Waterbury Democrat., 1901-03-19

''I shall not let you leave me think ing that I do not trust you," she said. "Oh. sir, kiss me now, my hands. my hair. my dips if you will. I trust inn plicitly! l trust you-yes, and more r."
 Child, child, you do not know what you are sayine." He covered his face with his hand.
 Child. No. woman You do not understand: it is you who are the child. Listen. l was not asleep when you struck match and, turning your face from me, looked at your watch. l was awake, and I saw your face in the glass across the room."
 "You should not"
 Ut was an accident. and I thanked God, for it has given me a living mem orv of the kindest friend since mother died. It is not the first time. for your picture is in the doctors office. He did not know that I have hung over 1t fixing. it in my .mind-many- times-oh, will you, will you say that you wish to see me? Have you no wish to remember me?"
 Remember you? I shall carry with me forever the sound of your voice, the touch of your hand. the perfume of every curl upon your head-'' But my face! Will you look upon that? l release you from all your promises
 II cannot. ] cannot.''
 ''Oh. sir. think what ii will mean to me in all the lonely days to come, the memory of you and the conscious ness that you carry in your heart some time the face of the girl who-!"
 1t must not be. Remember your husbands honor. You promised to honor him. Is this the way?"
 My husband! my husband!" she. cried, half rising, you have said it!" Frances! Frances."
 "Ah, Frances! Say it all, Frances, my wife,
 Frances, my wife!" A passionate cry burst from the girls lips.
 "Yes, Frances, your wife. The wom- an who loves you. who has loved you from the day she saw your picture and heard your story! Oh, he never knew-he never dreamed it. Nothing can silence those words: Frances, my wife.' I will look upon your face, and you shall, you shall see mine! i The matches-ah, they are here!" "Hold!" he cried, huskily. "1 should be unwort hy of your love and trust if l could break my sacred promise. Look upon me if you will. but the eyes that would weep tears of joy to see you will be closed while the match is burning. Look, if to carry in memory the living record of one face will help you. take mine, and with it, right or wrong, the love of Richard SoIners." She struck the match and held it above his lifted face, advancing her own and gazing eagerly upon him.
 "Ah, again. again! My husba nd, my 1 husband" she remurmured. '.It is the face of an angel!" The match grew short and the fatal red spark was chewing in the flame when there came Il flash of light in the window across the room. the quick, sharp report of a 1 pistol rang out. and Richard SoIners, 1eeling, plunged through her arms 1 face down upon the floor. 1 The awful silence that followed the tragedy wsrs broken at length by the ] faint whisper of the dazed and half i unconscious girl.
 Speak" she said, kneeling over | the prostrate form; ''why-what is the matter?-what has happened ?' 1 Her hands found his head and passed rapidly over it. You do not answer mel" She drew slowly back from him, chilled with great and ur- 1 speakable horror. Her hands were wet
 and slippery. 1nstinctively she knew 1 1t was blood. She could not rise nor cry out; her heart seemed paralyzed, her throat in the clutch of an invisible hand. The door opened silently, and
 the doctors low voice was heard: ''Soners, Somers, the day is almost
 breaking" There was no response.
 He spoke again. Then the two figures 1 became dimiy visible. What has hap
 pened?" he whispered, bending above
 them. He, too, felt the tell-tale blood