Omaha daily bee., 1899-07-23

NAMED reading each others faces In the
looking glass.
She had seen aversion and menace in the
counts lowering face many q time before
and was at length beginning to believe the
almost impossible fact to be true, that a
man lived who hated her, over whom her
beauty had no power.
The young countess shivered in mortal
teSror.
Simon" she walled suddenly, you srs
changed-you do not love me any morel"
A broad smile fitted across the savage old
face.
"You are a fool, but a very pretty fool,
Isolde, and for that a man might forgive
you many things. Now listen to me. After
you retire to your rooms for the night, keep
close to them, no matter what you hear.
There may be a disturbance and you had
better have Selpdorf's daughter TO keep you
company" His expression changed az he
spoke of Valerie.
There is danger she gasped, danger.
What is 1t? o, tell me, what 1t Isl" Her
first fear leaping toward Rallywood.
He stared into her shrinking eyes.
"If you ever hope to be duchess of
Nassau" he answered significantly, "leavs
Valerie's lovers, Unfair and tho Englishmaa.
to take care of themselves. Keep your
tongue SllSnI! IelnOllDcT4 re caught neT
slender wrist roughly as he spoke and
pressed it to enforce the command.
The countess made no reply, but her
fingers closed in upon her palms.
Come, give me a kiss, and promise me
to do 80 much toward making yourself n
grand duchess" He brushed her lips care
lessly with his mustache.
The caress brought no response, but as ne
bent over her she whispered, have mercy
on me, Simonl" ct was n prayer born
rather Of some vague instinct Of danger than
any defined fear); don't kill mel"
He put his thick arm round her and shook
her impatiently.
XIII you, Isolde? Are you mad? You
are far more useful to me living than dead.
Get rid of your silly fears, and remember
silence!''
Then putting her back on the couch with
more gentleness than might have been ex-
pected of him, he walked out of the room.
For a little while she sat listening, then
opened her eyes and glanced about her. Yes,
he was gone. But 1t was characteristic of
her that at such a time her chief and over
towering thought was Valerie as a rival.
"Valerie's lovers, Unzlar and the English
mani A score of triiles rushed back upon
her memory; but no, it could not be. 1t
was one of the counts amiable ways to sug-
6eSt SduseS vi JedlouSy 10 MS wire. He
meant nothing, for what could he known
The soothing conviction grew upon her that
the taunt was thrown at her for what 1t was
worth. o, how she hated Sagan-hated his
bloodshot, beasts eyes, his mocking laugh,
his cruel hands, his crueler gibes!
She pushed back the lace from her wrist
and saw the thin blue parallels of bruised
flesh his fingers had left-entirely unawares,
it must be owned-upon her Wilderness. Ah,
she would show these to Rallywood-as a
proof that she was in danger, that she &C
tually needed his protection, and so win him
from his post, which tonight would become
the post of death.
All her little vain soul thrilled within her
at the possibility of triumph-of defeating
the honor of such a man-of winning him
from his watch for loves sake-of overcome
ing the scruples that had for so long a timo
stood out against her wiles.
And yet in her poor way she loved him
loved him as she would probably never love
another. Some women are made in that
way, they take pride in the loftiness Of the
height from which they drag men down..
Then he must be saved, she told herself, at
all costs saved! He would live to thank her
yet. A thought of him lying dead in his
blood by the dark embrasure that masked
the entrance to the royal apartments flashed
across her mind; she stretched out her arms
with a soft call like a birds:
20, love, love, i will save you!'
Ito be Continued.) Il