Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1903-04-27

tied him. But all at once her face
changed expression. she recovered her
fresh. tuneful laugh. and the sweet
and limpid ray was rekindled In her
blue eyes.
"Come. you want to tell me stories.
so as not to buy me anything. De-
ceiver, | that wished to be beautiful
in order to drive Vico Molise a little
crazy. He has declared TO me that he
is tired of my perfidy. See. you de-
serve-do you know that / am becom-
ing angry with you?"
She really believed that she had hit
the truth with her words. Indeed he
had so well kept up the illusion with
her. he had hidden so jealously bis en-
barrassment, that she did not know
! how to explain this sudden restriction.
But meanwhile every word of hers was
q blow to the heart of Marchis. He
saw her already at the ball. passing
from arm to arm, with her step like
a flying angel; listening to the insid
ious compliments of Vico Molise and
his kind and keeping meantime in her
heart that leaven of rancor against
| him because of his refusal. And be
saw himself again. as he had seen
himself a little while before in the
mirror. old. weary. worn. beside her.
SO fresh, young, with eyes sparkling
! from the cruel scorn of one who has
made an unequal bargain.
Suddenly he rose like one who has
taken a decision. passed his hand
| I, iC nd
went away to go out of the house. She
believed that she had conquered and
let him go without moving herself.
only with fash oe cunning In her
eyes. But when he was on the stairs
the door opened, and a blond head
appeared between the folding doors:
I'VE are agreed. then?"
He did not reply, and she heard bis
step down the stairway. slow. heavy,
weary.
The evening Of the ball Marchis
knocked at the door Of his wife's dress
ing room.
"Come In" And he entered.
In the little dressing room so illumin-
ed as to seem on fire. with the air filed
with fragrance from the little unstop-
pered bottle of perfume. all cleaning
white with the disorder of feminine ap-
parel scattered about. Comma stood
erect before the mirror between two
kneeling maids. ready dressed for the
ball. She was truly radiant In her
gown of white satin with almond bios
SONS. with fresh sprays of almond
flowers around the neck of the dress. at
the waist, among the waving folds of
the train. Issuing from that covering of
delicate. pale. dawn tinted flowers. she.
too. was fresh as they, with her faint
ly rosy complexion, as If she were one
of those flowers become a person. But
under her lashes cleaned anon the
flash of cold and cruel rancor.
Her husband had not given her the
diadem.
But, hearing him enter, she turned.
and, seeing that he held casket in his
hands, she cOmprehended everything.
With a bound she was beside him, her
arms twined around his neck.
"Oh, how good you are! How good
you are! How l love your He trem-
ma did not even perceive it. All at
once, with one of her irresistible move
ments, she lOosened her arms from his
neck, took with one hand the casket,
and with the other holding her hus-
bands hand she led him after her to
the mirror. She seated herself and
opened the casket. Among puffs of red
plush, under the burning light, the
diadem sent forth sparks like a fame.
She had new outburst of joy, took the
husbands head between her hands,
oh, the forehead of a corpse. icy and
livid! Then, without looking at his
features, his wandering gaze, she of
fered him the diadem and bent before
him her blond head. which was so well
suited to that mystical jewel.
'COme. sir, crown mep'
. And while he sought to unite with
trembling hands the clasp of the gems
among those marvellous blond curls
! waving and breaking into ripples OF
; gold at every movement. she. still with
her bent head, lifted her smiling eyes
TO meet his look. And he answered
with resigned gentleness to the smile
; of those perilous blue eyes. he, the poor
.. man who deceived for the sake of de-
sire to be deceived and who bought fol
himself little mock love with-mock
: iamonds.-Translated For Short Sto
ries From Italian Of Haydee by e. Ca
800 REWARD, 800.
] The readers Of this paper will be pleased ts