Evening journal., 1899-10-27

spoken or learn OF It's successes and OF
those who willingly make mp his daily
and hourly life"
And all the While her thoughts were
rambling on.
Estelle and the count sat chatting
almost confldenually OF the scenes at
the horse show, the latest opera. and
the last novel, and the formal wedding
OF the forenoon, while the keen scrutiny
OF the counts yelled eyes read deeper
into the young girls soul than she was
at all aware OF.
"A very suitable marriage" he COM
mented, rising leisurely TO put his half
empty cup on the tabouret.
Estelle's eyes flashed and her lip
curled. For those two he supple
mented, reseating himself.
What is folly for one may be wisdom
for another. We are all on distinct
patterns, my dear young lady, although
in different degrees. We possess with
in us the same irrational bundle OF
contradictory emotions which are apt
to play us queer tricks at odd times,
and whose vagaries we none Of us are
ever sure we can circumvent or con-
troll"
Don't you know, weally, sometimes
I wondeh If life is life, or is only a
blundehg A twick of that devilish
fellah down yondeh, who's fooling us
all, don't you know?" quoted Estelle,
with a light laugh, while her thoughts
ran on in bewildering riot, picturing
scenes and forecastlng events until.
with a start, she came back In Count
Corriellls last words.
Would she be content? Would a life
OF luxurious wandering suit herr
Would liberty and freedom and the
Kaleidoscope of fashions, facts and
fancies, and the whirl OF social life in
the great capitals, please her fancy and
amuse and delight and ever keep a
bright smile on her beautiful lips, and
gladness in the depths OF her glorious
eyes2
And would she honor the home of
his forbears. the castle on the cliffs,
with her divine presence, and see
beauty in the deep blue skies OF Italy
and hear music in the beat and MUIR
mur OF the waves on the crags and
rocks OF the shore?
''Yesi Yesl Yesl" said Estelle,
family and desperately, with white lips
and a despairing heart. while he stood
before her, holding with compassionate
tenderness her cold and trembling
hands.
Then a long pause fell between them.
The wood FIRE burned cheerily, the
fretted brass work OF the fireplace
cleaned and glistened as the htful
flames rose and fell. That OF the hand
some room, familiar to Estelle from her
bonny childhood to this eliminating
hour OF her young womanhood, looked
with sOrrowful reprOach at her mad
sacrifice, and her thoughts, tumultuoua
and wild, worried her with clamorous
appeal, reproaches and surging, unde-
fined fears. until TO still the pain and
tumult, she sank back on the ambel
cushions Of her chair and closed hei
eyes.
The white bear on whose long ful
your feet are resting was driven, ant
hunted. and finally trapped by a decep
tive cry in the black darkness OF thl
night, when, walled her thoughts. th'
wild winds OF the steppes caught nl
and whirled the snow in eddies an'
binding mists. while hained ani
i wounded. he fell into the trammels o
his captorl
. Esteile's thoughts sobbed and wrun,
their hands.
The stiffness OF the library grew op
pressiYe, and Estelle. drawing Ions
breath, looked up.
The dark eyes were gazing dowI
compassionately and sorrowfully at he
lovely upturned face, whose varying
color and troubled look told q tale Of
tenumes read by Count Corrielli in hi
wanderings through the world.
Caro- mio," he said gently, drawing
a chair close TO hers and resuming pos
session OF her hands. Il am bette
than you deem me.
"Do You believe / would selfshly Il,
your exquisite and reluctant youth 4
my gray hairs and sober years, ant
imprison your loveliness within tn
} limits Of a life, guided and gaudy, bu
after all a prison life little one, II
which your heart would cry out an,
beat its wings until 1t lay dead, al
bruised for struggling so ineifectuall.
against the walls Of its living tomb?
mol MOI Yours is the happiness
3 hold the most precious thing in all thi
, world, sweetheart; so not TO me shal
you sacrifice one second of your price
b less liberty or give one unwilling
thought In obedience to a dictate whicl
comes not from the heart"
Estelle sat and listened, while a way
of color swept over her face.
"See here little one" continued th
count, with a faint half-sad smile
which sat well on his careworn an
thoughtful face, Il came with a mission
this afternoon"
"a missionl" repeated Estelle, vague
4, ly, while a sigh Of unconscious relie
escaped her.
mime is a longer acquaintance wit
/, the world and its incongruous inhabi
tants than yours. VIII you not believe
I child, that my knowledge of others, an
love for you, will give me a greater In
sight into intent and motive than 20
can possess?"
Il suppose So" acquieseed Estelle
/, still too bewildered by the singular oui
come Of the counts proposal to dra'
any special conclusion, while curiou
hopefulness began to stir and asser
itself within her breast.
: "Then accept my advice and attac
! no Importance to gossip rumor.
: "And again caro- mio, let no ials
barrier stand between you and tina
i. happiness which will surely crown
. glorious young life II you only will"
. But monsieur le comte--" bega