The Holly chieftain., 1902-04-25

~ SV0 ~ LAG 1AA4s
"Ah! you are blind: you will not
-. You want me to tell you openly
1t II the torment of that little god
Love that has harassed me. You have
NO pity upon poor woman who.
refgning = queen for years, suddenly
hnds herself the weakest slave
~ am sorry to hear you say that,
countess" Paul remarked, coldly.
Sorry"
The hands fell from the bewitching
face. now pale with sudden anger, and
her sloe-black orbs flashed incipient
lightning As the realizatioa dawned
upon her that her scheming had, after
all. been in vain.
"Ah! you do not know what won
ders love has wrought ere now" she
said. slowly, and just st that moment
Paul had = faint glimpse Of the natural
woman beneath the coquette
Such remarkable women have
lived at all times since the days of
Cleopatra and Anthony, and their pass
age through the world is always
strewn with the shipwrecks Of mortal
hopes. -r li-er.ff
The countess smiled mockingly.
"Ah! know where your love has
strayed. I have watched you and the
white-faced doll you fancy. Listen!
have implicated the sweet and unso-
Dhisticated HifhegRrde With the polit.
fcal plots that keep the pot boiling and
seething. Long ere you left the gar.
den q paper sent to her was In the
hands of the secret officials of Bis
marck." fla kt
Paul started as II shot.
He began to understand the viIlainy
Of which Jealous and interruptions
woman might be guilty. 'a
What did that paper contain? de.
mand that you answer mel" he, cried,
showing signs of excitement at last.
Apparently cipher which could be
easily read, and which Hildegarde was
instructed to pass on to the next agent,
who would carry it swiftly over the
border to Paris .9N
And the cipher-what was it
about?" savagely. ..l
"Oh! a simple recapitulation Of the
number of men available whom Ger
many could place on the border, and
some hints as to the best line Of march
q French army could take on the road
to Berlin"
Paul hated her at that moment worse
than he had hated any one In all his
life.
She read his thoughts. "You mean
to betray me to- the authorities?"
1T would only be fair In that way
I might save your intended victim"
"Ah! you do not dream what hor-
nets nest you would bring down about
your ears II you attempted that. And
do you think they would believe you,
whose name was signed to the note I
gave Hildegarde? At this very mo-
ment agents are watching this house,
believing have come here to have a
secret conference with you about po.
litical matters s
-"I am lost" he groaned. -
Walt. There is chance Of escape" :"
You mean you have terms to pro-
pose" lfli si8i'ifT
Fly with me. 1 can outwit even
Bismarck's bloodhounds. We can reach
Russia. where we will be safe. Only
promise that you will be faithful to
me while life lasts. IT is all ask
all care for. with that lean we'll
say good-by to the world"
Eagerly she waited for his answer.
It came speedily enough.
Paul folded his arms. he drew him
self up to his full height, and looked
her sternly in the eyes. ft.
Before l would reward such base
treachery would thrust my hand into
the hre and let 1t burn to the stump
His words completed her demoraliz.
alton. and she threw aside the mask.
you cast the offer Of my love away
like tattered glove. Well. shall
live for revenge. Monsieurs Paul You
will eurse the stupidity Of this hour
shall ind means to wiring your proud,
cold heart. No man ever treated me
as you have done. and It has aroused
all the devil In my nature, l shall
have, q terrible revenge, do you hear
me. q revenge best suited to such an
insult. And now will relieve you
OF my hateful presence, but you can
depend upon 1t, you are already
marked man among the Kings sol.
diers, and . guard will remain to
watch your future actions. Mine you
were. and no other shall possess what
fortune has denied to me-" and, with
flashing eyes. in which he raw murder