The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-15

the table-no pistol in it theni-and
said: a.
Congratulate me, Louis, my. good
friend. Marie has consented to be my
wife,"
All! Then she was trapped. This man,
had exerted his power to force wo-
man to marry? He looked at her in
quiringly. Yes, yes-her smile was an
appeal. She was trapped. Then he
peared to do it-had risen and said:
Il drink to the health of the affl-
anced.' And with the words had flung
the wine into Henri's face.
After that-what? All! yes-after
that, Henri had remained as one stun
ned taking on notice-not retaliating.
but looking at him with eyes of stupid
wonderment. He had tainted him, and
she had asked him If he intended to
let the insult pass like a poltroon.
That reused him; Henri was no pol
troon he would die brave man. So
Henri had said that they would fight
there and then. There were pistols in
the drawing room in case; they lay
there always. One only was loaded.
she had said. And it had been decided
that they should choose at random;
the one who took the empty weapon
would die. 1t was a tragic end to
their friendship; but love was greater
than friendship, and-well, Henri had
sacrificed his right to be considered a
friend.
"Two!"
How calmly she spoke. There was no
pity in her voice. Did Henri deserve pity?
him to fight by her taunt. she should
count the fatal three that was 70 selsd
would be Henri For when Henri went
to choose the weapon she had touched
her right hand significantly. His friend
the pistol that lay in the right n2nd OF
the case. Death was hiding in the left
fatal word and strike. she had smiled
when Henri had followed her mint anu
She had smfled-smiled at one man set
ting out to kill another-his friend-for
her sake! Kill-yet; but was 1.-THE way
God yes, it was murder. What else? And
yet Henri stood intending to shoot him
down believing that ms pls191L vas lpa1e ee e.
she need not have smiled at that moment.
1t was the same curious smile that he
had seen play on her beautiful mouth
once before. Ali when was that? Yes.
yes-he knew; it was the night he tod
| her So, too, she had smiled when she
had told him that they could never De
happy together while Henri had held her
secret. All! Henri had terrorized her.
| Yet, was she a woman to be terrified IA
woman who could thus calmly count tie
death? This baffIing smile of hersl Sup
pose. Great heavensi Suppose this
were all a ar1cks w nat Was lllS WO1teltl
| that she could so turn friend against
friend that they could contemplate this
crime?
He looked at Henri. There was no
crime in his eyes. A wistful look, almost
a smile about his lips-the same calm.
peaceful smile that he remembered was
so beautiful that night -Vaen they were
resting high in the Alps, safe for little
while from the. Austrian soldiery Was
this the man who terrified women, or:
He had heard Of women-of devils dressed
as women--who for lust of gain would
lightly send men to their graves What
was this woman? Ali if he had asked
! the Sneerer. If she were one OF those,
and he murdered mis- friend at her behest
yes, Henri was his friend:
The silver voice of the woman rose to
a Shrek of triumph in the utterance OF
the fatal word over her beautiful face
! flashed an expression that destroyed its
glory for ever to the two nlen-n look
that repealed, that was OF greed and NAL
4 ice mingled.
At the sound of the screaming note OF
exultation in the word 'sThreeP' the two
men, from gazing at each other, turned
their. eyes sharply on the woman, saw
the distorted face, AMI then looked again
lone at the other. The younger mans