Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1901-10-10
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, and then. having babe me sit down. she
drew the cord Of another silken curtain
that hung against the wall of the room
just in front of me, andsMhen it was
drawn aside saw large, oval mirror,
not of glass, but apparently of polished
steel.
keep your gaze fixed upon the mir
ror mademoiselle.' she said to me.
| You may do as you-please, mademoi-
selle,' addressing Lefty, for the mirror
| will show you nothing, whether you
look or no.
| "And then. putting her hand to her
breast, she drew from the folds of her
dress pastille, which she lighted, hold
| ing it in her hand all the time until 1t
had quite burned away.
But Lefty gave her head saucy
toss and answered.
Never mind me, ma am; know my
fortune in the way of lover
81 started and looked at Lefty in sur
prise, but Madam Durand only smiled
gravely. and said:
"'I wish you joy of him, child. I hope
he is worthy Of good young girls
love-.
Her manner was so kind and gentle.
almost affectionate. and she seemed to
take a real interest in us, though I'm
sure she could never have seen either of
us before in all her life.
1T is for you to look into the mirror,
then,' she continued, turning to me.
And at the same time she rose and
came. toward us, her stately walk and
tall figure making her seem more i'm
posing than ever.
at filled the air with thin, vaporous
smoke of a pungently aromatic odor.
but the extraordinary thing about it
was that the smoke gradually collected
like cloud, over the mirror, and as I
kept my gaze fixed on it-and I was
now trembling with excitement-I saw
face some slowly into view on the pol
ished mirror, while the smoke from
which it seemed to be evolved rolled
| away, leaving the air quite clear, but
heavily perfumed with the aromatic
odor it had created.
II saw the face, mamma. as plainly
as I ever saw my own face reflected in
the looking glass, and the moment be-
held Shirley Austin 1 saw that face
again.
and I love him-oh. mamma, don't
laugh at me, don't despise me. for I do
love him so dearly! 1 loved him from
the moment when his face came out.
slowly but clearly, on the mirror. And
when I again saw his face, knew him
for the man who held my destiny for
good or evil, and I shall love him while
1 live, whether he lpves.me or hates me.
Nothing can change met is. fate-the
magician said so--and it is true"
Mrs. Martin uttered a gEoan of de-
spair. Far from laughing at Bertha or
scofing, her heart sank..Mith disnlay.
when she realized the passionate fervor
Of her daughters words.
AS she had a thousand times told her
self, such a love had wrecked her own
life; and yet. what was the most cher.
ished recollection, among all the bitter
disappointments of existence, that still
bloomed and glowed in her worldly ma
ture? =. ~
Kate Martin would have despised her.
self, but she could not have denied to
her own heart that the brightest and
happiest memory Of all her days was
the time when her lover had courted
her, and declared that nothing else on
earth was half so fair and sweet to him
her happy, ripping laughter.
He had been a model husband-he had
often wrung her heart in many ways
any face but hers; he had never kissed
any lips but hers; and his memory and
the days of her young love were dear
and precious to her yet.
All this passed like flash through
how ind hit no no must
rouse herself and try to combat the ia
tai love which had taken possession of
Bertha.
At that moment the front door was
opened, and the heavy sound of it's
closing was distinctly heard where they
sat.
Mrs. Martin started to her feet. She
felt, instinctively, who it was that had
entered.
"It is he, mamma-it is Shirley! I
know his step!" whispered Bertha.
| She slid noiselessly from her bed, and
| followed her mother, who had moved
| toward the door.
| Mamma, mamma" she whispered, in
a low, intense voice, "you will help me?
He must love mech, he must, or
shall die! Help me to win him. love
him. if you will only help mel"
"Oh hush, Bertha, my darling" cried
the wretched mother; and. clasping her
| daughter in her arms, she kissed the
| girl passionately. "Now, be patient,
dear, must see his face as he goes by.
Hank. he is almost at the door,"
| CHAPTER Xxx.
| Mrs. Martin Visits Her Sister-in-LaN
Bertha Martins ear had not deceived
her when she told her mother that she
recognized Shirley Austin's step as he