The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-11-27
Our Daily $bcrt Story

 had spoken someone remaraxed:
 "Servedo has not spoken, and a man loved by the peerless Margarit must have much to say"
 Lopez smiled and refliing his glass be- gan:
 Certainly; have much to say and will not shrink the task. have story wish you to hear, but before I relate 1t want you all to drink a toast with me-"
 All raised their glasses and waited, Lo- peg turned to Margarita, saying:
 You will drink out of my glass this time, drinkink only half, leaving the other half for me-"
 smilingly she put down her glass and Lopez began:
 q drink to the most beautiful, the most outwardly perfect woman in the world, to Margarit Toreno."
 All glasses were drained and after Mar garita had drunk half of what was in Lo- pez's he swallowed the rest, adding with a smile:
 This is our love troth," and he re- stunned his seat. Nov for my story"
 Silence" cried the others. Lopez has got a story. Listen to the story"
 After awhile the noise ceased and Lo- peg began:
 This is a true story, every word of 1t lS tl uOs cO uOtC WCll Whdt Sdys II vas three years ago, a young man passed by a cigar factory saw lovely girl in plain dress leaving the building. She was beau tiful. with a beauty which came from a pure soul and noble heart: We'll he was young. ardent. and she pleased Ilfpn. He sought her out, saw that she was vir- tuous, though poor, and unable to get her any other way he married her in secret. since his rank and his parents g pride forbade him to do so openly"
 He paused and turned with a smile to- ward Margarita. She had suddenly be- come very pale and her dark eyes met his in a startled question:; but without seem ing to heed her emotion he continued, measuring each of his words:
 "Only those who have truly loved, loved with all the strength of heart and soul, can guess what hours of bliss. what ex- quisite joys filled the lives of the two married lovers. For two years tht hap piness continued, then a cloud rose in their sunny sky, and that cloud took the shape of a woman, divinely beautiful, but satanically cruel.
 "She was one of those lost creatures which the world supports yet scorns She had princes and kings at her feet, but her vain heart wanted to possess the mah who scorned her. What's the matter
 
 move you:''
 By powerful effort she overcame her weakness and answered:
 Go on; am interested. Only pass me more wine. I feel strangely dizzy" And she drank eagerly the glass one of her companions had filled for her But Lopez continued:
 Seeing that she could not win him she decided to take her from him. It wat an easy thing to accomplish, for one night a well-paid assassin struck his blow in the dark; one young life was cut short; one love dream was brought to an end and the next morning all Madrid was shocked to hear of the mysterious mur- der of the Villa del Rosa" A smothered cry from Margarita caused all eyes to turn in her direction. She was standing in her place, pale. ghastly, wild Some Of the women rose to go to her, but Lopez said in the same calm voice: Don't worry, ladies; I will take care of Margarita. she will soon be we'll" The smile had fled from all lips, a cur. rent of dread passed among the guests | most faces were pale and in the heart oj each was fear that something was go- ing to happen. Lopez alone remained calm and after forcing Margarita to re. | sume her seat he continued. his words Falling like dirge on the oppressive sl. | lence:
 You all know the details of that rnur. der but what you do not know was the | oath the man took over the body of the woman he had loved. He swore that be would find the guilty and avenge her death He has this night kept that oath 1" Margarita gave wild cry as she start. ca 10 her feet. Lopez. with a laugh of triumph concluded: VI The hero of my story is myself Tbs guilty woman stands wonder. As to roy vengeance I achieved it as I drank my death and hers while pronouncing noS .oast The wine we drank was poisoned mere IS no cure and in an hour we hoth VIII be dead. I drank my toast to thn most beautiful. the most outwardIv nar- rect woman of the world. but I drant tt With wine which. like her. was ven omous' yet which hid it's danger fin ths glitter of It's sparkle, A serpent she was "I.h tne venom of serpent she dies.
 Margarita had remained spelIho1nd A,. horror but at his last words sba ao ,,, one Wild cry and fell writhing to +he moor: The affair was hushed lin anS thanks to Lopez's high position. tbe sto-', was kept out of the papers bnt +ho.s Wno witnessed that terrible scene oS ro7 "nea vengeance never forgot the horror UT Ine tragic toast of deafhpp