Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1899-05-18

Still drew ON his banker rs she WOulu.
If it was distasteful to her to accept
his means, she gave no evidence of it,
except that one day she said, suddenly,
to Arkwright:
did my father leave any proper
ty?"
II do not know" he answered.
will you find out for me?-and will
YOU also discover if l am one of his
heirs: My mother had some property.
l think it came to us at her DEATH"
Glad to aid her in any way, he lost
no time in investigating the facts, and
soon brought her the welcome news
that she was mistress in her own right
to some eight thousand pounds, but
that she must return to her old home,
to go through some necessary legal pre-
liminaries to make good her claim.
She drew long breath of relief
when he told her this. as though it
lifted some great weight from her
mind.
The next week she went to England.
1t was early winter when she returned
to Paris; but there was about her an
atmosphere of cold keener than the
cold winter winds which betokened the
advent of merry Christmas.
The general gaiety. the blstling peo-
pie making ready for their holiday
gifts, the happy laughter ringing out
on the frosty air. made her own loneli-
ness and desolation the greater.
1t seemed almost as if Harry Ark
wright's fear might yet be realized,
and brain, if not heart, give way be-
meath the strain.
One morning, sitting over her coffee,
she idly picked up a paper, laid, as usu-
al. beside the tray. A short column.
relating to events in fashionable life,
met her view. and her eye ran indiffer-
entity down it. until, suddenly, it was
arrested by thse few lines:
1T is authoritatively stated that the
young Countess d'Aubigny has decided
to renounce her cherished freedom in
lonor of Mons. Louis Gervase. The
marriage is to take place at Notre
Dame. on Thursday, the twenty-first Of
| December"
Thursday, and this was Tuesday.
The paper dropped from her nerveless
fingers. One low moan of agony es-
capped from her White. quivcrng lips.
Then an awful lool--a look of absolute
madness crept into her violet eyes.
She rose and carefully locked and
bolted the doors of her apartment.
Returning to the place where she had
dropped the paper. she picked it up
and read and re-lpad the announce
ment.
The she closed her eyes. to live
again the scene of the opera; to see
again that beautiful woman, leaning
on her husbands arm. and turning
from her, in scorn and dersion, to
hear her husbands denial of her law
full claim.
From there her imagination led her
forward to that second scene. 1t
painted for her the exquisite room,
With its two occupants; the table
filed with fruits and flowers: the an
tc-roOm, with it's fountain of illuminoa
waters: the atmosphere of luxury and
fragrant warmth: and herself thrust
from it all into the rain and darkness
without.
She saw again her husbands arm
stretched forth to touch the bell. to
summon the servant to add the last
insult possible. And this woman, who
sat there in all her pride and glory.
called him Louis. in her presence
uttered his name with every accent
of endearing tenderness. Doubtless
but Il moment before her entrance her
lips had been pressed to his. Yet her
triumph was to be still more com,
plete; she was to be his wife. His
wife! Could a man have two wives?
Bewildered. she pressed both hands
to her burning temples She opened
wide her eyes now, but only stars Of
fire radiated before them. Her room
seemed suddenly to have grown dark.
For a little time she lost conscious,
ness,
When she recovered, she thought she
had dreamed: but there lay the paper.
With it's fatal evidence Of reality.
Slowly the long hours passed. Again
and again Marie knocked. but she re-
fused to answer. She Was wrapped
in her thoughts. How old was she?
What mockery it seemed to answer
by times actual measure. Not nine
teen but ninety years appeared to have
passed Ger her head.
Once she stopped in her ceaselcsS:
walk to stand before the mirror. won-
dering if she should find her halo
growing white, but. instead. she start
cd at the imperiouS vision which con-
fronted her.
IIer eyes were like two black dia-
nonds, her face perfectly colorlcss,
and only her hair unchanged as il
mockingly caught the brlliance of the
sunbcams which fell upon it.
The night fell. She had not tasted
food. She admitted Marie, then. and
babe her bring her food and drink.
She had no purpose. but that she dared
not lose her strength. Some secret
impulse told her to garner it, at any
cost.
Monsieur Arkwright called twice.
madame. He said that he would re-
turn this evening" she said timidly.
81 cannot see him. Say that l have
left town for few days Marie, or
that l am i'll. and can see no one.
You understand memo one"
Put when Marie repeated the latter
message Il cloud gathered on Harry
Arkwright'S face.
she has seen the paper. She knows
ALL" he murmured to himself. and
l, who would lay down my life to
help her. can do nothing but stand
! without and he an unwilling witness