The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-03-20
a HEART DIVIDED.

fession.
1t was a bitter humiliation to have been
baked 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! How had she dared to
so misrepresent herself!
Painting and %perspiring from her recent
exertions, the beautiful Clarisse, once in
her dressing room, lost nc time in deliv-
pering her mind to the trembling offender.
She talked hoarsely and rapidly, punctu-
iating her speech freely with profanity.
Her brilliant eyes flashed scornfully upon
the now thoroughly v%anquished maid,
whose pale, frightened prettiness con-
trasted strangely with her own 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-
tion, she WINGED and put up her hand sud-
denly as if to protest.
"A loud laugh of amusement burst from
the dancers lips. "Oh! I suppose the Ian
.guage shocks my little lady! Well, you
don't have to hear it after tonight. You
can just bank on that. Come on, girl, get
me ready. I've got to be out of here in
fifteen minutes. Promised to dine with a
gentleman-one of the heavy swells, If
you please!-and he's coming at 1880. Talk
about your tiptop dandies-Gee but he's a
winner.
Lord, girl, haven't you unlocked it
| yet? Here! femme do it. I can't wait all
night. You go on and hang up the things
mot there, stupid! Behind the sheet!
Can't you see2 Gimme that blue silk
~skirt-there- on the chair! Some ones at
the door. I'll bet that's him now. &C and
open it. Can't you hear the knock? Don't
| stand thara with yn11~ ay-ac nrrip N,,t Nf
your head"
If the face of the new maid was pale
before, it was perfectly white when she
took the card which the stage hand gave
her. A great trembling seized her so that
the bit Of pasteboard fell from her fingers.
STOPPING to pick 1t up she stumbled
against the door.
Clarisse turned sharply at the delay.
Good Lord. h next? Can't you bring
the card? Here; let's see it-yes, it's him.
Go out and tell him I'll be ready in five
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, well
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 snail white
face Of Lucy.
"C1arisse will be 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 a voice that
quivered in spite Of its affected calm,
perhaps the resemblance is more striking
now!"
"Louise!" Dismay, modification, terror,
shuddered across the young mans fea-
lures.
Then masculine authority asserted itself.
Louise! How did you come here? What
are you doing in this place? Tell me what
this means!'
1T means" she said, shaking herself
free from his stern grasp Of her shoulder,
ut means that I scted as that dancers
maid tonight. That l know what she is,
and hat I understand-everything!"
He drew her aside into a darkened pas
sageway and spoke in low, agitated tones.
Louise, my foolish child, what mad
prank is this? What wild thing do you
imagine
%"Imaginel" She faced him dauntlessly
1 INV. = A6 COlOIH STuSulIR DaCk INTO
her face. II imagine nothing! 7 know.
Know for a certainty the cruel thing
which I have heard ru1nored for months,
but which Iscould not believe until I saw!
The thing which you have denied again
and again, protesting that you could have
no thought Of any woman but me. Oh,
you have said 1t over and over and over!
And yet-this new infatuation Is possible
to you with our wedding day set for next
week! You can love this creature
He interrupted her vehemently. Louise.
when will you women understand? Can
you possibly delude yourself into believ-
ing that it is love I feel for that dancer?
Don't you know
h shook off his hand, resolutely. oh
It Is you men who do not understand, who
win not understand! Yoh think you can
keep the love Of a pure woman, thu inhu-
ence OF a higher life. around you even
while you indulge your propenslties for
the lower. It cannot bel I tell you 1t is
imposstblei You must choose me or the
other. You annot serve both. The low
er will eventually drag you down and
make you insensible to the higher. It ts a
heart divided against itself. 1t cannot
stand. I have come here tonight, not to
make 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. SO
unreasonable! Would you cast me of be-
cause you find me possessed Of 4 weak
ness nc greater than that Of other men?
It's my misfortune-you should help me
to fight it-not leave me to sink under its
weight. Don't you know that my hope OF
safety lies in my love for your / need
you-I want your purity, your strength to
lean on. II you should desert me, then
indeed am I lost! Oh, can you not under
stand?""
But she still held him back resolutely.
your wife" she said, firmly, u
should demand your entire homage, your
absolute devotion. A divisionsef Interest
would be impossible. You understand me,
! am sure. Are you willing to make the
choice?" 4
He stood and looked upon her, SO small,
50 fran n sweet and yet SO firm. And
she gazed steadily back at him.
The voice Of Clarisse sounded suddenly
from far down. the passage. Lucy! Lucy
Lord, where is the girl, anyhowf"
Louise still faced her lover, calmly. I'M
~hinchingly. 1T Is for you to choose, she
said. 80 'Ss
Joked From His Grave.
London Chronicle: The fourth MARQUIS
Of HEREFORD lis reputed to have said: 81
should like to see the faces OF my rela.