River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1901-08-22

she could not eat. In bed she could
not sleep. IN the night her little bare
feet went softly up and down the
room. In the morning she was afraid
of herself, something within her heart
scared her so.
The love passage thus began, and
Otilia, in winning him, had lost her
self. All, his god-like form, his for
eign strength, his wilderness! She
! loved him The same old difference
between so many loves characterized
these. The mans vast schemes were
mightier than his love. The woman's
love was mightier than all else.
At the edge of the town was de-
serted alameda fun of mango-trees.
Here were aged stone benches seldom
ucsd. Here the shade was like dusk
at noon, like midnight at dusk. Here
they met evening after evening, she
falling painting into his arms, lie gaz-
ing at her scarcely seen face with
hungry eyes.
"You are incarnatc truth" he said.
Blood flew to her face; her brain
seemed drown. yet / was false"
What bad jest is this?'
She lay trembling. Somehow a fear
entered him.
speak" he cried, almost letting
her from him.
II plotted against you"
"How-it is a lie"
ooh, my souls soul! | set about to
win you, instigated by my brother.
that | might learn your plan of rev.
olution, and conquer you and bring
you to death. Crush me if you must
thus have l lost myself-thus have
you overthrow met
He let her fall on the old stone
bench. The shade of the mango trees
was deep. He stood a little way off,
tall and still, and looked at her. just
here the rcyulsion came; for gold had
made him insane with dreams. His
love was second to his plot Distrust
sank deep in him. He felt himself be-
trayed. Cold drops were on his fore
head. He had walked as in a deep
gold mist. He gazed on this girl.
She was incarnate treason; his love
for her had turned to fear.
Wounded, ignoble, but grand with
rage, he turned, and she was left
alone. After that he smiled at her no
more, nor looked at her. He dared not
flee; that were confession and meant
death. He dared not prolong delay.
She had CROPPED her way home from
the margo-grove. Though she was
sweet and leisurly and shrewd, she had
in her that fuel which, touched with
fire, burns on to vengeance. But she
was sad; and it seemed some second
self mercilessly drove her on to the
revenge which her better nature did
not want. She wept, and grew thin in
three days miraculously Sometimes
she joked with herself even vet, in
manner ghastly. Hang him by his
sweet, soft beard" murmered she in
bad night dreams; and she saw his
head, in visions, hung thus, horrible.
The FIRST night of their estrange-
ment, the fat, pulque-drinl<ing chief
found letters at the home of one of
his subordinates. They incriminated
the subordinate, who was arrested and
put in the little adobe jail across the
plaza. The chief strove in vain TO find
one word of those epistles which
might give ground for the arrest of
Stirge. But the Americans tracks
were yet covered. The chief shed
maudlin tears of evaporation.
The third night Otilia came knock
ing at his door at ten o'clock. She was
admitted; the chief sitting in a gown
on his beds edge.
This subordinate, the arrested
one" said she, steady-voiced, when is
he to be shot?"
"At sunrise. I am writing the or
der for the soldiers who Will arrive
tonight. Oh, you faiiure!"
"Come, keep these ratings for an
other. Give me the order but leave
the name a blank"
Her manner was cold, stern, and
she was pale and sick.
"Why?" he growled.
She put one hand on the foot-board
and leaned close to him. at may do
that which your secret soul longs
for" whispered. she. DO I not
know that it is his gold that you
want? Think! They say it is
stacked to the roof"
"But I should be called to account
for a baseless execution, YOU fool"
II have fading ink. I write the
name and show it to the captain. He
executes the order. The ink fades.
You substitute the rightful name,
and on the captain lies the blame"
lie fell back in bed with a choking
noise.
It's on the table" he said. weakly.
She brought him the blank. He filed
it out-all save the name. She left
him staring stupidity at her. and pres
entity heard him call for three more
quarts of pulque.
Otilia was not so villainous as she
seemed. She was tottering. She had
scarce an idea that she should exc
cute so dreadful a plan. 1t was the
warning between those two differing
selves Of hers that drove her on to
make these preparations. In these
ugly hours, too, was the plavfulness
VET alive in her She tbouUht +bat