Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1904-10-03


then you saw my mangled remains, and
In fash you seemed to understand.
Your face turned livid--you struggled |
for breath.
"'Henri,' she sobbed, clutching at
your arm, ooh, Henri, forgive me. II
was my love for you. Think of the
fever through which nursed you
think
But you were mad and blind with
rage. You turned upon her like an
angry tiger and called her murder
ess' again and again; and then you lift
ed your arm and struck her twice with
your clenched fist across the brow. a
thin stream of blood spurted out and
she fell back--you thought at first you
had killed her, and you were savagely
glad-and, without looking in her d.
rection again, you rushed out of the
house. For two days and two nights
you wandered about, fighting with
many sensations, and then your mood
softened-an agony of penitence came
upon you. With only one idea In your
head--to ask Marie's pardon--you hast.
ened back to your old room.
was lying just as you had left me, but
Marie and her mother had gone, no one
in the house knew whittier. On tho
window sill you found note from Du'
perier. He had come in search of you
when you failed to keep your engage
ment-had seen my remains aud
guessed pretty much what had oc.
Cured, and being as kind as he was
great he had offered to lend you his
own Stradivarius II you would consent
to play for him the following week."
The fire was gradually dropping into
gray ashes again when madame camo
back, bringing with her rush Of Geld
air.
whats that?" she asked Suddenly.
pointing to a little bit of wood which
still lay on the table beside him.
He picked 1t up again and fingered
| Il tenderly.
first violins ever had" he said. "lt's
Its been talking to me. Hortenss--.
reminding me OF all kinds of things.
II should like. II you'd let me, to tell
you what It said" -,
Without waiting for her answer he
began. He talked quickly-half fear.
full lest she should interrupt him with
some chilling piece Of sarcasm or some
politely incredulous inquiry.
bespoke of the attic-of the Satur.
day afternoons with little Marie-of
his uncle's legacy, and the denouement
he did not even spare himself when he
came to the cruel blow that had sep
arated him and Marie forever. and
when he had done he sat waiting i'm
patiently for her verdict. But she did
not speak.
i've tired you, Hortense?" he asked
quickly; these things sound foolish to
you?"
/ She waited an instant before answer.
Ing, loosening the cleak from her
shoulders as II its weight had sudden
~ become too much for her.
I .No' nh' Sdiu' sOh VIC Hui pllStl
me. that's all. Tell me, Henri II you
had found hcr-tbis child, this Mario
would you have forgiven her-really
forgiven
, The musician pressed his hands TO.
gether-his thin cheeks flushed.
God knows | would" he said: at
Is her forgiveness want. That blow
has haunted me like some deadly night.
mare for twenty years"
"And you cared for her all that
timer"
Il love her still, Hortense," he said:
forgive me, love her STILL"
Then very amazing thing happened.
His wife stepped suddenly forward
and in spite OF her rich satin and deli.
cate lace she knelt with bowed head
at the musicians feet, and taking both
! his hands In hers she covered them
with kisses.
Then forgive her, Henri" she whis.
pered. SHE needs your forgiveness
badly, for she, too, has been coward
too great a coward to tell you the truth
Nhch you ubhtu HeT W DttOUe your
wife and she saw you no longer recog-
nized the child in the woman-such a
coward that she gave you only her Sec
end name, and not her first-such a
coward that she has never shown you
this"
She lifted corner of the heavy
fringe she wore and disclosed small
red scar showing up sharply against
the WI. re of her skin. For
some minutes the clock licked like an
impatient pulse beating into the heavy
silence, and then a cold cinder fell into
the fender with sharp metallic click.
The sound seemed to rouse the must
clan into life. AS one who awakes
from some oyerpowering trance he
staggered to his feet.
Then he stopped down and gently
raised his wife, and folding his arms
round her, he held her tight against
his heart as II he never meant to re-
lease her.
Again and again he kissed the disfig.
ured scar as II he would have kissed