Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1900-01-05
CuAprEK Mill.

Wlc! nc servant throws open the door
anG aunounces-"I.crd Herbert Grnham,"
thcu.l, vcrchancc n keen eye might de-
tcrt FAINT increase of pallor ON her
chcrlS.
St..'. has Il bunch of roses in her hand
Tarc flowers. some red as blood. some
whit as milk. aud some golden-hcarted;
And us she slowly rises, She puts them
carci..ily into II little Dresden vase that
stands on the table beside her before she
Extends a hand TO her visitor.
And BERTHE. at the sight of her. forscts
everything save that She is here and he is
with hcr.
"F,!iil,!" hc whispers; "Edith!'
B!t Edith has no answering glance of
eagrrnrss in her great purple eyes OF in
her manner. fair though he is in his
youns. winsomc beauty, loving as he is
In his honest, i,oyish heart. She wishes
him Al, thong Kong-anywhere save III
6tani!upe street, and the sapphire eyes
are leo and The manners perfect in their
we'll lr"d I%nnguur.
".A,r You not glad to SEQ me?" he asks,
simpiy; aud commonplace as his words
are. She knows that they come straight
Grom 4 heart that is full of her.
"Nc. hate being surprised; it has an
W. ~ tlupNt u tiNI FVu
Know | love comfort. Ii you had let me
know you were coming l might have got
up quite u little gushing scene of well
CONF" she says. carclcssly. taking out
Ter bunch of roses again and laying them
against her lips trndcrly.
They arc an Offering from Lord Ennis
ford. And MS BERTHE watches her. he
longs to crush tine hateful blossoms that
she rarcsscs, feeling that for one touch
of hrr he would give up cverything-ey-
erything.
why do you waste your carcsscs on
those lowers? They don't appreciate it,"
AM. you would She laughs. "Wcll,
you seq, one can get tired OF Il man, but
OF ilowers-ncvcr.!"
Beiti. clenchcs his teeth to suppress the
bittcr words that bubble to his lips.
Edith. why do you treat me so? 1t
isn't possible that anyone else has taken
my place. tor if SOL"
eli su-"
<I.i shoot him. or-,nyself," he SAYS,
with anguish i'm every feature.
silly she nswers contcmptuously,
but MI the same she feels rather uncom-
for,al.,r. The young fool. as she calls
him. is quite capable OF carrying out his
thrca!.
Berthe is in tine toils-ncvcr did stupid
Fly t!ittrr more llopcicssly in SPIDERS web.
Will lie spider fastcn her fangs and suck
the .iir-biood from her victim, or will she
Spare the hoy misery, maybe, crime?
"Eetore | Went to Vienna YOU swore
you cared for me more than any other
man, Edith. Was it true. or was it
not lie asks, GROWING, imperious. and
drawing up his slight figure with all IT,,
bau.,iiiness Of his race.
And now You are a~wakc-awakc rs
We III aIr some time or other TO the
folliaS OF our YOUTH She says, with a
littic smile.
That smile is the one straw that broke
the %c.;ilc!'s back.
"Gaent heaven" he rNclaims. his blue
eye. :s,aiing at her. Women are called
gcntlr--loving. For cold-bloodcd cruelty.
for pa sionatc deyiiment. you women are
to mgn what Il hawk is to Il dove-a tiger
to IL tame cat
SIZE shrugs her shoulders and half
dropls her lids. settling herself more cof,-
forii.biy, us il resigned to all he has to
say.
Edith. Edith. tell me you are not
charged. Toll lilc You care for me still.
1 don't ask you to love me as | love YOU,
Edith. for il is such horrible torture. such
pain: but n little, Il little: only ever so
mucli more than You do amy other MANI
Il cannot deceive you." she says. maxi
ing ~ her mind to crush the nuisance
this Irritation has become to her. no mat
tor what weapons she uses 10 slay his
love, 50 long as it is done. IF / have
unw. tlingi.y made you believe that | cared
for yor. Bertic. forgive me. The only
thiii@ we can do is moi to meet. aud alb
some. Will p,ul, ,-,,, r,,.r,t al, .....t.
One more be regards her steadily. The
exquisite face which haunts him night
and day is like Eichclieu's waxen mask.
There is no ply or rclcnting in the sap
phire eyes, and he knows now that the
scarlet lips that have maddcncd him by
their touch in the days that are gone will
never more be lifted to his caress.
"torget the past
Why. before he does tlat he must die.
for this oma false. selfish, trcac,er-
Gus as ssic is. is life OF his life. and with.
out her must come-death. Yes. he lliew
it all now. Bella did not lie!
~ sre.' he says. in Il Very low voice
that has neither wrath nor rancor in 1T
the strength of his love lifts him fn,.
above such fceiings-bu. there rings in
every tone slcl, utter. utter pain that
even her callous ears shrink Il little from
the sonnd. Il soc. and after all what
could ! expect: 1t is such women as you
VIII" hurt men. and make them traitors
to faith, defaultcrs in honor. unhelievcrs
in everything good and holy. 1t is such
wOmen as You who drain Il man of heart
n soul. and smile while YOU work the
destruction. ! shall 20 back to Vienna.
Edith. L will never trouble you more. but
before i so l want to leave my only care.
r- frrt M ~, ,,, Tx,... .l.A =
an going TO leave the world. and that |
mike you cNecutriN of my will. Will YOU
.Scept the trust:'
She bends her head, wondering what
craze this is.
fMy grcat anxiety is for my brother
or Ennisford. I want to ask your best
o6accx for him. If l could only save his