The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1904-02-11
The Toast of
==Oeath-
BY ADRIAENE RovcoLLE


4 T
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copyright. 100. BY Daily Story Pub. Co..
CHE was wondrously beautiful a. far
y as mere perfection of the features
went, but there was something in the
cold glitter Of the eye which to close
observer OF human nature would have
meant that the lovely face was only the
lying mask Of a shallow. selfish soul.
Yet men loved her. her beauty was to
them the loadstone which drew their
hearts as does the bright light to the
summer moth.
She gloried in her conquests and it
was with ever increasing pride that she
named those who had loved her. Her
fame was universal Throughout Spain,
for 1t was known that princes, dukes,
noblemen, and even a king had loved
her
Yet one man had baffled her, for be-
meath the burning invitation Of her
luminous eyes he had remained cold, in
different, almost contemptuous, and be-
cause Of that Lopez de Servedo became
almost as famous as the woman whose
charm he had withstood.
But a woman Of Margarita Toreno's
type does not at once pronounce herseT
vanQuished. II he could Withstand her
charm it was that his heart was filled by
another love, love that must be killed
before she could hope to conquer. 1t did
not take her long to know Lopez's Sc
cret, for she was rich and detectives are
clever. 1t was a simple tale of tender
love, pure and holy. The powerful Lo-
PEI de Servedo loved one much beneath
him in social rank. one whom his proud
parents would never have recognized as
their equal. He had therefore married
her in secret and kept his bliss and her
beauty concealed in a lonely villa some
distance from the noise and vice OF the
city.
When Margarita heard this she had a
cry Of triumph.
"Now that I know his secret he is
mine: he shall cringe at my feet and sue
for the love he has scorned, but first
must get rid Of her"
For a week she thought: she even
went so far as to visit the little villa
and try with lying tale Of Lopez's in
fidelity to make her successful rival
leave the man she wanted. In this she
failed, and returning home, humbled by
her want of success, she cried:
Then there is only one way; she must
die"
A week later all Madrid was shocked
by the news Of mysterious murder
which had been committed in lonely
villa. A young woman living alone
with two servants was found dead one
morning, dagger thrust through the
heart Margaritass we'll paid assassin
had done his work.
Lopez de Servedo did not change any
thing in his manner of living. He was
still seen in his box at the opera: he still
frequented the various gambling halls
of the town; he drove his fast horses
with the same careless grace, but could
anyone have seen within his heart they
would have been startled by the tragic
depths of his despair. The dead woman
had been the one love Of his life, and
had it not been for the hope Of avenging
her he would have soon rejoined her in
the grave.
After awhile his Indifference toward
Margarita seemed to melt. His visits
to her home became more frequent and
soon it was murmured that Lopez de
Servedo had at last fallen victim to
her charms. She thought SO too and
rejoiced.
Il knew" she thought, "that once
freed from his infatuation for that girl
he would turn to me. And now he Is
mine. He loves me-and, yes, l love
him!"
A month after the strange murder
Lopez and a number Of young men and
women were assembled in Margarita's s
home, for Lopez wished to proclaim in
a public fashion his liason with the
beautiful courtesan. The wine flowed
freely and as it's vapors mounted to the
heads, jokes and laughter reigned SUI
preme. Only Lopez remained calm, in
different. cold.
Margarita, intoxicated as much by the
triumph of this hour as by the wine she
had drunk, talked as she had never done
before. surprising all by the brillianc,
Of her wit, the quickness Of her repa.'
tees.
Dessert was served and new wine.
brought in. Lopez rose and with &
graceful gesture imposed silence. Fol
a moment he did not speak, as though
he wished to give to all time to admire
his elegant form and dark, handsome
face; then he began; his voice, soft
and melodious, fell on the ear like q
caress:
'In most banquets toasts are drank
and as this is an occasion Of special 10,
to me, wish that we follow the Gus
tom. So / appoint myself as toastmas
ter and will call ON each and every ont
of you for toast"
He resumed his seat amid the bois
ferrous Aurrahs of his companions. Fol
awhile, In answer to Lopez's request
toasts OF different characters were givel
amid the general laughter Of the guests
When all had spoken someone re
marked:
"Servedo has not spoken, and . ma,
loved by the peerless Margarita mus
Il a. -