Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-07-27

for the first and last time, no tears
came to soften the grief that seemed to
be consuming her young life. She
went into the orange grove where she
had stood with Luigi Carnello four
days since; she sat down, and looked
listlessly around her. Suddenly her
eyes fell upon a small discolored
paper, that lay half hidden among
some dead leaves upon the ground.
Her heart gave one great leap. What
was it? Who had placed it there?
She raised it and held it unopened for
a few minutes in her hand. An in
stinctive dread of coming sorrow had
seized her. Slowly unfolding it, she
saw it was in her husbands writing
and addressed to Luigi Carnello.
Never was statue more white and
| still than that hapless girl as she
read every word of that fatal, coward
ly letter. Every letter seemed to burn
| itself into her brain as she read Then
she sat as one in a hideous dream.
Il will wait here until he comes,'
she said. Il will confront him with
it, and know the truth at last
There was no tremor on that proud,
pale face. She sat as erect and as
naughty as q queen, awaiting the ap-
proach of the man who had helped to
betray her. He came at last and with
a courteous bow and kindly words,
Luigi attempted to take her hand.
She withdrew it proudly, and a look
Of fear came into his face as he OBJ
served her naughty gesture.
Luigi Carnello,' she said, stand
there, as a criminal before his judge,
and answer me. You say you were my
husbands friend?"
81 was" he replied
Did he write to you OCCASIONALLY"
she asked.
"often,-almost every day." was the
reply.
Listen to this letter. she said,
''and tell me if he wrote it,
Without tremor or break in her
voice, she read coldly and calmly
my Dear Luici,-Come to me this
evening about ten. am in a most |
serious Dilemma, I begin to wish
had never seen the belle Of Serranto, |
as you call her. I must have been |
mad to have shackled myself with a |
penniless girl. She is beautiful |
enough, but gold outweighs all beauty. |
D. NJ. has smiled upon me. If had
little more sense, I might have Sc
cured the heiress instead of throwing
myself away upon a nobody. I was
born under an unlucky star: come and |
tell me what is to be done
yours ever,
Rinaldo NJ"
Nov tell me- she said-"and Il
charge you to speak truly-was this
letter written by Count Montalti to |
your"
'It was" he replied.
Then before he died" she con-
tinued, che repented having married |
me, and regretted that he had not Sc
cured the heiress of whom he speaks:
tell lie truly, do not spare me,-was it
SOP"
YES" he replied, and the word
How basely he must have deceived |
mel" she said. See, this letter is dated
three weeks back. l saw him twice
after then, and each time he pro-
fessed greater affection for me. Tell
me, Luigi Carnello, you who knew his
secrets, did he ever love me, or was it
all a delusion?"
''He loved you at first he said;
''and then-then I think he grew tired
of you, and regretted that he had not
married for money, as he had always
intended to do"
eff he had lived" she said, what
would he have done with me?''
Deserted you, most probably"
That is enough, sir" she inter-
rupted; "say no more: I understand
now that I have been a credulous
dupe. Listen to me: even as I tear
this Infamous letter into shreds, so do
tear the memory of Rinaldo Montalti
from my heart. He deceived me; no
one ever deceives Monteleone
twice. If he were living I would curse
him; as he is dead I give him my IN
false friend, false man, never dare to
venture into my presence again, never
dare to speak of me or to remember
that [ i've"
She waved him imperiously from her
presence.
What a scene." he said slowly to
himself when he was quite away, and
far upon the road. "She is a perfect
tragedy queen If I had been Mon
talti, would not have lost her for |
all the wealth of Venice. She made
me feel like a whipped cur. Well. |
everything has an ending in this |
world, and I have seen the last of Inez
Countess Montalti,-nee Monteleone."
To Be Continued.
MRS. CAROLS BUSTER.