Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1895-05-24
CHAPTER ".
A CRUSHING BLOW.

CRUSHING BLOW.
When Count Hohenfels and Licuten-
ant Won Greibern had taken leave of t.
American couple that evening, they re-
mained seated for while at one or the
tables in the garden of the hotel, smok-
ing and chatting.
81 say, old boy," quOth the Lieutenant,
while he raped on the table for walt
er-for he insisted on haTtng some moro
Assmannshauser-" say, chat hands ono
American woman is in love with you
"Nonsense!" the young diplomatic re-
piled, with laugh"
81 tell you she is. Did you not sec her
make eyes at you?"
"Absud They're on their wedding
trip"
things than that have happened Let
me see-didn't you say she was an act
ress? We'll, l congratulate you on your
luck"
"Thank you, thank you, dear boy. But
you're on the wrong scent"
81 will bet a case of champagne on it. ."
at is wager"
"All right Payable one month from
date. So much time III give you for
developments. BY Jove, but she Is
handsome"
While this conversation was taking
place in the hotel garden, Ralph had
hidden his wife good night with tho
most formal politeness and retired to is
room
MIS- 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 al
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 ad oining room she heard Ralph
walk up and down with hasty, exc ted
steps. Every step rouscs an echo in the
stiffness of the night, and the echo calls
out; "Faithess wife!"
Oh!
She thinks of Dcsdemona-no, not
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 lstens-the footballs still con-
tinue-he has not heard what she has
done.
Deeply breathing, she stands, thcr
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 it
not impious, then, to attempt TO fetter
love?
Vanities Vanitcs! The voice will
not down. Again she hears it, that
dreadful, ugly sound: "Faithless wife,"
Down on her knees she throws herself.
"Oh, God help me, for am lost"
But prayer does not avail the impen.-
tent Love will not submit! She t0it
love him. How handsome he is, how
chivarous, how noble! She l0iu not be
bound to him she hates, whose caresseS
she loathesl
She rises from her kDccs-the dread
full voice goes on: "Faithless wife! Hast
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 90 to bed! She must sleep! She
will dream of him she loves.
She does go to bed! She s.eepsl What
does she dream?
Who knows?
There are days in summer when the
atm osphere is sultry and oppressive, and
a threatening thunder cloud stands on
the horizon. Everybody expects. nay.
almost hopes for, a violent outbreak Of
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
ringham matrimonial atmosphere. The
iOurney was continued to Mayence and
theme to Frankfort. Both husband ano
wife knew that the other was aware Of
the situation. But Ralph shrank from
q decision, ard 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 most reck-
less. Count Won Hohenfes must have
been obtuse, indeed, If lie had not soon
become convinced that his friend Grei
bern would wiz his bet. This conviction
produced decidedly mixed sensations in
the young diplomati,t
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 Lad ever known.
Tickled vanity, however, of this kind is
very apt to engender feeling which, if
not love, is at least c'ose counterfeit of
it. On the other hand, he was perfectly
conscious of the barrassing conse-
quences that such liaiSOn would in
probability have. The Count was in a
Quandary. Finally, however, his good
sense prcya led, and at Mayence he pro-
losed TO take leave of his American
friends and nrocna1 cOuthward .Uhilo