The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1898-02-25

"You-mean-this- she fall
tered, slowly; after all that | have
done? Think OF 1t. Maxi have lost
my own soul for your sake!"
He shrugged his shoulders with a
contemptuous little laugh.
That's your own affair." he return
ed, carelessly. ITS the way with all
you women. If it were not for you,
Lurline, would not be the villain that
| feel myself at times, when my DOR
mant conscience wakes up and gives
me a reminder that it is not dead but
only sleeping. You alone were to
blame in this instance, Lurline, as
usual. 1T was the woman who tempt
ed me.
This was more than she could en-
dure. She turned savagely. and con-
fronted him with pallid face and blaz.
ing, wrathful eyes.
"You coward" she Kissed between
her little white teeth. "You perjured
coward! To share In a crime, and
then-oh, noble, brave, manly!-lay
all the blame and responsibility upon
the slender shoulders of weak wo-
man! Max Ruthven, for whose sake
did | commit this sin, which has lain
waste my whole life, and made me in
the sight of my own soul thing un-
worthy even of contempt? Never in
my long sinful existence can wrong
act, or a committed crime be assigned
to me, but the man whom l loved was
the cause and instgator of it all--this
love which has lain Ike a vile worm
at the root of my life. and destroyed
all-all!"
She paused, and the wrath and anger
vanished, as her eyes met his own for
an instant. She laid her hand softly
on his arm again.
Max" she whispered, family, take
back those cruel words-tell me that
you do care little for me; look! am
content with little love!"
But his eyes dropped from her gaze,
and he turned away contemptuously.
do you mean your cruel words
MAXI" she panted-"that you no longer
love me? No-you cannot-cannot
mean it! Oh, for Heavens sake, tell
me that it is only an ugly jest! l will
forgive you, Max; only-only-tell me
that you are not in earnest Oh,
Heaven! l have bartered my soul. l
shall suffer eternally for your sake
Max Ruthven!"
He shook of 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 a
have asked for bread. but receive a
stone. l 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
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 parsed
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, will take your life,"
He smiled.
well, we will not mention Viva then,
ma chere. l believe she's dead, any
way, or-worse; we will not talk of
Ito you) from the old, dead life to your
respectable, gilded misery with Barton
Chadwicke How cleverly you duped
him! How completely he believed in
you, worshiped you; and yet, from first
to last, you loved me; and Barton
Chadwick existed, and finally left this
mundane sphere, none the wiser. Lis
ten, Lurline. Only you and l 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: TT
is the money for which you care, Max
Ruthven. You do not love Lesley Dins-
more, but the ChadwicKe fortune be-
lieve, if l were once more in possession
at Chadwicke hall, l could win you
back to me-
Try IL, he IcluIuou, COdTSely.
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 it's breath in ter
ror, as the woman Missed, fercely:
81 will have my own again; | shall
return to Chadwick Hall, through fair
means or foul, its mistress; and the
day will dawn, Max Ruthven (mark
my words, for you shall have bite,
cause to remember them), the day will
surely come when you will sue to me,
on your knees for my love. and ] will
laugh you to scorn. Once more in
possession of the Chadwick fortune,
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 a
shadow through the green forest. leav-
ing the villain crestfallen and alone
Back In the small hotel in the vii
laPe where Lurline had secured anart-