The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-05-18
and he turned away contemptuousIy.

"Do you mean your cruel words
MAXI she panted-"thst you no longer
love me? No-you cannot-cannot
mean it! Oh, for Heavens sake. tell
me that 1t is only an ugly Jest! will
forgive you, Max; only-only--tell me
that you are not in earnest. Oh.
Heaven! I have bartered my soul.
shall suffer eternally for your sake
Max Ruthven!"
He shook off her clinging touch, and
leaning his handsome head against the
trunk Of the tree behind him, yawned
slightly.
She wrung her hands in impotent
despair.
Lord pity mel" she walled. II
have asked for bread. but receive a
stone. have lost my hope of Heaven,
and-all in vain. all in vain!"
Your hope Of Heaven!" he sneered.
your claims to future happiness were
exceedingly slight before l ever met
you. You have not forgotten the life
you led, have you Lurlne? the old gid
dy days in Paris-the cafe, the opera
bouffe, where you appeared nightly,
and all gay Paris rang with the exploits
of the pretty trapeze performer, Mad
emoiselle Lurline? Then there was
the life at quaint old Baden, where
you presided at the roulette table, and
men risked their all at rouge ct noir.
because your bright eyes lured them
on to their own destruction, until
they were willing to risk their souls
for your sake. And then"-he paused
and gazed upon her with cruel eyes as
though gloating over her shame and
misery" there was pretty Viva D."
She sprang forward, like fury, in
his path.
"Hush!" she painted, "hust, Max
Ruthven, or as certain as you stand
there before me, I will take your life!"
He smiled.
well, we will not mention Vivathen,
ma chere. l believe she's dead, any
way, or-worse; we will not talk Of
her. We will contemplate the change
Ito you) from the old, dead life to your
respectable, gilded misery with Barton
Chadwick. How cleverly you duped
him! How completely he believed in
you, worshiped you; and yet, from first
to last, you loved me; and Barton
Chadwicke existed, and finally left this
mundane sphere, none the wiser. Lis
ten, Lurline. Only you and know
how Barton Chadwicke died."
Her slender form swayed like reed
in the wind; her eyes, dilated with hor-
ror, were fixed upon his sneering,
hooking face: she put up both hands
as though to ward off blow.
Have mercy" she walled, In low.
despairing voice. Then, with sudden
change, she went on, passionately: 1T
is the money for which you care, Max
Ruthven. You do not love Lesley Dins-
more, but the Chadwick fortune be-
lieve, if I were once more in possession
at Chadwick hall, I could win you
back to me-"
"Try It," he returned, coarsely.
She clinched her two small hands to-
gether, and turned her white face up
ward to the blue morning sky, an aw-
full expression in her lovely blue eyes.
A little bird lifting on a bough above
her head, trilling melodiously, paused
and seemed to hold its breath in ter
ror, as the woman Missed, flercely:
II will have my own again; l shall
return to Chadwicke Hall, through fair
means or foul, its mistress; and the
day will dawn, Max Ruthven mark
my words, for you shall have bitter
cause to remember them), the day will
surely come when you will sue to me,
on your knees for my love, and l will
laugh you to scorn. Once more In
possession of the Chadwicke fortune, I
shall lift my eyes to the highest in the
land. All! Max Ruthven, you will find
what a woman's bitter hatred and
fierce ambition can achieved"
She turned away, and glided like
shadow through the green forest, leav-
ing the villain crestfallen and alone.
Back In the small hotel in the VII
lage where Lurline had secured apart
ments, she locked herself in her cham
Der, and began to pace wildly up and
down. her hands clasped convulsively,
her face set and stern.
Max, Oh, my Lowell" she walled, In
bitter anguish. II have stepped my
soul in crime for his sake, and (oh,
was there ever such vile ingratitudeD
he turns from me now. I have sinned
Il have sinned-and for naught. But
I swear to make him repent, to repent
in dust and ashes; and. so help me
Heaven, I will do it,"
: And Lurlne Chadwicke kept her
vow. ..
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