Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-07-18

spared with skill, as Paul discovered
the following afternoon at the club
! After that they met repeatedly there.
Paul, toying with the professor and
! learning his tricks, shrewdly arranged
or a coup de partie. The other, how
ever, still miStook Paul for a good
natured athletic fool. Otherwise he
would not have remarked, as he did
one day in an affectedly languid tone
that it was rather a pity Miss Loring
! was rich
I'm sure said Paul, 1--WE both
agree that Miss Loring needs neither
genius nor money to make her per-
| feet
''She is the most charming woman
! in the world said the professor
warmly; but he had delivered himself
into the hands of his adversary, and
Paul proposed to make away with him
at once.
The next day was Wednesday, and
on Wednesday afternoons Of the sea-
son. Mrs. Hardness usually came
under the spell Of the orchestra.
| There Paul, entering late, found her
and Gertrude and back of Gertrude's
! chair the professor. Wedging forward
he gained, in the first interval his sis
ter's ear.
''Now is the time" he whispered.
Mrs. Hardness looked up at him and
began to laugh at him in her handker-
chief. 'Oh, that is too absurd, Paul."
She said, ''but I'll do it,
Then he bent over Gertrude and
said: Il came here to ask if you
would like to see Bernhard in Cleo
patra' tomorrow night
She started forward in her chair and
{ turned Sideways to him a face grown
suddenly white. 1t was Ghe act of an
instant, for while yet he stared at her
! the professor leaned between them.
saying softly, Nov 1 know" And
then as she sank back in her seat the
blood ran up from her beautiful
throat.
''Know what?" Turning savagelyI
about, Paul was moved almost beyond
control by the complacent smile on the
professors face to seize and crush
him then and there. But Gertrude
| looked around again and beckoned
him with her eyes 'rWat for me-"
she said, Il have something to say to
you
The music drummed Oh for ages.
Know what? Then he marked back TO
the day at Bar Harbor, and suddenly
bethOught himself of the strange
words she had uttered then on the
porch. IF l could only tell you what
| know to be true" she said to the
professor. And now he said he knew.
What could he know?
Once out on the street with the pro
fessOr and Mrs. Hardness we'll ahead,
he turned to her sullenly and asked,
"Well?"
But speech came hard "Oh, another
time" she said
mo, now" he demanded.
We'll" She laughed, what have,
you to say?"
"TNhis," he said, in a sudden whirl-
wind of passion. Il love you and I
hate that man"
''Why do you hate him:' she whis-
pered.
Because L am afraid you love him
do yOu?'
Then he looked at her, and the peace
of heaven descended upon him. She
was mute. but the message he longed
for smiled upon her lips.
Listen" she said, 81 know him far
better than you do. Perhaps / Should
10 II; +oIo Ia. =
it had not been for your sister. She
broke the spell. I'm almost asha med
to tell you, but you certainly saw
enough at Bar Harbor to know what
bond of sympathy was between us.
The books he gave me to read; our
talks about them; that was all. But
[ really began to believe"
'fW7hat did you mean that day." Paul
broke in, 'when you wished you could
only tell him what you knew to be-
true?"
'EOh, don't" she faltered, then with
sudden courage said rapidly: 1--WE had
talked a great deal of metempsychosis;
maybe you remember l had about
persuaded myself that [ believed in it.
Then one day he confided to me the
great discovery and secret of his life
that, that-oh, it sounds too ridiculous
nOW-well, the soul of Marc Antony
had descended Through ages into his
body. There! But don't laugh
81 can't" said Paul grayely.
Though the descent is tremendous"
''Then, you see," she went on chat
other idea came gradually into my
head. Isn't it simply awful?"
''What idea?'
'You know very we'll; [ saw you
knew when you spoke this afternoon"
"'Pon my word don't"
"Why, Cleopatra, can't you see? Of
course, he knew it all the time, though
! he wished the notion to take root in
my mind and grow into conviction, as
though he hadn't nursed it at ALL [
! hate himi'
Paul stopped short in his tracks.
''Do you mean to say" he slowly de-
manded, that you actually believed
! that you were Cleopatra?' %
! 'Now. don't, Paul" she implored.
| moving hastily on. Don't let's talk
! about it any more. When you asked
| me to go with you to see Bernhard l
came near fainting. I thought he had
/ told you, and that you We're making
| fun of me. Oh, it is too disgusting to