Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1898-02-24

Her lips moved, Lut she uttered no
word; she sh.ve el as though with
intense cold. | drew nearer to her.
PERHAPS you duct MY stcry?"
She made no answer A rapid i'm
use OF fury possessed me.
Speak," | cried, fercely, cor by
the God above US | will make you!
). eakl' and | drew the dagger | car
RED from my vest. Speak the truth
tor once twill De difficult to you who
love lies but this time | must be
answered. Tell me, do you know me?
DO you or do you not believe that !
III indeed your husband your living
husband, Fabio Romani?"
She gasped for breath. The sight
Of my infuriated figul e-the glitter OF
( the naked steel befo her eyes 1.-The
uddenness Of my action. the horror
os her position, all terrified her into
speech. She flung herself down be
fore me in an attitude Of abject en-
t elty. She found her voice at last
Mercy mercy" she cried "Oh,
God! you will not kill me? Anything
anything but death; ! am too young
10 diel Yes, yes; | know you are FabiO
my husband. Fablo, whom | thought
dead-FabiU-o OH and she sobbed
convulsiyely. you said you loved me
today when you married me! Why
did you marry me? | was your wife
already why? Oh, horrible, hor-
rible. / see / unde stand it all now!
But do not, do not XIII me-, Fab,oI
am afraid to die,"
And she hid her face at my feet
and groveled there As quickly Gained
as | had been suddenly furious, I put
back the dagger. | smoothed my voice
and spoke with m0cking courtesy.
"Prqy do not alarm yourself"
said, coolly. Il have not the slight
est intention Of killing you! l am no
vulgar murderer, yie'd ng to mere
brute instincts. You forget. a Neapol-
itan has hot passions, but he also has
tinesse, especially in matters of ven
geance. / brought you here to tell
YOU Of my existence, and to confront
you with the proofs Of il. Rise / beg
you with the proofs Of II. Rise, | beg
talk; with a little patience shall
make things clear to you-rise."
She obeyed L., lifting herself up
reluctantly with long, shuddering
sigh, AS she stood upright laughed
cCntemptuously.
What! no love words for me?"
cried, mot one kiss, not one smile, not
one word of welcome? You say you
know NEWELL You not glad to
see your husband?-you, who were
such an inconsolable widow"
/ A strange qu.ver passed over her
face-she wrung her hands together
hard, but she said no word
"Listen!" | said, there is more to
tell When ! broke loose from the
grasp of death, when / came home
found my vacant post already oc-
cupied ! arrived in time to witness
a very pretty pastoral play. The
scene was the lex ayenue-the actors,
you, my wife, and Guido, my triend"
She raised her head and uttered a
low exclamation of fear. advanced
a step or two and spoke more rapidly.
You hear? There was moonlight,
and the song OF nightingales--yes the
stage effects were perfect ! watched
the progress of the comedy-With
what emotions you may imagine.
learned much that was news to me. |
became aware that for a lady of your
large heart and sensitive feelings one
husband was not sufiicient-here |
laid my hand on her shoulder and
Gazed into her face, while her eyes.
dilated with terror, stared hopeessly
up to mine-'and that within three
little months % your marriage to me
you provided yourself with another.
Nay, no denial can serve you! Guido
Ferrari was husband to you in all
things but the name. mastered the
situation-I rose TO the emergency.
Trick for trick, comedy for comedy!
You know the rest. As the Count
Olivia you cannot deny that |
acted Well For the second time
courted you, but not half so eagerly
as you courted me? For the second
time l have married youl Who shall
deny that you are most thoroughly
mine mine, body and soul. till death
do us part,'
And / looseued my grasp of her,
She wrjJhed from me- like some gilt
tering wounded serpent. The tears
had dried ON her checks. her features
We're rigid aud wax-like as the fea-
lures Of corpse; only her dark eyes
shone, and these emel p eternatur-
ally large, and cleaned with an evil
luster. | moved a little away, ana
tanning my own coffin ON it's side. ] sat
down upon q. as iudiueIeuly Us
though IL We're am sy-chair in
drawing-r0om. CHANGING at her then.
! saw a waytring light upon her face.
Some idea had entered into her mind.
She moved gradually from the wall
where she leaned, watching me fear
fnly as She dii SO. I made no attempt