Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1899-12-07
CHAPTER XIII.

Wnen the servant throws open the lOOT
and announces-'Lord Herbert Graham,
though perchance a Keen eye might de-
tect a faint increase of pallor on her
cheek.
She has bunch of roses in her hand
rare flowers, some red as blood, some
white as milk, and some golden-hearted;
and as she slowly rises, she puts them
carefully into little Dresden vase that
stands on the table beside her before she
extends hand to her visitor.
And BERTHE, at the sight Of her, forgets
everything save that she is here and he is
with her.
Edith" he whispers; Edith
But Edith has no answering glance of
eagerness in her great purple eyes or in
her manner, fair though he is in his
young winsome beauty, loving as he is
In his honest, boyish heart. She wishes
him at Hong Kong-anywher save in
Stanhope street, and the sapphire eyes
are ice and the manners perfect in their
well-bred languor.
"Are you not glad to see me?' he asks,
simply; and commonplace as his words
are, she knows that they come straight
from heart that is full of her.
mo! hate being surprised; it has an
uncomfortable sensation about it, and you
know l love comfort. If you had let me
know you were coming / might have got
up quite little gushing scene of well
come" she says, carelessly, taking out
her bunch Of roses again and laying them
against her lips tenderly.
They are an offering from Lord Ennis
ford And as BERTHE watches her, he
longs to crush the hateful blossoms that
she caresses, feeling that for one touch
of her he would give up everything-ev-
,erything.
why do you waste your caresses on
those flowers? They don't appreciate it"'
"And you would" she laughs. "Well,
you see, one can get tired of man, but
at fowers-never!
BERTHE clenches his teeth to suppress the
bitter words that bubble to his lips.
Edith, why do you treat me SO? 1t
isn't possible that anyone else has taken
my place, for if So
"Tn shoot him, or-myself," he says,
with anguish in every feature.
"SilIyw she answers, contemptuously,
but all the same she feels rather uncom-
Portable. The young fool, as she calls
him, is quite capable of carrying out his
threat.
BERTHE is in the toils-never did stupid
6y futter more hopelessly in SPIDERS web.
Will the spider fasten her fangs and suck
the life-blood from her victim, or will she
spare the boy misery, maybe, crime?
Before I went to Vienna you swore
you cared for me more than aLy other
man, Edith. Was it true, or was it
Rot?' he asks, growing imperious, and
drawing up his slight figure with all the
haughtiness of his race.
''And now you are awake-awake as
we all are some time or other to the
follies of our youth" she says, with
little smile.
That smile is the one straw that broke
the camel's back.
'Great heaven!' he exclaims, his blue
eyes glaring at her Women are called
gentle-loving! For cold-blooded cruelty,
for passionate devilment, you women are
to men what hawk is to dove-a tiger
to tame cat!'
She shrugs her shoulders and half
droops her lids, settling herself more COM
fortably, as if resigned to all he has to
say.
Edith Edith, tell me you are not
changed Tell me you care for me still!
I don't ask you to love me as | love you,
Edith, for it is such horrible torture, such
pain but little, a little; only ever so
much more than you do any other MANI
II cannot deceive you," she says, max
Ing up her mind to crush the nuisance
this Irritation has become to her, no mat
ter what weapons she uses to Stay his
love, so long as it is done. IF / have
unwittingly made you believe that cared
for you, BERTHE, forgive me. The only
thing we can do is not to meet, and alb
sence will make you forget the pastr'
Once more he regards her steadily. The
exquisite face which haunts him night
and day is like Richelieu's waxen mask.
There is no pity or relenting in the sap
phire eyes, and he knows now that the
scarlet lips that have maddened him by
their touch in the days that are gone will
never more be lifted to his caress.
Forget the pastr'
1 Why, before he does that he must die.
for this woman. false, selfish, treacher-
Gus as she is, is life of his life, and with
out her must come-death. Yes! he knew
1t all now. Bella did not lie!
Il see," he says. in a very low voice
that has neither wrath nor rancor in it
the strength of his love lifts him far
above such feelings-but there rings in
every tone such utter, utter pain that
even her Gallons ears shrink little from
the sound. Il see! and after all what
could l expect? 1t is such women as you
who hurt men, and make them traitors
to faith, defaulters in honor. unbelievers
in everything good and holy. 1t is such
women as you who drain a man of heart
and soul aud smile whila vau yyorL tnn
destruction. l shall go back to Vienna,
Edith. / will never trouble you more, but
before l go want to leave my only care,
my last request to you. Imagine that
am going to leave the world, and that /
make you executrix Of my will. Will You
accept the trust!"
She bends her head, wondering what
craze this is.
My great anxiety is for my brother
for Ennisford. | want to ask your best
ofF3eas for him IF eouId only Sayp his