The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1903-09-25

2 AiN HANaH HtfN ANAkf ANA ttAWWHHA HfHA
words were cold and measured, ne. at
any rate. was conscious of the passion
surglng underneath
"My dear friend" she said, Il VIII
accept your belief IN me as q blessed
gift / will not tell you the story OF
that man Lessault as l have had to tell
II to-day TO the Princess"
"She asked you TO tell herr" he exc
claimed.
"She asked me for the truth She
said that there had been talk. II was
better for her to know. To every word
/ spoke she listened with a cold smile
When / had finished I had q horrible
fear. was not sure whether she be-
lieved me. And other callers cane
She went away without a word Aud
to-night-see"
There was a crash from the violin.
Madame stretched out her hand. She
pointed to the empty rooms. The hot
color flushed In the young English
mans cheeks. lie would have spoken,
but she stopped him imperiously.
"Armand's relations all hated me for
leaving him. she said. slowly. Il al
lowed him $4,000 a year and they called
1t beggary. Then there was his last
strange wish, the only wish he ex-
pressed about me, that l should live IN
Paris-that, after my year OF mourning
was over, l should come back amongst
his friends. l detested it! l wished to
go back to America-Or England; but,
after those last words of his, how could
/? Cannot you see Lord Herbert,
what l am forced to think? This is his
reveDge-his and theirs. Oh, it is such
q hateful thought! l wanted to think
kindly of him, and the Princess was
always gracious to me. Yet"
He interrupted her.
1T looks pretty bad" he admitted,
cheerfully, although l never thought
the Princess would stoop to such a
thing. But, after all, every tragedy has
its lucky side for some one, and l
should never have had this tetc-a-tete
with you if your rooms had been
crowded with guests"
Your tete-a-tete appears to be as
sured,' Madame Ia Comtesse re-
marked, with faint smile. you may
even look forward to taking me in to
supper"
"Oh, but I am ser.5us-veTy serious,
Muriel" he said, suddenly leaning to-
ward her. you know why I came the
moment you would see me. I have
been very patient, but I cannot wait
any longer" --a~as:' e...E' i2~.as,.n.s.-
do you mean that you want to go?"
she asked, looking at him with wide
open eyes.
You know what I meanr he an
swered vigorously. Il want you to
marry me-"
She drew a little away from him.
After this" she murmured, waving
her fan toward the ball room.
He laughed scornfully.
I'm England" he said. there will be
nothing of this sort to fear. l do not
think that anyone whom the Duchess
Of MiddleseX bids to her house will
hesitate about coming, and there is 10
one whom my mother cares for as she
does for you"
She was silent. He saw that her COM
p0sdT6 was broken at last. She was
trembling ali over. - LiL-
Herbert" she whispered, "1-but
this hurts me. cannot bear to comy
to you now. People will say that you
married me out Of pity-or for my
money"
He bent over her and kissed her.
Let them say what they will, dear"
he whispered. "What do I care so long
as the woman 1 love-
They sprang guilty apart. They
looked at one another and the Countess
hands few to her hair. He pulled up
the blind
"Why, all Paris is herer' he cried.
Look
A carriage was standing before the
door. The courtyard and the street were
blocked with an endless succession of
vehicles. Across the hall room floor
came old MoussIn, stumbling with
haste and with the tears streaming
down his face.
Madame, nGdamcw he exclaimed
lit is the printer! TIe should be guillo
tined, the miscreant' The cards sale
eleven till two, not ten, and Idiot
that AMI looked not at the time. Il
wants still a quarter OF an hour, ant
the streets are impassable--a sight mar
yelOus, indeed Madame will receive?
Certainly, Moussin," she answered
| cAlmlY IL am nrnna rod -