Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1899-07-20


thing happened TO you?"
He looked at the beautiful young
face and the loye-lit eyes. Something
manly and true awoke for one moment
in his worldly heart, and he clasped
her to him, saying that nothing could
happen. and he would love her until
he died.
She gave him the little chain, and
listened in wondering delight to his
praises and thanks.
Il shall never part with this, Inez,
he said: Il shall wear it as charm;
it viii keep your love always with
me"
Yet he knew as he uttered these
words that II his plan were carried
ont. he would never see his young wife
again. He was a bad man, selfish.
reckless. and unprincipled; yet not
onite so lost as not to feel some re-
morse at the part he was playing. He
looked pale and agltated, his eyes
we're dim, and his smile forced.
"Tell me, Rnaldo," said Inez, sud
denly: what made you so late this
evening"
He did not look at her as he replied.
that he was not well that he had been
suffering from strange pain in his
head.
"If YOU we're to be ILL.," she said, in
alarm could l 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"
Il cannot help it" said the poor
Young wife. your hands are burning
hot. Rinaldo; your face changes from
white to crimson; you do not look
like yourself"
MY race is not a long-lived one,
ne said, dreamily; and she looked at
him in anxious alarm. No MontalA
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 hair 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
glowing picture which Luigi had
paipted of the time when he would be
one of the richest men In Spain.
"IneZ" he said turning to his young
wife "all men are low-spirited at
times feel terribly depressed to-
day. DO not be startled at my ques-
ton. What should you do if were
to dle?"
Count Rlnaldo never forgot the look
of anguish that came upon that beauCl-
full face.
"Do. my husband?" she replied,-"l
should die with you. ! should go on
living here until my heart broke. That
would not take long When | lose
you, lose all.
II have a presentiment upon me, ne
said. "Ah Inez. you will never forget
me. | 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
1t recall the poor count who loved you
so well?"
do not talk to me so Rlnaldo,' she
cried; you torture me-"
"rhen will not, if it grieyes you,
he returned: but several times that
evening he reverted to the cousin VINO
would take his title,
In after years Inez remembered now
that evening after he had left her' ne
returned to her side. and folded her In
his arms as though he would never re-
lease her. Again she smiled and asked
him IL 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 IL grew late, and that night
Ineg first learned the torture of sus-
pense. He must be mn, she knew. How
she rayed hlindly, madly, against her
fate. lie was in, 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 herso Madame Monteleone
hardly knew the pale face that greeted
her the following morning. All night
the girl lived in a torturing fever OF
suspense. II seemed that evening
would never come. Long before the
time She was at the trystins-place,
Watching. with wistful eyes, the road
by which he should come. There was
no sign o1 him her eyes grew dim
with tears and her hands burned like
Gre. The suspense seemed killing
her. when, In the far distance, she saw
some one coming along the high road
One glance showed IL was not her
husband; II was Luigi Carnello look
ing grave and anxious Did he feel
any sorrow or remorsc when his eyes
Tell upou that pale. mournlul face 1t
...... t....,,4 d.. nar.1',. 4rrpvy it