect pallor of her rounded cheeks
but it is photographed forever on my
brain, for as ! looked mans hand
and arm, brown, lean and supple, Win
the nervous fingers, ON one of which
green stone flashed, clutching a poniaTd'
came round her neck and plunged tne
dagger, slantingwise, deep down into
her heart The smile on the beautiiu.
lips quivered and fixed, but no sounu
came from them, and the eyes turner
up and fixed, and as she swayed toward
the open window the spell that was
upon me broke, and with shudderlng
cry fled On, on--blindiy. madiy
desperately-with no sense or thousns
or feeling save an overwhelming horror
A red mist seemed to close around ~
and wal! me in, and as | fought agains'
it felt my strength fail, and al Nas
dark and still
Somewhere in the darkness yoiee
speaking. the touch of a hand on ny
face, a glimpse Of light, sense OF pam
that some one else was suffering, tnen
consciousness and memory. lily father !
anxious face bent over me, ana nis
voice, as though from distance, saia'