The Cook County herald., 1904-01-23


ago sos char rmfnl ~ oIlIy
$groan IN ansWer buTst III fr on, Is Iins
II WIS, inst tooan I.e ennSx wl,f
drew Ayice's arm through ~ n
Il whispered II. ;,5':.7a.
dear, it is All true et rrsaa,yi.
meant to do noswrong |; he thought hi.
woman dead, Madam D, he continued
while Avice still clung ,to his side , e
do not wish to dispute your claim but
was there no quieter way to laser,
i it?".5 ,@-:ss. Il y ss5a.sss# .,s 4"
! "None!" she answered defiantlv-
"none!" Yes, you and he thought nc
dead. 1 arrived in Paris only 5tester
day; only this morning learned of this
intended marriage, I came hither al
once, hoping to see my husband
alone" 49, s13.: s>1%I"<; *x
One by one the guests withdrew. IT
was evident, at such scene, it were
best there should be no witnesses.
Travis had borne Miss St. John to
her room; but, when Milton begged
Avice to follow, she haughtily refused
standing bravely forward as champion
of her brothers right.
! A strange likeness was apparent in
the two beautiful faces as their
glahces met. The same violet.tiated
| eyes blazed from beneath the same
jetty fringe of lash and the curved
brow above, but the figure of the elder
| held a peerless majesty that that of
the younger had not yet gained.
Barbara's voice softened as she
| went on:
"You are his sister, therefore you
love him. You are woman, there
fore you hate me. But IL love him!
You should pity rather than hate"
Through the armor in which Avice
had wrapped herself, the gentle dig.
| nifty of these words pierced A mo-
ment before, in each glance had been
the challenge of deadly foe; but now
Barbara's had fallen, and over Avices
crept the mist of tears.
:Tell me-" she said, turning to Len
nox, 'how did this dreadful thing hap
pen? Who is she?"
Then Barbara's lids lifted them
selves, and the quick glance into his
face said, more plainly than words:
Keep my secret. It were better for
ALL"
"This lady your brother married
three years ago., replied Milton.
when she says she loved him, she
says falsely. She intrigued him into
the marriage and now, for some pur-
pose known only to herself, makes
public her claim"
why, then, did marry him?' said
Barbara, addressing the girl. l knew
nothing of his wealth, his prospects.
| loved him-aye, and he too, loved
me, but that this false friend came
between us. But I shall yet win him
to my side, and prove my claim not
only to his name, but to his. heart
wish to see my husband alone It is
my right-a right which for three long
years has been denied me-
Milton, it is true. 1t is her right!
If this is, indeed, my brothers wife,
she is my sister. Travis will surely
see her, as she DESIRES"
"Your sister? Merciful heaven!
that your pure lips should breathe that
name, and her ears catch the sound!
Avice, for the first time in my life I
claim your obedience. Leave me with
this woman" His voice, though full
of gentleness, had in it a new tone of
firmness and meaning which the girl.
as he led her to the door, could not
withstand. wait for me in the IL
brary," he said. II will come to you
in half an hour
Then the portals swung to behind
her, and Barbara and Lennox were
alone
In a moment the whole attitude of
the woman changed. She was a lion
ess at bay. Her eyes darkened till
they matched the purple of her dress
the diamonds sparkling on the ex-
quisite baroness of her neck and arms
were not more radiantly scintillant;
through the red lips cleaned the
white even teeth, as she stood motion
less, as though turned to stone, yet
with her very stiffness suggestive of
the tigress crouching for the last fatal
spring.
What is your price?"
These were the words which broke.
at last, the silence, as Milton. with
arms folded across his chest, stood
facing her.
She laughed aloud in answer Who
could dream that, only a moment be-
fore, her voice had in it the sound of
unshed tears?
The little, low, musical laugh trilled
through the room. It hurt the mans
listening ears more than any blow
it told more potently than any words
the hopelessness of his friends cause.
my price?" she said at last. Had
those words been uttered by any other
lips l would fifty rebuke the insult
With you it would be lost. have no
price save the public acknowledge
ment of my right and title to the Mer-
edith name. Aye, not all the Mere.
dith possessions would buy it from