The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1901-10-12
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ELIZABETH
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4 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, and when 1t was
drawn aside I saw a large, oval mirror,
not Of glass, but apparently Of polished
steel. lg
keep your gaze fixed Upon the mir
ror, mademoiselle,' she said to me.
You may do as o 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 a pastille, which she lighted, hold
ing it in her hand all the time until 1t
had quite burned away.
But Lefty gave her head a saucy
toss and answered.
"'Never mind me, ma'am; I know my
fortune in the way of a lover
II started and looked at Lefty in sur
prise, but Madam Durand only smiled
gravely, and said:
ct wish you joy of him. child. I hope
he is worthy of a good young girls
love-
"Her manner was SO kind and gentle,
almost affcctionate, 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.
cit is for o to look into the mirror,
them 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.
"It filled the air with a thin, vaporous
smoke of a pungently aromatic odor,
but the extraordinary thing about it
was that the smoke gradually collected
like a cloud, over the mirror, and as I
kept my gaze fixed on it-and I was
now trembling with excitement-I saw
a 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 w face reflected In
the looking glass, and the moment I be-
held Shirley Austin I saw that face
again.
"And I love him-oh, mamma, don't
laugh It me, don't despise me, for I do
love him SO dearly! I loved him from
the moment when his face came out,
| slowly but clearly, on the mirror. And
when I again saw his face, I knew him
for the man who held my destiny for
good or evil, and I shall love him while
I live. whether he loves me or hates me.
| Nothing can change met Is fate-the
magician said so-and 1t Is true"
Mrs. Martin uttered a groan of de-
spair. Far from laughing at Bertha or
scoff1ng. her heart sank with dismay
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, hat 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
40 AASA OAASAAAAA6 AoSS Ia SAAS sSAAAA "
her happy, ripping laughter.
He had been a model husband-he had
often wrung her heart in many ways
but he had never looked with love on
any facs blu 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. e,
All this passed like a flash through
her mind; but she felt that She 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 its
closing was distinctly heard where they
sat.
Mrs. Martin started to- her feet. She
felt, instinctively. who it was that had
entered.
ut 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 !
him, If % will only help met"
"Oh, hush, Bertha, my darling!" cried
the wretched mother; and. clasping her
daughter in her arms. h kissed the
girl ~passionately. 'Now, be patient,
dear. I must see his face as he goes by.
Hark. he is almost at the door,"
CHAPTER XXX.