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

Heart,
4 THRILLING LOVE STORY.
BY FRANCES WARNER WALKER.
CHAPTER ii. 6continuedD

Meantime. Madame Gervase's car
rage moved on, but her face was
white. even TO her lips: and when at
last it stopped before her own door,
she wakcned as from a sudden dream.
Hours passed, and her husband did
not return. Her dinner was served i'm
usual state, but she sat down to it
alone. and made a miserable feint at It's
enjoyment.
Afterward, followed by the long. un-
endurable evening, Henri dAugmont's
card was brought in, but she declined
to receive him.
She could not bear his hidden inuen-
does, now that she knew that they
might not be foundationless. There
was sm%ouldering within her n fire
which must be quenched or famed in
10 fiercer heat by what Louis might
say to her In explanation. 1t was for
this she waited.
Midnight had long struck when he
came. A shade of surprise swept over
his face, as, opening the door into the
library, he found her still in dinner
dress, seated before the fireplace. in
which a wood fire cracked. sending
forth a pleasant warmth through the
rooms.
"Still mp, F~lorence?" he questioned,
carelessly. Not yet learned the good
lesson | tried to teach you this morn
ingg'
who was that woman with whom
you were driving this afternoon
An older, wiser woman, would have
put the question differently-would
have approached the subject with great
er act.
But Florence Gervase was but little
older and no wiser than had been
Florence Vane.
A smile, more CALLING than a frown,
crept about the corners of monsieur's
mouth, but the long mustacbe hid the
white teeth which gnawed so savagely
at his under lip.
Rather pretty, you thought her. did
you notT he answered. with a scarce.
ly perceptible pause. Really. | am
not surprised mt your inquiry as TO her
personality. BY n strange coincidence,
she made the same concerning you A
very pardonable curiosity, ma chere,
and ! see no reason wEy you should not
be gratitied. The lady is no other than
the Countess d'Aubigny, said TO be-
barring Yourself, my love-the most
beautiful woman I'm all Paris"
And the woman whose name all Par
is Is connecting with yoursg' she cried,
springing TO her feet. for the spark had
ignited the fire now, and it was ~tiercely
burning. 'Ah, you thought because
you had kept me a bird, within Il cage,
/ would not sac or know: but you can
not force me back into my old blind
ness, nor my old ignorance. You say
this woman asked who | was? Did she
blush when you told her | was your
wife-the wife whom little more than n
year ago you took from home and
friends, swearing 10 make your love 81
full, so perfect. hat she would
know their need nor miss them? You
were looking at her, Louis, as | thought
you could look at none but m~e-looking
at her rs though YOU loved her! How
could you? How dared you? And L
/, your wife-a witness
.'You are excited, FlorenceyH an
swered the man: but his cheek was
pale. ''The Countess ~d'Aubigny is a
young widow, rich, titled and beautl
full. Besides, ma chere, since you have
seen fit to develop a new quality which
/ did lot know you possessed-that of
jealousy wish TO advise you TO con-
quer il at once, and to tell You, more
over, that at the time of making a very
rash and foolish marriage | did not
think it at all worth while TO acquaint
my friends with the fact: therefore,
really, | believe, | still stand among
them in the light of an unmarried man,
and as such, il the Countess d'Aubigny
honors me with her notice. you must
see that it reflects no possible discredit
upon her,,"
You mean that when this woman
asked you who l was, you did not tell
herr" gasped the unhappy girl. totter-
ing a step forward and grasping the
back of a chair for support. you
mean that when the world asks the
same question there is no answer? And
when the question is carried home. and
reaches the dear old fathers ears. can
he, too, find no reply? Louis. what
have l done. that you should subject
me TO this cruel wrong? If | have
wronged you by my jealousy. forgive
me: but promise me that tomorrow
the ~world-your world-shall know my
right to the hold title of wife!'
'"To-morrowf All, my dear, to-mor-
row already is to-day, and If yen would
preserve your beauty, II Is quite time
you sought your couch. Goodnight,
ma belle! Happy Dreams"
And he went out, leaving her stunned
into silence where she stood. =