The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1904-11-12

SplUer CAME 0ut VI ulS luIhl place.
to listen to her. Joined by long
and slender thread to- the back of a
mirror, he got himself well in evil
dence upon decorated cornice,
with his keen eyes, his long legs, and
remained immovable, as if hypno-
tized by the soft harmonies of Cho-
pin.
Paoletta gradually ceased to fear
him. But when to this great spider
were added several others she re-
solved to remove this large family,
domesticated no doubt for a number
of years. She called in carpenter
to take down the mirror, laughing
to see the tribe scampering.
Suddenly she uttered cry of sur
prise. Wrapped up as in a net, in
vested with great mass of cob
webs, letter sealed with black fell
from behind the mirror.
The workman, no Jess surprised
than the young lady, presented the
letter to Paoletta, who took it, trem-
bling. On the outside she read:
''To be delivered to Signor Gior-
gio Dorval after my death"
The young wife's heart beat fast.
This letter was directed to her hus-
band. What could it contain?
cit must have been written a long
time ago." said the workman.
cit is directed to my husband"
responded Paoletta. The man smil-
ed musingly.
GA letter from a woman" he
thought.
Should she burn this letter un-
opened? What might it contain !?
Should she give it to Giorgio?
No, no; certainly not.
After a long time she broke the
seal, and this is what she read:
"My dear Giorgio, I am sick and
sad. The house is prison. l seem
to find in it something tragical, lead
ing to revenge and death.
Although it is ended, completely
ended, do not doubt but we shall
see each other again. Is our love
to endure but one season? Do you
not remember your oath of eternal
fidelity?
81 have not forgotten and have
returned to our nest. Now | would
like to die, surrounded by the things
you care for.
81 have re-entered this room, fill
ed with tokens of your love. That
reclining chair has seated you fire.
quently, when, returning from a
long excursion in the woods, | came
to rest my head against your knees,
while you touched the brown locks
which fell over my forehead. have
reviewed all that year of happiness
day by day and only desire to die in
this house, where you and / have
loved"
Paoletta gave loud cry and fell
to the floor. When she returned to
her senses, the sun had set, the day
was slowly departing, the horizon,
tinted with purple, forming lumi-
nous garland. Nothing was changed
in the life of the world about her.
There was the same azure sky, the
same strident shrek of the railway
train, the hilarious shouts of the
children released from school.
Was what had passed dream,
some strange fancy? No, the letter
was there at her feet. 1t recalled her
to reality. 1t was true-all was
true! And suddenly she felt within
her heart an enormous weight, and
upon her shoulders something lay
almost insupportable.
She remained for long time mo-
tionless and silent, making a thou
sand projects. Then gradually her
nerves gave way, and tears flowed
from her eyes.
When Giorgio returned, he found
her calm, but little nervous.
Several days passed, then Paoletta
took to her bed.
A malady which had not been
able to carry her to the tomb year
before reappeared. The physician
announced that all was over; she
would not outlast the fall of the
leaves.
She treated Giorgio with cold
ness, of which she gave no explana-
ton. He attended her, watched
over her, supplicated her to tell him
why she had changed, but she re-
NAMED silent, and her calmness
made him almost insane.
One morning she said to him,
'You will return early today, will
you not, Giorgio?"
He bent over her, kissing her ten
derby.
eyes, my darling" he said.