Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-09-08

DIOllllSC anu lllul L IouhA lIlS oSiL uodii
in the presence-the heavenly presence
--of my adored Percy,
"But l had only come to submit my
self to fresh anguish. He saw me, but
took no notice of me. was afraid to
follow him too closely lest he should
ask the police to interfere. George
Rates was jealous, too, and l had to
consider him, as failing Percy reward
Ing my love, conld fall back OH
George He was always useful to sup
ply the money for me to get back to
England, where I was certain Of sit
uation. l handled the situation i'll a
mastery manner and contrived to see
Percy without his seeing me and with
out exciting too openly the jealousy Of
George Rates.
"But it was the horrid girl that
caused me pain. She was one of the
daughters Of General Howard, whom
Percy had met at Como. The two girls
both laid themselves out to catch my
darling. But their arts did not succeed
at Como. Jenny was the one who tried
hardest to get him, but Violet took her
chance also. When they came to San
Reno they stopped at the Hotel dan
gleterre. looked after their room,
and, knowing what they were. made
myself their friend. They knew me as
the former nurse of Percy's little son
and wondered how / came to be a
housemaid l told some story which
satisfied them. l forget what it was.
They believed in me thoroughly, and
they found out that l loved Percy.
Then they were amused, and hated
them for 1t. They told Percy that 1
was watching him, and he came to the
hotel no more. But still pretended
to be their friend for my own ends.
There was masked ball coming of,
and the Miss Towards wished to go
unbeknown to their father. l entered
into the spirit Of the joke. procured
them two blue dominos and each a
sprig of yellow holly so that they
might know one another. They went
to the ball thus disguised.
~ went also in the same dress. l
had got third blue domino, and also
wore sprig Of holly. In my pocket I
took stiletto. Why did l do that?
Because I was determined to kill any
one who tried to make love to my Per-
cy. l knew that Jenny Howard, tho
little cat, would try to get him to
love her, and would have killed her
with pleasure had she become Percy's
bride. As was masked, had no lear
of being discovered should stab any
one, and, moreover, were there trouble,
the Misses Howard, being dressed as
was, even to the sprig Of yellow hol-
", might be accused Of any crime that
might happen. Moreover, even II l
killed Jenny knew that the two sisters
quarreled and that on the evidence of
the holly and the domino Violet might
be charged with the crime.
about the stiletto. received that
from low shopkeeper called Velez,
who was in love with Percy. She and
her husband kept an oil shop. and her
husband was very Jealous of her. She
was madly in love with Percy, as
found out when buying something at
her shop, and l got to know her in
timately.
II heard Percy propose to marry
Jenny, and was minded then to kill
her. drew the stiletto from my
breast and would have rushed for
ward, hoping to escape in the con-
fusion when killed her. But my
heart failed me; even when she was
left alone my heart failed me. Jenny
took off her mask, and left her sit
ting waiting for Percy's return. Then
I followed Percy and saw Violet join
him. l knew 1t was Violet, owing to
the unmasking Of Jenny, and, more.
over, l had seen Violet listening, us
was. She loved him also-the cat!
However,, / saw that she wanted to
get Percy out Of the place by making
him think she was Jenny. She did.
followed. He took her home to the
gates Of the hotel and left her there.
When he was coming back to the ball
I stopped him at the bottom Of the
parade. There was no one in sight,
it was late, and clear moon was shin
ing.
"percy thought l was Violet, whom
he mistook for her sister. He adj
dressed me in such endearing tones as
Jenny and demonstrated so gently
about what he called the rashness Of
following him from the hotel that
lost my temper / snatched Off the
mask and poured out my wrath. Percy
burst out laughing when he recognized
me. He said-never mind what he
said-but it was an insult, and my
Italian blood boiled in my veins. l
drew the stiletto and rushed on him.
At that moment my hand was caught
from behind, and fell. 1t was that
man Ireland, who was then ut Sun
Reno, and a great friend of PercyN'.
He had wrenched the stiletto out Of
my hand. For moment no one said
anything, and arose to my feet. Ire
land addressed me as Miss Howard
Miss Violet Howard. Percy laughed
again and corrected his mistake, say
ing that was a lovesick nursemaid
whom he had discharged. Then lost
my temper.