Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1899-05-11
within, where the light more fully

the way ana Will IOllOW you TO the
dining hall. If 1 mistake not, Mon
| sieur Gervase is her guest tonight at
dinner?'
Eyes, madame" replied the man, but
making no attempt to move in the d.
rectiOn indicated.
She drew herself up to her full hight.
II am Madame Gervase," she said.
"Show me the dining hall"
No longer he dared refuse to obey.
A moment after he threw wide open
! the folding doors, which led from a
marble ante-room filled with plants,
and with fountain of colored waters
in it's CENTER into a small but eXquis-
lite apartment, where sat, at Il round
table. ornamented with choicest fruit
and flowers two persons.
They both turned, the man starting
to his feet, the woman sitting quiet,
with Il supercilious smile upon her lips,
as the lackcy, in clear, ringing tones,
announced:
MADAME Gervase"'
| One moment Florence stood notion
less. surveying the scene which met
her view: then she advanced steadily
into the room. and paused but a few
feet distant from where the countess
sat.
Louis Gervase' face grew livid with
r&th. He looked from one woman to
the other. and half-opened his lips to
speak, but could think of no words to
utter.
Madame" began Florence, "my WIS.,
it tonight is to you, not to my hus-
band-for. deny me though he may. he
is my husband. as l hope to prove to
you. l did very wrong, perhaps, the
other night. when | so publicly assert
ed NY claim. If you were ignorant Of
it, you should not have suffered for his
fault: but if you have ever loved, and
suffered from the pangs of jealousy,
you can forgive the impulse which
prompted my act,
II have been married, madame. a lit
tie over Il year / was not great la
dy. like yourself. I brought to my hus-
band neither dowr nor title, save the
dover of my love and the title of my
purity. loved him SO well that, for
his sake, l left father, sister, home.
Only last night 1 learned the full
measure of my crime. 1t killed my
father. In reality, 1 murdered him.
But | loved this man so we'll that for
his sake 1 gave up all and followed
him. l did not know that he was rich;
never thought of it. He brought me
to Paris, and there made me his wife.
He swore to kill himself if 1 would not
consent to this step. How could l
know he used the threat only as a
lever to move my will?
well, as I say, we We're married.
For six months l was happy-suprelne-
N, wickedly happy-tben the first
cloud crept into my sky. Louis devo~
ton lessened. but always, always, I
hoped to win him back.
That very night saw YOU With him
at the opera, l had dressed to please
his eye, to win his smile. l had heard
of his attentions to you. Someone,
that evening, sent me an anonymous
note, telling me where l might find
you together.
'Without fixed plan or purpose other
than that, l went to the opera. You
know what happened there; but you
do not, cannot know, that that same
night he returned to his home only to
confirm, with fresh cruelty, what he
had there told me. He acknowledged
that he had cheated and duped me;
and he babe me accept my fate.
Ah. madame, you are young. as I
am young-more beautiful than L! You
are rich and pOwerful; 1 am poor and
nameless, since he denies me the right
even to his name. You have over him
the influence have lost,
'FOr the sake of our common wo-
manhood, throw off whatever spell he
may have eXerted over you, and bid
him repair the cruel, wicked wrong he
has committed! Look in his eyes and
ask him if one word | have uttered is
not true.
II am not Of your country nor his.
Even my wrongs must ring out in a
foreign tongue; but oh, madame, you
Will liSten-yOu will heed"
1t had been impossible to stem the
torrent Of her words; but Adele d'Au-
biSny. save that the white. jeweled
hands were interlocked little more
tightly as they lay in her lap, gave no
other sign that they had penetrated
beyond her hearing.
She turned now toward the man
whom rage had rendered speeches..
Louis" she said-and Florence's
eyes blaZed as she caught the intona-
ton which she gave the name-''Louis,
1 scarcely can ask my servants to
show Madame Gervase my doors, if it
is true that she possesses any title to
that name; but, otherwise, find this
scene only shade less disagreeable
than the one she previously enacted
for my benefit. Shall ring for
Jacques or no?"
''Ringv he answered. CURLY; but he
fairly Kissed the word from between
his set teeth.
The countess stretched forth her
hand toward Il tiny gold bell within
her reach.
But Florence made one quick step
forward and caught her arm.
For the first time. the eyes of the
two beautiful women met, flashing de-
1iance and disdain.
''How dare you summon your hire
lings to thrust from your presence the
wife. while the husband is your
guest:" she said. 81 came here tonight
to make my appeal to you. Your own
heart tells you that each word 1 have
uttered is the simple truth, and yet you
dare turn me from your doors, which
open to admit himvand she empha-
sized the latter word by one glance
of hurniner Scorn 'tYOu noad not o,rr,