Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1899-05-04

Heart,
BY FRANCES WARNER WALKER.
A THRILLING LOVE STORY.

time to cool; her love, which was, with
this woman stronger and more domin-
ant than any emotion, to reassert its
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 we'll he had loved her. And
then her mind went back to the old
days. and fingered there until resent
ment fled. All, if he had momentarily
wayered. She would charm him back
to his old allegiance!
And SO, with almost a smile upon her
lips, determined TO throw off the dark
shadows which all day had oppressed
her. she rams 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 baIl?' she
asked: but the answer was a simple
negative.
When, at last. the toilet was COM
pleted. she could have entered no ball
room and not been it's acknowledged
belle. The beautiful hair was twisted
low upon her little head, with here and
there a tiny curl escaping from its
thraldom, a 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. h stood a moment surveying
herself in the long mirror, which so per-
fectly reflected the lovely and imperial
vision.
All" she said, with a halfsigh to
herself, will he be ashamed tonight to
present me to his friends as his wife?
What would Dorothy say if she could
see me now?'
And the later thought brought an in
slant tear TO her violet eyes, for Doro-
thy was her twin, the little sister, more
gentle, less imperious than she, but so
X 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 a gown as this, nor such
jewels about her throat and wrists.
1t was strange she should have
thought of Dorothy at this moment;
but ii was her dream which made the
homc-life come back to her so strange
ly.
Madame, dinner is ready" an
nounced her maid. /.
All. dinner was ready! And mon
sieur. had he returnedg
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 coldncss, 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. IL dragged itself out 10
an interminable length.
IL was o O'clock when she arose: at
the same moment q note was handed
her in a handwriting unknown to her.
She tore it open. 1t was unsigned.
and that most detestable of all miss
ives-an anonymous communication.
IF Madame Gervase will 90 tonight
to the opera it ran, '.she will see
Monsieur Gervase with the lady whom,
rumor states. he is o 10 lead to the
altar. Madame may deem herself n
legal impeachment TO the latter POSSIBLE
\ Ivy /. Out ne IL III tEIOT. iS the writer
fears. tie 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 10 her. He had not
acknowledged his marriage-the world
did not know her as his wife. But did
he imagine she would keep silent. when
her honor and her womanhood were at
stakeg
Pshaw, The whole thing was false
the letter written in qualification of
some petty revenge. But the writer
told her to see and judge for herself,
and tonight was to be her opportuni-
ty.
With sudden resolution, she sum
moned Marie.
Prepare to accompany me to the OPP
era. and order the horses mt once., she
commanded. though her voice sounded.
even TO herself. like liquid ice. go at
once 10 the opera, JEAN she said, TO
her butler, land procure me n box. al
any price. Meet US at the entrance ON
Our afflNal.
Tile clock had just struck 10 when
her carriage stopped before the doors,
and she stepped from it with the air
and bearing of a queen.
A little murmur of admiration ran
through the boxes in the immediate vi.
entity of that which she had secured,
rs she took the seat within Ii, and
threw back the elegant wrap she Wore,
Marie seated herself IA little behind
her.
The first act was ended-the second
had but just begun; but not one single
glance did Florence ~vouchsafe the
stage. Slowly she raised her opera
glass to her eyes. and slowly scanned
the house. A half-sigh OF relief parted
her lips. when. suddenly, she gave a
perceptiblc start.
In one Of the lower stage boxes. ia
the left, sat a woman toward whom
half the glasses In the house. from tim,
to time, like that Of Madame Gervase
were leveled.
She was imperiously, consciously