Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1904-02-04

The =
| Curse ;, Darlington
Xxx. TEMPLE MOORE.
kkk&MMakMkstasAslaaklggsME III 81 y wgsak.a d
~ X. TEMPLE MOORE.

GyiILuld Hdu lcduGu uST GIpOW OH uGf
knee, her head on her hand, and was
looking into the glowing FIRE with
great, burning, feverish eyes. She
started when her companion spoke to
her.
you must surely have come to some
decision by this time, dear. Do you
think she is really Laurence Lisle?"
Eyes," she answered deliberately. 81
do!"i
ut is kismet!" my lady murmured.
at is Gods will" Cynthia respond
ed. reverently.
do you mean that?" she cried, with
more emotion than the speech in the
question appeared to warrant. do
you really believe that the fact of her
coming to Blackcastle is to be con-
sidered as an act sof providence? Re
member, ! speak. supposing she is
whom she says she is--Laurenca
Lisle."
II don't see what very great differ
ence that makes. 1t seems no strang-
er to me that she should be at Black
sCgSllS Clltu w VI AGttuSA VI ooy 1tSSo
really claim here"
"You have!" Lady Darlington inter.
posed, quickly. "You are the child of
my Oldest. dearest friend!"
The girl gave swift, upward glance.
"And She" in tone OF grave, sig
nifcant reproach, was to have been
you sons wife!"
For a few moments utter silence
reigned.
What meant" Cynthia resumed,
twas to deny that it was an Idle fate,
and that alone, which grasps the
threads Of many lives. and weaves
them in the selfsame strand" &
& "And when said it was destiny, ;.
meant All, you will not understand.
Cynthia!" she cried suddenly. u will
tell you'll will tell you now, that
which promised to repeat one week
from Christmas Eve. 1t is long
story--a strange story--a sad story!
I will make it brief, and clear, and
light as may be-
Cynthia slipped from her low seat
to the SOFT rug, and half-kneeling half
sitting, leaned against her companion.
She clasped her slight olive hands in
Idle fashion, and resting her arms on
MY lady's lap, lowered her head upon
them.
! well, dear, to go way back over.
years and years and years, to the time
when i was a girl! am an italian.
<xfn roc 1-r,nx ond hon.
ored throughout Italy--a race fierce,
powerful, proud Of its ancient
glory, proud of its stainless escutcheori,
proud OF its dauntfess men, it's noble
Women. And at the. age Of sixteen I
was left orphaned, the last Of the
grand old name. ]. mere child, left
maintain, that old pride of lineage. to
maintain that boasted, storied honor.
eve were in Venice Just then. and
there we remained. with me the wom-
an who had nursed me when a child.
now my duenna. One yeartwo, Slip
ped by, and 4 began to think the world;
was not such bad place to live In,
after all. I began to cast aside my
sember garments, to dress gaily, to go
out a good deal.
Il was young, you must remember,
Of irreproachahle ancestry, with the
boarded wealth Of centuries under my
foolish hands. So they made much Of
me-the great people Of Venice.
RI had been brought up In q seclu.
sion so complete as to be almost i'm
and this strange sense OF
freedom. this new revelation of life.
held for me charm irresistlbly beau
tifui.
ut was then, while was still rev
cling my sweet independence and
flushed with all the glowing JOY of
was just then met the man
who changed the current OF my life
Give Caring ton! as,
q remember SO we'll Tam ! wearying
ycu. dear?-old memories are so.
strong tonight the first time we met.
Ii was a summer evening, and i was
out with merry party on the Grand
canal; and our gondola, bright with
sainty dresses, and rich-leaved flowers
and colored lights. represented, il its
gay freight, the young nobility and
grace of Venice. rs
"a white moon quivered slowly up
Ll,s blue Venetian sky; and we drifted
on, with song and lang tier. under the
grim and royal homes Of the Foscari
md the Cavalli, past the statels = carr
emile of st Mark 5. past the palace OF
Tie Doges.
Suddenly a gondola flashed out
from beneath the Rialto bridge and
SPED by us. One of our number rec
ognized q friend IN the boat which had
lust passed ours, and he hailed him
The gondoliers drew their crafts to-,
gether The occupants Of the gon-
dola hailed proved to be d party Of
young English tourists. Mutual intro
cuctions fol lowed. us
MS s An Old Italian Lad my chaperone
Tor the time being turned to me.
sIss a tst me present to you che said,
Sir Give Darlington &:
81 Hasstood llp and bowed low. He
ysas about thirty then TAN. broad
slsould sred handsosas younE glish.
ma 1
I a noticed The oaick lash Sof admira-
Aioia Itch IN his blue eyes as no saw