Brookings weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1898-1903, 1899-05-04

ant tIlan auy tu0tlOn, 10 fe1SSeTt NS
supremacy. She had. doubtless. an
gered her husband; she should have
been more gentle, less imperious 1t
could not be that any one had supplant-
ed her In his heart, or that his love was
less loyal.
How well he had loved her! And
then her mind went back to the old
days. and fingered there until resent
ment fed. All, If he had momentarily
wavered. she would charm him back
to his old allegiance.
And SO. with almost n smile upon her
lips, determined to throw Off the dark
shadows which all day had oppressed
her she rang for her maid to come to
her.
MY prettiest toilet. Marie." she COM
manded.
For the first time, Marie found her
exacting and hard to please.
rs madame going to a ball?' she
asked: but the answer was simple
negative.
When at last, the toilet was COM
pleted, she could have entered no bali
room and not been it's acknowledged
belle. The beautiful hair was twisted
lew upon her little head. with here and
! there tiny curl escaping from its
thraldom. diamond star scintillating
in its gold. She wore a dress Of white
| satin, open at the throat. with sleeves
OF pearl-dotted tulle. through which
shone the white, exquisitely-rounded
arms. She stood moment surveying
herself in the long mirror. which so per-
fectly reflected the lovely and imperial
vision.
"Ah. she said. with halfsigh to
herself. Twill he be ashamed tonight to
| present me to his friends as his wife?
What would Dorothy say if she could
see me nowT
And the later thought brought an In
stant tear to her violet eyes. for Doro.
thy was her twin. the little sister more
gentle. less imperious than she. but so
like her in face, in voice, in manner,
that her own father scarce could tell
them apart. But the difference would
be greater now. Dorothy never had
worn such gown as this. nor such
jewels about her throat and wrists.
Ii was strange she should have
thought Of Dorothy at this moment;
but ii was her dream which made the
| home-llfe come back to her so strange
ly.
Madame. dinner is ready" an
nounced her maid
All. dinner was ready! And mon
sieur. had he returned?
Yes: monsieur had returned during
the afternoon; but had made a very
hasty toilet, and gone Immediately out
again.
| Florence's heart sank. Some of the
old coldness, the old bitterness. re-
turned; but her housemaid must not
suspect..In her regal pride and beauty,
she sat down alone to her exquisitely-
served repast. 1t dragged itself out to
an interminable length.
1t was 8 o'clock when she arose: at
the same moment a note was handed
her in handwriting unknown to her.
She tore 1t open. 1t was unsigned.
and that most detestable Of all miss.
iyes-an anonymous communication.
If Madame Gervase will go tonight
to the opera" 1t ran, ''she will see
Monsieur Gervase with the lady whom
rumor states, he Is soon to lead to the
altar. Madame may deem herself a
legal impeachment TO the latter possibil.
ity. but she is in error, as the writer
fears. the future will prove
With face blanched to marble, Flor
ence read and re-read the lines Of such
terrible and portentous import.
What could they mean? What was
the fearful implication underlying
them?
Her husbands words Of the previous
night came back to her. He had not
acknowledged his marriage--the worlC
did not know her as his wife. But did
he imagine she would keep silent. wheI
her honor and her womanhood were a
stake?
Pshaw! The whole thing was false
the letter written in qualification o
some petty revenge. But the writel
told her to see and Judge for herself
aid tonight was to be her opportuni
ty.
With sudden resolution, she sum
moned Marie.
Prepare to accompany me to the op
era. and order the horses at once" sh,
commanded, though her voice sounded
even TO herself. like liquid Ice. go a
once to the opera. Jean" she said, Il
her butler. ''and procure me a box, a
any price. Meet us at the entrance OIL
our arrival"
The clock had just struck 10 whel
her carriage stopped before the doors
and she stepped from 1t with the al
and bearing OF a queen.
A little murmur OF admiration raj
through the boxes in the immediate vi
cinity Of that which she had secured
as she took the seat within it. an,
threw back the elegant wrap she wore
Marie seated herself little benin.
her
The first act was ended--the secon
had but just begun; but not one singl
glance did Florence vouchsase tn
stage Slowly she raised her oper
glass to her eyes, and slowly scanne,
the house. A half-sigb OF reiis. parte,
her lips. when, suddenly, she gave
perceptible start.
In one Of the lower stage boxes, L
the left, sat a woISan tc-ard WHOM
half the glasses In the house, from tim
to time. like that Of Madame Gervase
were leyeled.
She was imperiously, consciousl,
beautiful, with hair Of ebon blacknes
and eyes that matched the night.
She was dressed In black velvet, Gu