CanÌƒon City record. [volume] (CanÌƒon City, Colo.) 1883-192?, 1903-08-20
DECEPII0NS

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She had quickly raised her head
much surprised. Uneasy locking at
him. Such thing had never happened
to her.
Marchis wiped his forehead and re-
sumed his discourse.
The fact is-you see. in a bank like
ours there are moments tbat-certain
moments In which one cannot-in
which II IL Impossible"
What was impossible for him in that
moment was 10 finish the phrase. He
stopped and lifted his eyes timidly to
her. desolately. as II to beg her to help
him. She was very pale. with a sud-
den hardness in all her features, In her
compressed mouth, in her knit brows.
in her sparkling eyes.
Have you not ten thousand francs?
Is II possibleF'
And her voice WIS as hard as her
look. q profound hardness that star
tied him But all at once her face
changed expression. she recovered ber
fresh. tupeful laugh. and the sweet
aud limplo ray was reKIndieo IL ner
blue eyes
Come. you want TO tell me stories.
so as not 10 buy me anything. De-
celver. that wished to be beautiful
IN order TO drive vico Molise little
crazy He has declared TO me that he
Is tired Of my perddy. See, you de-
serve-do you know that | am becom-
ing angry with youT
She really believed that she had bit
the truth with her words. Indeed he
had so well kept Up the Illusion with
her. he had hidden so jeaiously his en-
barrassment. that she did not know
how 10 explain this sudden restriction.
But meanwhile every word of hers was
q blow 10 the heart Of Marchis- He
saw her already AT the ball. passing
from arm TO arm. with her step like
flying angel: listening to the insid-
ious compliments Of Vico Molise and
his kind and keeping meantime In her
heart that leavep of raneor against
him because Of biz refusal. And he
saw himself again. as he had seen
himself a little while before in the
mirror. old. weary. worn. beside her.
50 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 decision. passed his hand
across his brow and. without replying.
went away 10 go out Of the bouse She
believed that she had conquered and
let him 60 without moving herself.
only with a fash o. cunning in her
eyes But when he was on the srairs
the dcor opened. and a blond head
appeared between the folding doors
'-we are greed. them
He did-nDi reply. and she heard his
vtep down the stairway. slow. heavy.
weary.
The evening OF the ball Marchis
knocked at the door of his wife's dress
ting room
Com. in.- And be entered
In the little dressing room so illumin-
ed as to seem on fire. with the air Oiled
with fragrance from the little unstop-
pered bottle OF perfume. all cleaning
white with the disorder of feminine ap-
parel scattered about. Gemma stood
erect before the mirror between two
kneeling maids. ready dressed fc. the
ball. She was truly radiant in her
gown OF white satin with almond bios
CONS. 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
II rosy complexion. as II she were one
Of tho<e flowers become a person. But
under her lashes cleaned anon the
lash OF cold and cruel rancor.
Her husband had not given her th,
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 youI" He trem.
bled all over and was very pale. Gem
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 puts Of red
plush. under the burning light the
diadem sent forth sparks like name.
3he had a new outburst Of JOY. took the
husbands head between her bands.
drew IL down and kissed bis forehead
oh. the forehead Of q corpse. icy and
nvid! Then. without looking At his
features, his wandering gaze. she Of
fered him the diadem and bent before
him her blond head. which was % well
suited to that mystical Jewel.
''Come, sir, crown mer'
And while he sought to unite with
trembling Lands the clasp Of the gems
among those marvellous blond curls,