Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1895-02-28

sit is well-known. But there is a
woman here more beautiful than any
you have seen. More enchanting, more
utterly bewitching- he broke off,
.of what use? No one can describe
her.
who is she?' | said little amused,
but little interested. He shook his
head.
"You shall see," he said. You will
meet her this evening. Be pGfpared!"
Then, in answer to my look Of in
quiry, II forgot to tell you" he added.
''that we have cards for ball tonight
given by the Marquise re la Froisart,
wife of the French ambassador"
So in a little while we were stand
ing in the ballroom of the Marquise:
| had, of course, been presented TO her
and had danced with her, and was
beginning TO feel a little weary when
the count sought me out.
Gomez he said. "She has but just
arrived"
| followed him down the length of
the crowded room till we Joined little
figure in white with a cluster of Grim
son roses in her hand. She was out
lined against purple curtain, and as
in dream | saw that curve Of cheek
and throat that wealth of dark hair;
as In dream | heard my friend say:
Lady Arleigh, | have brought to
you my friend Sfgnore Guido Ferrara.
of whom you must have heard Guido,
it is Lady Arleigh, of whom all the
world knows"
l placed my name upon her card at
random. and left her. neither of us
having spoken one word; having not
once again lifted my eyes. His elder
brother had died there, and he was
Lord Arleigh now, and she was Lady
Arleigh, Was she happy?
did not prophesy correctly" whis
pered the count, laughing in my face.
1T has gone worse with you than
usual, l am afraid, Guido.'
| remember nothing more of the
evening until her hand was resting in
mine, my arm was clasping her as of
old, and to the strains of the sweet,
sad waltz music we were floating
/ down the room with no word spoken
yet. Twice we cireled the room slowly,
then her face was raised, | felt her
eyes upon mine and then for the first
time looked into hers.
"Guido!' she said, with a half sob.
"Guidov'
| looked at her in cold surprise
though the beating of my heart was
almost sitting me,
Guido mior' she breathed, "speak
to me-just one word to tell me | am
| forgiven, Guido"
"Lady Arleigh,' | said, slowly. Par
don me, but have you not mistaken
me-"
"Ah, Guido!' she said, her voice full
of anguish, "can it be that you have
forgotten me! That l have remem-
bered aloneg"
| And all the time the strains of that
sobbing, wailing music were in the air,
| and we were moving with its move
inent, | know not how.
Now, as / did not answer her. but
looked into her upturned face with
puzzled glance, she stopped suddenly,
and would have fallen had not my arm
been still about her. LET me bring
YOU an Ice" / said then. 1.-THE warmth
OF the room has affected you" ! seat
ed her and brought her the refresh
ment. She toyed with 1t a few NOM
ents in silence; | talking on Of many
things, l know not what. Then the
dance ended, others came to her. and
| went away.
"A little while afterward there was
slight stir in the room. Lady Arleigh
was doing such a strange thing! She
was descending the staircase to go to
her carriage, with the evening only
half over, and no other entertainment
to call her away! 1t was so disappoint-
ing they said.
Through the winter, while Ib sang
there in London, she was rarely absent
| from her box; she was always present
for some part of the evening. And
looked through the little opening in
with Lord Arleigh beside bcr, as
had looked at them together one other
night-centuries ago; only now the
face was sad as well as beautiful, and
there were furs and costly draperies
and glittering diamonds instead of the
little white gown.
One night, the first time l stood be-
, fore her-again as Ferro-and sang
paolo Tosti's song once more, as the
per sempre" died away, just as there
had hat other night, bunch of long
4 stemmed crimson roses fell at my feet
raised my eyes one instant to her
box, which | rarely did, then l caught
some white hyacinths in my hand and
raised them to my lips and went away,
I leaving the poor roses to die. Then
but afterwards | picked them up,
every one; and have them yet
Sometimes, | OWNED, she was com
PEELED to come without Lord Arleigh's
knowledge, for certain of her friends
3 ~ ~ AL hn