The Portland daily press., 1898-11-15

ed by the closed n-shutters..
Iiane and her lover sat facing eaon
other, the silence being compieUe saws ao5
the swish of the sea as 1T broke ever anu
anon upon the brown rocks deep peiow.
A moment later, however, there WAS q
sound of the opening and shutting Oh
doors, and with frou frou OF SIZE tnere
entered the Golden Hand.
She wore an elegant dress of pale mauve
trimmed with velvet, aud as she came
forward into the rooms smile OF wei
come played upon her lips, but George
thought she looked oder and more bag
gard than when he had visited her only
two days before. agS f
Closing the door quietly behind her, she
crossed almost noiselessly to where they
were seated, and sinking upon a settee
expressed pleasure at receiving their visit
II was not exactly certain whether you
would come, you know she exclaimed,
with coquettish laugh II was afraid
Liane would refuse -
You told me thatsyou were her friend, ,
he said.
ssAnd that was the entire TRUTH she
answered.
Liane faced her, her countenance pale,
her lips parted, She had held back in
fear when this woman had entered, but
the calm expression and pleasant smi1a
had entirely disarmed her suspicious
Yet she feared lest this woman whom
she had known in the old days should
divu1ge the secret she had kept from her
lover George, the man she adorsd was,
she knew, last slipping away from her.
On the one hand she WAS forced to marry
Zertbo. while on the other this very
woman, whom she feared, was to be
bribed to accept her lover as husband.
Lame looked into her face and tried to
read her thoughts. But her countsnance
had grown cold and mysterious.
,rf o1u VIC frIand ~ she
said, at last, in low strained lone.
mo. not always, 2 the oman admitted,
in English. II have seldom been gen.
erous towards my own sex. | was, it is
true. Lame, until recently, your enemy"
she added, in a 81 mpathetlc tone. -
should be now, if it were not for recent
events. =
"You.intepd, then, to prove my friend, =
Liane gapsed excitedly, half rising from
her chair. "You--you will say nothing. !"
ION the contrary, | shall speak The
truth.
aAh, no. she walled. 'tNo, spare me
that. Think Think surely my lot is
hard enough tokbeari Already have lost
George the man love- y
Y our loss is my gain" Mariette Le-
page said slowly. :" You have lost a lover.
while have found husband.
And you will marry him-you?" she
cried, dismayed.
kow what are your thoughts, !" the
other said. my reputation is uneyiable-
her"
Liane did not answer; her lover sat
ligid and silent.
'"Well," went ON the woman known at
the tables as the Golden Hand. II can
not deny it. AL that you see here. my
house, my furniture, my pictures. the
very clothes wear, l have won fairly
upon the tapls-vert. because, well, be
r no1o of no "A
ones. Others sit and ruin themselves by
unwise play, while sit beside them and
prosper. because of that, am pointed
out by men and women, as a kind Of ex.
traordinary species, and Stunned by all
save the professional players to which you
and belong. But. she added, gazing
meaningly at-Liane. you know my past
as well as know yours
The words caused her to turn pale as
death, while her breath came and went
quickly. She was in momentary dread
lest a single word of the terrible Truth she
was striving to hide should involuntariiy
escape her.
when i went daily to the Casino, and
have often envied you for while zpy
father lost and lost you invariably won
and crammed handfuls of notes into 20 III
capaoious purse. At first envied you,
but soon grew to hate you
You hated me because even into my
hardened heart love had found Its way,
she said reproaohfully.
II hated you because knew that you
loved only gold. bad seen sufficient OF
you to know that you had no higher
thought than Of the chances OF the red OF
the black. Yeu had been apt1y nick
named The Golden Hand
And I. too, envied you" the other,
said. II envied you your grace, and
hca " yat nffAn + faIt for
you. You seemed SO distrait and world
weary, although so young that it was
matter CT surprise that they gave you
your carte at the Bureau.
s'Now, strangely enough, we ara rivals,
Lame observed.
thrall of one who holds you in his power
Marietta answered. You love each other
so fervently that could never be your
rival if you were free"
"But alAsl l am not free.' she said,
in deep dependency her eyes downcast,
her head resting upon her hand.
"True," said the other, Struggling her
shoulders. Circumstances have COM
bined to weave about you web in which
you have become emmeshed. You are
held by bonds which alone and unassisted
you cannot break asunder.''
Lame, overcome with emotion she could
no longer restrain, covered her face witt
her nAnuS anu JUL t INTO torrent OF
tears In an instant her lover was beside
her, stroking her hair fondIy, uttering
words of sympathy and tenderness, and
endeayouring to console her.
Mariette Lepage sat erect and silent
watching them.
"Ahr' she said slowly at length. 81
know how fondly you love each other. /
have myself experienced the same grief,
the same bitterness as that which is rent
ng your hearts at this moment, even
b ongh I am believed to be devoid of every
passion, of every sentiment. and Of every
womanly feeling. -
s'Let me gol'' Liane exclaimed, in G.
voice broken by sobs, rising unsteadily
from her chair. Ill cannot bear 1t.
"No, remain,'' the woman said in
firm tone, a tri1e harsher than before.
ST asked you here today because l wished
to speak to you. / invited the man you
love because it is but just that he should
hear what / have to say"
sAhi" she sobbed bitterly. lyon Will
exposs me-who have only just declared
that you are my friend.
BE patient,' the other answered.
know your fear. You dread that shall
tell the truth which you dare not face. !"
She hung her heed, sinking back rigidly