Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1898-03-03

D
trembling hands, she moved hesitat-
| ingly toward the brigand's coffin and
/ leaned over it, looking in with a
! faint light of hope as we'll as curiosity
in her haggard face ! watched her
/ in vague wonderment-sh had grown
SO old so suddenly. The peach-like
4 bloom and delicacy of her flesh had
altogether dsappeared-her skin APP
peared drawn and dry as though
/ parched in tropical heat Her hair
was disordered, and fell about her in
clustering showers of gold--that, and
her eyes, were the only signs of youth
about her sudden wave of com
passion swept over my soul.
"Oh. wife!" | exclaimed-'wife that
II so ardently loyed-wife that | would
have died for indeed, had you bade
me!-why did you betray me? l
thought you truth itselfa and if
you had but waited for one day after
you thought me dead, and then
chosen Guido for your lover, tell you.
so large was my tenderness, ! would
have pardoned you! Though risen from
the grave, l would have gone away
and made no sign-yes; if you had
waited-if you had wept for me even
so little! But when your own lips
confessed your crime-when knew
that within three months of our mar
riage-day you had fooled me-wAen
| learned that my love, my name, my
ncnI
mere screens to shelter your intrigue
with the man / called friend, God!
what creature of mortal flesh and
blood could forgive such trelchery?
II am no more than others-but | loved
you-and in proportion to my love, so
lis the greatness of my wrong
She listened-she advanced u little
toward me-a faint smile dawlei On
her pallid lips-she whispered
'Fabio! Fabio!"
| looked at her-unconsciously my
voice dropped into a cadence OF in
tense melancholy softened by tender
ness.
'Ay-Fabio! What wouldst thou
with the ghost of him? Does it not
seem strange to thee-that hated
, name? thou. Nina, whom | loved as
few men love women-thou who gayest
me no love at allthou, Who hast
broken my heart and made me what
ami
A hard heavy sob rose in my throat
and choked my utterance. ! was
young and the cruel waste and de-
struction of my life seemed at that mo-
ment more than l could bear She
|, heard me, and the smile frightened
more warmly on her countenance, She
: lcame close to me-half ttmidly yet
lcoaxingly she threw one arm about
lmy necll-her bosom heayed quickly.
, Pablo" she murpured Fabio,
forgive mel | spoke in haste--l do
fot hate theel Comel ! viii make
amends for all thy suffeIingI will
, love thee--I will be true to thee,
Will be all thine See! thou knowest
have not lost my beauty"
And she clung to me with passion.
Iraising her lips to mine, while with
, her large inquiring eyes she searched
my face for the reply to her words,
, lgazed down upon her with sorrowful
, Isternness.
Beauty? Mere food for worms I
care not for 1t, OF what avail is 5
, fair body tenanted by fiendish soul
! Forgiveness?--you ask too late! A
, wrong like mine can never be for
, given"
There ensued silence. She still
embraced me, but her eyes roved over
p me as though she searched for some
r lost thing The wind tore furiously
r among the branches of the Expresses
+ Ioutside, and screamed through the
9 small holes and crannies Of the stone
! work, rafting the iron gate at the
summit of the stairway with clank-
ing sound, as though the famous brig
: and chief had escaped with all his
{ chains upon him, and were elamorine
! for admittance TO recover his buried
. property. Suddenly her face lightenec
= with an expression Of cunning in.
!. ltensity- and before ! could perceive
, her intent-with swift agility SHE
, snatched from my vest the dagger
4 carried,
n Too latel" she cried. with wild
; laugh No; not too late! Die,
G wretch"
: For one second the bright stee
I flashed in the wayering light as she
r poised IL in act to strike-the next
: | had caught her murderous hand anC
d forced 1t down, and was struggling
d with her for the mastery Of The
). weapon. She neld i with desperate
e grip-she fought with me breathlessly
a clinging TO me with all her forecasts
e reminded me of that ravenous unclear
Il bird with which | had had so fierce {
e combat on the night OF my liYint
It burial For some brief moments sh'
: was possessed Of supernatural strength
II she sprung and tore at my clothes
keeping the poniard fast In her clutch
bnr Igu-r rautinU avf