The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-05-28
Our Daily $bcrt Story

planter enormously found place. Acci- dentaliy the paper fell Into the hands of the lady. and the statement was ac-' cepted as true She wrote curt, crisp note of dismissal, a heartless note, can- ceiling her engagement. saying she could not be happy as a poor mans wife, and bidding him forget that he had ever seen her fave.'
 "A shiver shook the form of the woman as she listened. The speaker glanced in the mirror. A horrible grin marred the dark beauty of his face as he noticed the gray paiior which seemed stealing over that of his wife. He drew her closer into the shelter of
 his arms as he continued:
 The beauty, the brightness. the ecstasy of heaven were plotted out for the lover, and for him who shared every emotion of his brothers heart Then the zig-zag line. which perhaps I ran through the natures of each, the legacy of their young mother, seemed 10 become to one writhing. hissing. twisting snake. strangling reason in It's folds, and one day. upon returning after brief absence, one brother found the other dead, with that across his throat which you would not care to sec As he lay. with pale hands folded on his heart. even those who knew him best could scarcely have | 'oiu WITCH one lay uedu4 Tn the m10St | Of the gloom which shadowed that old home dainty letter futtered down | to the South from the far away North. The writer had learned that the print cd statement of bankruptcy was a mis- take. She had misunderstood her heart. She wished to resume her broken vows. and with loves sweet insistence craved pardon and called her lover back. So, when the grass and flowers began to bloom over the breast of one, the other brother hastened to obey the gentle mandate.
 'It was quiet marriage, but there were present many invisible guests. It must have been that Satan opened the doors of doom for the fiends to attend. The lips of the bride murmured the l beautiful marriage vows: I take thee to be my lawful and welded husband. to love and to keep fin sickness and I health until death do us part Her false heart whispered: TO deceive and
 hate, to honor and disgrace And that of the bridegroom answered in uni som: To crush, to hate, to torture and to ruin The woman was falser than all fancy fathoms,' for her every shred .l of affection had been given to an i'm I pecunious lover. She married to ob- tain the Ingester wealth, the Ingester name. The bridegroom brought to the marriage altar a hatred as deep as hell, a revenge which would hound the murderess of his brother until death should them part"
 A choking. gasping cry came from the womans pallid lips. Articulation seemed paralyzed, but she struggled to throw off the clasping arm, which had become as band of steel. In mocking tones he continued:
 T see, ma belle. that you recognize In that happy pair your husband and | yourself. We have travelled abroad. You have worn the Ingester wealth with the dignity of a queen. You have captured the hearts of my friends with your winsome grace, your dainty charm. and yet you have never been happy. The letter which you wrote today to your lover like its predeces- sors. fell into my hands. I took the liberty of changing the address to which he was to write you, as you have given 1t incorrectly. His reply would not reach you at BelVoir. Be- fore your bridegroom came to wed you, about the time his heart was broken by his brothers death. a fear ful suspicion had entered his soul. which was verified by expert medical authority. You did not know, oh! lady. dainty and fair. that you joined your fate with that of a leper. You did not know that the kisses of your beaute- ous mouth were gathered by leprous 1 lips. I have waited to tell you my story until should see upon your own 1 satin flesh the red spots and shining scales which would announce your doom"
 A scream which his hand ~tified up- on her lips, burst from her agonized l heart She sprang from his oncircling | arms. She writhed and quiveVed, and tottered as if she would fall. but as he put out his arm to support her she suddenly sprang erect. Her face seem- cd perfect death mask of fear. while above the frozen horror of her eyes the diamond stars in her hair spark led and scintillated in mocking radi- | ance.
 | Tn Gods name who are you?" she gasped, trembling before his lurid. gleaming eyes.
 Who am I? Not the man who wor- shipped you, to whom you were prom ised wife, not Clifton, the angel you murdered him. He is asleep beneath the magnolia trees at Belvoir. am your husband, Conrad the ,.emonw | ParalyZed as she was in body, her mental faculties were unnaturally 1 acute. She realized in all its devilish Ihideousness the truth of his every word. A new horror was added to the inferno which surrounded her as she saw in his manner a strange restless ness and diabolical cunning. He laugh ed lightly.
 'T have notified the health authori- | ties, and tomorrow we will be arrested and sent to the leper colony of Ibber- vile Parish. There. dead in life, byou may ask your lover to visit you II gave that place as your address and | explained why you would not be at | Belvoir. Have we reached the parting of our ways, my darlingT Will you go | there to bend your proud mead to the ' | dust and cry out to arrest the steps of the unwary who might come near you. | 'Unelean! uncleani' Which shall 1t be, | sweet wife; the leper colony. or with ] me out into the shades of night eter-