Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-07-20

IF you were to be ILL.,, she said, in
alarm, could I not come TO nurse
you?"
NAY" he replied, that would never
do. You would scandaliZe all Seville.
Do not fear. Let us speak Of something
more pleasant than Illness
81 cannot help it, said the poor
young wife Your hands are burning
not, Rinaldo; your face changes from
white to crimson; you do not look
! like yourself
MY race is not long-lived one, y
he said, dreamily; and she looked at
him in anxious alarm. mo Montalti
ever lived to be Old
'But you" she cried. clasping her
hands,-'you must live, my husband,
or you must let me die with you
Again the better nature Of the man
awoke within him, and he half re-
solved that he would be true to her,
come what might. But those debts,
that dreary Imprisonment that awaited
him if he fingered here, the hopeless,
helpless poverty, contrasted with the
|
painted of the time when he would be
one of the richest men in Spain.
"Inez," he said, turning to his young
wife, call men are low-spirited at
times. feel terribly depressed to-
day. Do not be startled at my ques-
ton. What should you do if I were
to die?"
Count Rinaldo never forgot the look
of anguish that came upon that beauti-
full face.
''Do. my husband?" she replied,-"I
should die with you. I should go on
living here until my heart broke. That
would not take long. When I lose
you, lose ALL
81 have a presentiment upon me- he
said. "Ah Inez, you will never forget
me, I know. No one would miss me
but you My cousin would be count
Montalti. He would be clever and
worthy If you lived to hear his
name become famous in Spain, would
it recall the poor count who loved you
so well?"
do not talk to me so Rinaldo,' she
cried, you torture me.
Then I will. not, if it grieves you,
he returned; but several times that
evening he reverted to the cousin who
would take his title.
In after years Inez remembered how
that evening after he had left her, he
returned to her side, and folded her in
his arms as though he would never re-
lease her. Again she smiled, and asked
him if he was falling in love with her
afresh. Poor girl! she little dreamed
how or when she should see Rinaldo
Montalti again.
The following evening he did not
come. She waited by the orange trees
until it grew late, and that night
Inez first learned the torture Of sus-
pense. He must be i'll, she knew. How
she raved blindly, madly, against her
fate. He was i'll, and she could not
even go to see him or nurse him;
there was no means by which she
could ascertain how he was, or any
thing about him. Was ever fate so
sad as hers? Madame Monteleone
hardly knew the pale face that greeted
her the following morning. All night
the girl lived in a torturing fever of
suspense; it seemed that evening
would never come. Long before the
time she was at the trysting-place,
watching, with wistful eyes, the road
by which he should come. There was
no sign of him; her eyes grew dim
with tears and her hands burned like
fire. The suspense seemed killing
her, when, in the far distance, she saw
some one coming along the high road.
One glance showed it was not her
husband; it was Luigi Carnello, look
ing grave and anxious. Did he feel
any sorrow or remOrse when his eyes
fell upon that pale, mournful face? 1t
was changed, he hardly knew it.
What is it," she cried. Where is
my husband? What are you come to
tell me-"
Gravely, and with all seeming kind
ness, he told her that Rinaldo lay i'll,
and that he had begged him to see his
wife, and give her many loving mes
sages for him.
Can l not see him." cried the poor
girl. Remember he is my husband.
Let me see him.
cit would be quite impossible" h
replied "Rinaldo will hasten to you as
soon as he is WE'LL
half smile of relief quivered for
moment upon her lips, and she said,
more cheerfully, "Then he is not very
i'll; he will soon recover?'
eve hope So was the reply; 'but
unfortunately the fever is very preva-
lent, and he has shown some symp-
toms we do not like. The best medi-
cine that can be given him will be
cheerful message from you If I tell
him you look sad or unhappy, he will
grieve deeply"
To Be Continued.