The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-04-05

having placed her upon tho bed he quickly
turned the mirror.
"Speak, Leontine speak to me-" no
cried.
She did not reply; her lips were color
less.
"a physiciant" no exclaimed. az Z
can but procure q physician, it may not
yet be too late"
NO" responded his companion. "Lis-
ten to me. Rather than belong to another,
Maurice rather than become tho wife OF
any man but you L have taken poison.
But even tho pain Of dying L hail with
joy, for in your arms / will breathe my
last. Press your'lips TO mino and lot mo
feel your breath upon my cheek.'
"Oh, Leontinc," murmurod Dorval, as
no clasped her to his breast and pressed
kiss after kiss upon her cold lips. "Oh,
what have you done? Surely this cannot
DO DEATH
sit is death, and 1 rejoice In my escape.
have, in inviting this fate, done my duty.
Forgive me for suspeoting you. Adieu,
my love-"
The words were scarcely audible, and
Maurice bowed his head to catch the sound.
As Leontino ceased speaking she tromblod
violently. sigh parted hor lips. "Mau-
rice" shc whispered family, and in an in
slant more her spirit had fed. For II few
moments Rorvnl remained in silence DO
side tho dead woman he had so fondly
loved. 1t seemed to the man rs though the
world itself was passing away; then, real
izing that tho still form no longer con-
tanned the soul, despair seized upon him,
and no rushed forward and drew Loontine
to his breast convulsivcly. Tho stiffness
of tho room was broken by tho clock strik-
ing tho hour Of midnight. AS tho last
vi nd al 81 -
steps was heard in the corridor, and in a
moment moro tho door of the chamber
opened and De fremont entered.
"Leontinc, no said, "whoro arc your"
Here exclaimed u strange voice. The
tone was sepulchral. Do fremont shud-
dered and turned toward tho spot whence
it came.
Once moro tho mirror had turned, and
before him he saw another room brilliantly
lighted and upon tho bod tho pale, still
form of n woman. Beside tho couch stood
Maurice, as pale almost rs tho dead girl
His dark eyes wero fixed upon Do Trc-
mont, and in either hand he held pistol
de fremont looked mt the scene before
him, but could not comprehend tho mean
ing.
What does this meant" ho inquired.
"Retribution," responded Dorval.
II do not understand you"
Then Will explain. Leontine, whom
you married, now lies dead before YOU
Wo meet in the sacred presence, and ono
OF us must join her.
fremont did not speak
Your sin has found you out" contin-
ued Dorval. You deceived tho woman l
loved, and who loved me. I learned tho
truth too lato to save her, but not too lato
to avenge the wrong done to both. We
w txt-ft
the presence Of tho woman you have tor.
turcd. or these pistols but ono is loaded"
Maurice advanced. AS he did so Do Ire
mont rctrcated until his back touched the
wall.
Death is in ono of these weapons; I
know not which" said Dorval. Choose"
Dc fremont grow calm and quickly
turned his eyes toward tho door, but his
companion intercepted the glance.
Choose, or will kill your
For an instant De fremont looked scru-
tinizingly mt tho pistols, but tho cold iron
revealed nothing, and, yielding to chance,
no graspcd the ono nearest him.
The two advorsarics stood confronting
each other. The scene was solemn. For IN
instant rot sound broke tho stiffness of
the room.
Not one regret for his misdceds troubled
the mind of Do fremont. His every
thought was centored in tho desire to kill
his enemy
IF you have aught to prepare before
dying, he said, turning to Dorval, "do
so quickly, for you, and not I, will fall"
Perhaps" responded Maurice.
They approached and placed the muzzles
of their pistols each above tho heart of the
other, and at tho same instant fired. The
household was aroused by the sound of the
report. Tho Baroness dc Ncuilles rushed
to the chamber of her daughter On enter
ing the room she SAW Maurice Dorval
bending over the dead body Of tho Baron