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

not be kept waiting too long, other
wise / shall return TO Naples and sac
rice my heritage, for i am restless
and unhappy away from Nina, though
/ know she is safely guarded by your
protecting are"
| read this particular paragraph 10
my wife, watching her closely as l
slowly enunciated the words contain
ed in it She listened and a vivid flush
crimsOned her cheeks-a flush Of in
dignation-and her brows contracted
in the vexed fTown / knew so well.
Her lips parted in q h2lf-sweet, half
chilly smile as she said quietly:
II owe you my thanks, conte, for
showing me 10 what extent Signor
Ferrari's im~pertinence may reach. L
am surprised at his writing 10 you in
such a mannerI The fact is, my late
husbands attachment for him was so
! extreme that he now presumes upon a
supposed right that he has over me;
he fancies / am really his sister and
that he can ~tyraniZe. as brothers some
times do! l really regret / have been
so patient with him; / have allowed
him too much liberty"
True enoughi l thought, and smiled
bitterly. / was now in the heat OF the
game; the mnve must be played
| quickly: there was no more time for
hesitation or reflection.
II think, madame" I said deliber-
ateIy. as / folded Guido's letter and re-
placed ii In my pocket-book, "Signor
Ferrari ardentIy aspires 10 do some
thing more than a brother 10 you at
no very distant date"
| Oh, the splendid hypocrisy of wom-
eni No wonder they make such excel
lent puppets on the theatrical stage;
acting is their natural existence, sham
their breath OF life! This creature
| showed no sign Of embarrassment;
sna raised her eyes frankly 10 mine
in apparent surprise: then she gave a
little low laugh of disdain-
"Indeedl she said. Then I fear that
Signor Ferrari is doomed TO have his
aspirations disappointed Ny dear
conte," and here she rose and swept
softly across the room toward me with
that graceful gliding step that some
how always reminded me Of the ap-
proaeh OF q panther, de you reanJ
] near to tell me that his andaeity he's
reached such q height that-really il
. Is too absurd.-that he hopes TO marry
meT And sinking into a chair near
mine she looked at me in calm inquiry.
Lost In amaZement at the duplicity Of
the woman, / answered briefly:
81 believe 30. He intimated a. much
10 m,e
She smiled scornfuily. ,
II am too much honoredi And did
you, conte, think for a momen that
such an arrangement would meet with
my annroval?'
I was silent. Ny brain vas COZ
fused; 1 felt il difficult to meet with
and confront such treachery as this.
What Had she no conscience? Were
all the passionate embraces. the lin
gering kisses, the vows of fidelity and
words of ~careSsing endearment as
nought? Were they all blotted from
her memory as the writing on a slate
Is wiped out by a sponge? Almost /
pitied Guido. His fate, in her hands,
was evidently to be the same as mine
had been, yet, after all. why should
1 be surprised! Why should I pity7
Had I not calculated IL allf And was
IL not part Of my vengeance2
Tel me-" pursued my vife's dulcet
voice, breaking In upon my reflections,
ibid you really imagine Signor Fer
rari's suit might meet with favor at
my handsr'
must speak. The comedy had 20
be played out So I answered bluntly:
Madame. ] certainly did think 20.