Middletown transcript., 1903-05-23
TcoNTrNUED FROM LAST WEEK

tore back the door, fuSioo
wild, white spectre OF a woman
from under that roof, as from
a place accursed, into the cola'
dark, wintry street. Fortunately
the pavement was quitedeserted'
She fed along it blindly, her sa
tin-shod feet leaving faint marks
in the snow, the wind blowing
upon her, the merciful dark fold
ing her in.
Passing the length Of the en-
tire block, she came to corner
where people were walking up
and down in the bright gas hght'
where carriages were rolling
back and forth. At sight OF the
latter, just sense enough remain
ed to her, just thought ana
strength enough, to pause IN her
wild fight and beckon one to ap-
proach. AS the driver opened
the door, she sprang inside, and
crouched down in the darkest
corner.
Drive, she gasped, to the
House, mentioning a hotel which
was at that time the resort OF all
the actors in the city. The car
riage turned and rumbled OF
through the night and storm,
and Agnes Brandt fell back upon
her seat in swoon like death.
At the Royal Opera House OF
Havana, one year from that dis
astrous night. a great crowd had
assembled. Lights blazed,
fans futtered, tier of lovely wom-
ea dazzled the sight. The in
fammable Cubans, yea, and all
the foreign residents, had iocked
thither in force to pay their tri-
butte of admiration to the young
American actress Of great talent
and SURPRISING beauty star
of the first magnitude in the dra-
matte sky.
How lovely she was, as, sweep
ing out upon the stage, with all
the lights shining, as if solely to
illuminate her beauty, she bowed
to the applauding house! She
was brunette of the palest type,
with great, desolate eyes, and a
warm, luxurious figure. Yet
her face was full of unspeakable
sadness. One felt instinctively
as he looked at her that this WON
on had history.
.ss The evening was drawing to 6
asefose. The tumultuous applause
of the audience had brought her
pale and smiling, before the cur
tain. Was it joy for her to SET
the alteration in that sea of pas
sionate southern faces, all turned
upon herself? She did not lool
particularly joyous. Even hel
smile was as cold as snow.
AS she stood with futtering
impalpable laces of her splendit
stage-dress trailing likehoarfros
around her, a tiny tongue of fire
blown from one of the f1arins
lights below, shot into that maze
of filmy draperies, and the mex
moment the beautiful favorit'
was sheeted in fire.
Dios! Dios!
The cry pealed wildly tQ th'
roof; but, swift as lightning,
man leaped from a box near a
hand upon the stage-a tall figure
with ale-golden hair, and fac'
like a marble mask.
For an instant he stood in the
blood-red flame, fully revealed
to all eyes. They heard one CT.
from his slips, one work of intense
yearning agony "a woman
name-and then he had flung hi
Spanish cloak around her; he wa
tearing with bare handsher smok
ing garments; he was sucking il
the hot fire with every breath
and, as if rage at being so baffied
it fastened its red teeth upol
him, and, famed by the draft
that swept the house, wrappe'
him instantly from head to heel
Dios! Dios!
They sprang upon the stage
they snatched him away, smoth
cred the fatal flame, and on
man, American, brown an
bearded, pushed aside the othe
to take him in his own arms.
Let me come to him, he cried
Stand back; he is my country
man, and we have been friend
these many years by field an
flood. As to this actress, she j
his wife. Look to her, some Q
YOU; she has tainted.
They carried him to his hotel
where in cool, dark court
fountain was bubbling, and pair
and orange-trees whispering t
the stars as gayly as if no hu