The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-03-20
a HEART DIVIDED.

| pallent tonight. Inc IaiteIinE
service Of q new and imidm maid was sure
ly sufficient to irritate any one, especial
ly a charming danseuse like herself, whose
lightning changes were the talk of the pro-
~fession.
1t was a bitter humiliation to have been
balke and delayed by the fumbling aid
OF a green and utterly incabable assistant
such as the pale, big-eyed Lucy had
proved herself to be. The lying, deceitful
little impostor! now had she dared to
SO misrepresent herself!
Painting and ~perspiring from her recent
exertions. the beautiful Clarisse, once In
her dressing room. lost no time In deEv-
ering her mind to the trembling offender.
She talked hoarsely and rapidly, punctu-
.atlng her speech freely with profanity.
Her brilliant eyes flashed s%cornfully upon
the now thoroughly ~vanquished maid,
whose pale, frightened prettiness con-
trasted strangely with her W aggressive
beauty.
Lucy was small and willowy and dainty.
She had the aid of being out of place, In
spite Of the conventional cap that sur
mounted her abundant red gold hair.
Once, at a particularly coarse impreca-
tfon, she WINGED and put up her hand sud-
denly as II to protest.
A loud laugh of amusement burst from
the dancers lips. 'Oh! I suppose the Ian
tguage shocks my little lady! Well, you
SlOl I SiiS0 ~ NEAR IL dltSI lVklkSAS- ASa
can just bank on that. Come on girl, get
me ready. I'v got to be out OF here in
fifteen minutes. Promised to dine with a
gentleman-one of the heavy swells. II
you please!-and he's coming as 1850. Talk
about your tiptop dandies-Gee! but he's a
| winner.
Lord. girl. haven't you unlocked It
yet? Here! femme do 1t I can't wait all
night. You go on and hang up the things
mot there, stupid! Behind the sheetl
Can't you see? Gimme that blue silk
~skirt-there on the chair! Some ones at
the door. I'll bet that's him now. Go and
open 1t. Can't you hear the knock7 Don't
stand there with your eyes popping out OF
your headI'
If the face of the new maid was pale
before, it was perfectly white when she
took the card which the stage han I've
her. A great trembling seized her so'that
the bit of pasteboard fell from her fingers.
STOPPING to pick It UP she tumbled
against the door.
Good Lord, b nextT Can't you bring
the card7 Here: let's see it-yes, It's him.
Go out and tell hin, III be ready In i've
minutes"
Once outside the door the new maid
seemed to take on a different spirit. Her
shoulders lifted. her head went up. a
CLEAN as OF strong determination lit her
face.
A young man OF medium height, we'll
built and immaculate In evening clothes,
stood in the stage entrance with his profile
toward her.
She approached quietly and touched his
arm. Mr.. Felton!"
He started violently. His eyes Fixed
themselves amazedly upon The small white
face of Lucy.
|. "CIarisse will he out in five minutes,
sir"
Then, as the man still stared. dunn
founded, the maid put her hand to her
head and, with a dexterous movement
whisked off the red-gold couture, cap and
all. The hair beneath was soft and brown.
Perhaps she said. in q voice that
quivered in spite Of its affected calm.
perhaps the resemblance Is more striking
now!"
'Lousse!" Dismay. m~ortfhcaton. terror,
shuddered cross the young mans fea~
lures.
Then masculine authority asserted itself.
"Louisel How did you come here7 What
are you doing in this placer Tell me what
this meansl''
ut means" she said. shaking herself
free from his stern grasp of her shoulder,
ut means that I scted as that dancers
maid tonight. That I know what she is,
and that I ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
He drew her aside into a darkened pas
sageway and spoke in low, agttated tones.
Louise. my foolish child, what mad
prank is this? What wild thing do you
magine-
'Tmagtnel" She naced him dauntlessly
now. The color WIS rushing bach into
her face. 81 imagine nothinEl I know.
Know for a certainty the cruel thing
which I AVE heard rumored for months,
but which I could not believe until I sawl
The thing which you have denied again
orH q oo5p r~efScfyor &6ok .,o,, on,,fA Hs,r~
no thought of any woman u me. Oh.
you have said 1t over and over and overt
And yet-this new in~fatuation is possible
to o with our wedding day set for next
weeki You can love this creature
He interrupted her vehemently. Louise.
when will you women understand Can
you possibly delude yourself n bed;ev-
ing that It is love I feei for that dancer3
Don't you Know
It Is you mon who do not understand, who
will mot understand! Yon think you can
keep h low of a pure woman. the inf1u-
once Of q higher life. round you even
while you indulge your p~ropensittes for
b lower. It cannot bel / tell you It ID
impossiblel You must choose me or the
other. You cannot serve both. The low
MAKE you insensible to the higher. It 10 Q
heart divided against itself. It cannot
stand. I have come here tonight not 70
mako a scene, but to assure you, since !
know the truth. that you are no longer
bound to me- I give you your freedom"
Louise. you shall not be SO harsh, 50
unreasonable Would you cast mo on be-
u you find mo possessed of 4 weak
ness no greater han that OF other meni
It is my misfortune-you should help me
to fight 1t-not leave me to sink under It's
weight. Don't you know that my hope OF
safety ies in my low for your I need
you'll want our purity, your strength to
lean en-. If you should desert me. then
indeed I'M I lostl Oh. can you not under
stand?" Z
But she still held him back resolutely.
las your WIFE" she said. firmly, II
should demand you entire homage, your
absolute devotion. A division OF interest
would be impossible. You understand me
! am sure. Are you willing to make the
choice2"
|, He stood and looked upon her, 80 small,
80 frail and sweet and yet so frm- And
she gazed steadily back at him.
The voice Of Clarisse sounded suddenly