The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1905-02-04

willing tool. L could not get 10 San
Reno without money He offered to
advance me the railway fare. and he
got me a situation in the Hotel dan
gleterre as housemaid. He also was
going there for the season as a waiter
/ said that if he took me TO San Reno
I would marry him. He did so. and /
but that comes later. Sufficient 1t is
to say that George believed in my
promise and that found myself again
In the presence-the heavenly presence
of my adOred Percy.
But | had only come TO submit my
self TO fresh anguish. He saw me. but
took no notice of me. | was afraid u
follow him too closely lest he should
ask the police. 10 interfere. George
Rates was jealous. too. and | had to
consider him. as. failing Percy reward
ing my love. / could fall back on
| George. He was always useful 10 sup
ply the money for me TO get back TO
England, where l was certain of sit
uation. handled the situation in a
mastery manner and cOntrived to see
Percy without his seeing 80 4 10 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. l made
myself their friend. They knew me as
the former nurse of Percy's little son
| and wondered how ! came to be q
housemaid. | told some story which
satisfied them. l forget what it was.
| They believed in ME thoroughly, and
| they found out that / loved Percy.
| Then they were amused, and / hated
them for it. They told Percy that
was watching him. and he came to the
hotel no more. But l still pretended
to be their friend for my own ends.
! There was a masked ball coming off,
and the Miss Towards wished to go
| unbeknown to their father. l entered
into the spirit Of the joke. l 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.
81 went also in the same dress.
had got third blue domino. and also
wore a sprig of holly. In my pocket l
took stilettO. Why did 1 do that?
| Because l was determined TO kill any
one who tried TO make love to my Per
| cy. l knew that Jenny Howard, the
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 fear
| Of being discovered should l stab any
one, and, moreover. were there trouble
the Misses Howard. being dressed as
I was. even to the sprig Of yellow hol-
", might be accused of any crime that
might happen. Moreover. even if
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 q low shopkeeper called Nelez.
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.
Il heard Percy propose to marry
Jenny, and | was minded then to Kill
her. | drew the stihtto from my
breast and would have rushed for
ward, hoping to escape in the con-
fusion when l killed her. But my
heart failed me; even when she was
left alone my heart failed me. Jenny
took off her mask, and l left her sit
ting waiting for Percy's return. Then
l followed Percy and saw Violet join
him. | knew it was Violet. owing 10
the unmasking of Jenny, and, more
over had seen Violet listening, as
was. She loved him also-the cat.
However, | saw that she wanted 10
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
| stopped him at the bottom of the
parade There was no one in sight
it was late, and a clear moon was shin
ing.
Percy thought | was Violet. whom
he miStOOk for her sister. He al
dressed ne in such endearing tones as
Jenny and demonstrated 50 gently
about what he called the rashness OF
following him from the hotel that
lost my temper. l snatched off The
mask and poured out my wrath. Percy
burst out laughing when he recognized
NE. He Said-never mind what ht
said-but it was an insult, and my
Italian blood boiled in my veins.
drew the stileIto and rushed on him
At that moment my hand was Caugh
from behind. and l fell. 1t was tina
man Ireland. who was then at SaI
4 Rarno and 4 great friend of Percy :