Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1906-09-13

nave SOlu 10 me lHe 1OTIlUcal1On plans
of your country; and though it be in
times of peace, you are none the less
guilty and culpable. Your daughter
shall be my wife"
Il had rather strangle her with these
s!"-passionately
well, why should | not have her
for my wife? Who loves her more
than I? am rich; from hour to hour,
from day to day, what shall | not plan
to make her happy? I love her with
all the fire and violence of my race and
blood. l can not help it. | will not,
can not live without her! Good God,
yes! l recognize the yilliany of my ac-
tion. But | am mad tonight"
so | perceive" The colonel gazed
wildly about the walls for weapon.
There was not even the usual orna-
mental dagger.
A window again stirred mysteriously.
A few drops of rain splashed on the
glass and zigzagged down to the sash.
Sooner or later your daughter must
know. Request her presence. 1t rests
with her. not with you, as to what
course l must follow" Karloff was eX-
traordinarily pale, and his dark eyes
rejecting the dancing flames, sparkled
like rubies.
He saw the birth of horror in the
He saw the colonel's lips move spas
medically, but utter no sound. What
was it he saw over his (the counts)
shoulders and beyond? Instinctively he
turned, and what he saw chilled the
heat of his blood.
There stood the girl, her white dress
marble-white against the dark wine
of the portiere, an edge of which one
hand clutched convulsively. Was it
Medusa's beauty or her magic that
turned men into stone? My recollec-
ton is at fault. AT any rate, so long
as she remained motionless, neither
man had the power to STIR She held
herself perfectly erect; every fiber in
her young body was tense. Her beauty
became weirdly powerful, masked as it
was with horror, doubt, shame, and re-
proach. She had heard; little or much
was of no consequence. In the heat
of their variant passions, the mems
voices had risen to pitch that pene-
trated beyond the room.
Karloff was the first to recover, and
he took an involuntary step toward
her. but she waved him back disdain-
fully.
do not come near me. | 1oathe
you!" The voice was low, but every
note was strained and unmusical.
He WINGED. His face could not have
stung or burned more holly had she
struck him with her hand.
"Mademoiselle!"
She ignored him. Father, what
does this mean?"
Agony" The colonel fell back into
his chair, pressing his hands over his
eyes.
81 will tell you what it means!"
cried Karloff, rage possessing him.
He had made mistake. He had mis-
judged both the father and the child.
He could force her into his arms, but
he would always carry a burden of
hate. 1T means that this night you
stand III the presence of dishonored
parent a man who has squandered
your inheritance over gambling tables,
and who, to- recover these misused
sums, has sold to me the principal for
tiffcaton plans of his country. That Is
what it means, Mademoiselle"
She grasped the portiere for support.
Father, is this thing true?" Her
voice fell to terror-Stricken whisper.
"Oh, it is true enough" said Karloff.
God knows that it is true enough.
But it rests with you to save him.
Become my wife, and yonder fire shall
swallow his dishonor-and mine. Re-
fuse, and / shall expose him. After
all, love is primitive state, and with
it we go back to the beginning; before
it honor or dishonor is nothing. To-
night there is nothing, nothing in the
world save my love for you, and the
chance that has given me the power to
force you to be mine. What a fury
and tempest love produces. 1t makes
an honorable man of the knave. a
rascal of the man of honor; 1t has top
pied thrones, destroyed nations, oblit-
Grated races Well, have become
rascal Mademoiselle, you must be-
come my wife" He lifted his hand
some head resolutely.
Without giving him so much as a
glance, she swept past him and sank
on her knees at her fathers side, talk
ing his hands by the wrists and press
ing them down from his face.
Father, tell him he lies. Tell him
he lies!" All, the entreaty, the love.
the anxiety, the terror that blended
her tones!
He strove to look away.
Father, you are all l have" she
cried brokenly. Look at me! Look
at me and tell him that he lies.
You will not look at me? God have
mercy on me, it is true them" She
rose and spread her arms toward
heaven to entreat God to witness her
despair. II did not think or know that
such base things were done That