The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-04-22
The
Second Wife
CHAPTER XII

The young wife returned 10 her posi-
ton by the window. She could hear the
faint sound OF the wheels as the car
riage rolled away IA the distance-the
same carriage with the white satin I'm
ing and dapple-gray horses which had
conveyed her from the station 10 schon-
werth on her wedding-d day but which
now contained the beautiful medusa-
faced duchess. who loved Baron Mainau
with passionate. intense longing, who
for his sake laid aside her pride and royal
dignity. and when in his presence seemed
TO forget everything else around her but
that she was a suffering. adoring woman
full Of hot and glowing Jealousy
Why had he brought young girl from
Rudlsdorf and chained her 10 his side,
when he would have been receiver with
open, welcome arms by this higher-oorn
lady? With her he might have been
happy, for she was not Indifferent 10 MIN
and as Lanes thoughts turned TO the
meeting IN the forest on her wedding
day, she was unwilingly obliged To con-
fess 10 herself that there was mystery
about IL she did not understand.
Your efforts will bc wrecked In THIS
inexorably fixed journey, the ouchess
had Kissed in her ear. She could sun
feel the hot breath or the drawn ups
tingling against her throat. But what
efforts were 20 be wrecked She hsu
made every effort 10 fulnll her duties
but. thank God, her pride was intact so
far: she had not-no, not even oy the
movement OF a fnger--rnsde the least
effort TO win her husbands love; on that
point the royal lady had erred consul
erably But she was right in her asser-
ton that this journey would cofnpie'e'S
dssever the knot that was already SO
loosely worn between them, even IL Lame
regretted her determination or quitting
Schonwerth forever But still IL was very
precipitatei And IL at the end OF year
and day dld return. by that time the
outside world would have ceased 10 re-
member that Countess 1rachehpeIs
had once lived few weeks IN Schon-
werth, and then gone away again III
order to escape the daily sorrows ana
trials that were too heavy a burden TOT
her 10 bear. And he? he too would nave
lea rned 10 forget this wretched episode
IN his life. and be willing at last TO take
the hand in his which was stretched out
toward him with such burning longing
Involuntarily the young wife clasped
her hands together and pressed them
against her heart. Why was 1t that she
started with a sudden, inexphcaole pain
Was IL 30 very terrible 20 be rejected lot
when he had forbidden her 10 let the
duchess touch her again. what motive
could he have had for so acting! surely
NOT iealonsv. for he could not have en-
yled her--his wife-such kindness Ana
she hid her face I'm her hands as a mis-
erable weakness crept over her.
slowly she left the window ana ~alkeo
across the room TO go into her own apart
ment AS she passed the inlsid writinE-
att "A
IN the SPOT for in the drawer she no
,iced the KEY. Raoul had evidently for-
gotten 10 take II out, and the Holman
schalI. In ''his anger and rage, had not
given it a thought.
Isane's heart beat so loud she could
hear it vibrating against her SIDE. TOT IN
side that drawer was the paper on "nlcn
Ga briels fate and future depended ana
she lonsed TO take it out and read ~
again. She knew perfectly well that
such documents often required more
searching examination than the naked
eve could give them.
Pm, the costly cabinet must be open
"a ~ she wished TO have the paper IL
was not her property ana the Key
had been left there by inadvertehce'
Would II be dishonorable, under these Cur :
cumstances. TO take advantage OF the op-
portunity. and extract the paper? No; had
not her husband himself spoken OF these
papers. and begged her 10 look at them
again on purpose 20 infct on her the pain
Of proving their genuineness?
with a sudden impulse she opened the
drawer. The first thing her hand touched
was the rosy. delicate note from hor
mother. which the Hofmarschall valued
beyond price and as " viper had
stung her. che drew back for moment
then, seizing one paper from the packet
fastened round with tape she saw 81
glance Il was the one she sought. and
hastily thrusting 1t into her pocket. she
closed the writing table and breathlessly
few from the room into her own apart
ments.
once there, she took out her microscope
the faithful friend OF her botanical
studes-and put the paper under its truth
telling glass. She gave one glance, and
then started back trembling all over with
excitement, for there before her eyes lay
revealed a glsring and terrible fraud.
Each letter had been first carefully writ
ten with pencil. but what the naked
eye could not see was that each thick