The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1906-06-15

man. How smoothly all this wou,;
have gone to the end had she nc
crossed my path! am base, I, whC
have always considered myself an hon.
orable man. And now it is too late
/ too late!"
TOO late? What do You mean? Have
you dared to ask her to be your wife?'
Had Karloff held her arm at this mo.
ment, he would have comprehended
many things.
mo, no! My word has gone forth
to my government; there is a wall be.
hind me, and can not go back. Tt
stop means worse than death. Ny
property Will De cOnnscated ana ny
name obliterated, my body rot slowly
in the frozen north. Oh, | know my
country; one does not gain her graf
itude by failure. l must have those
plans, and nowhere could l obtain
such perfect ones. )"
Then you will give her up?' There
was broken note.
The count smiled To her it was a
smile scarce less than a snarI.
Give her up? Yes, as a mother gives
up her child, as a lioness her cub.
She has refused me, but nevertheless
she shall be my wife. Oh, am we'll
versed in human nature. She loves
her father and l know what sacrifices
she would make to save his honor.
Tonight" But his lips suddenly
closed.
Well, tonight? Why do you not
go on?" Mrs. Chadwick was pale.
Her gloved hands were clenched. A
spasm of some sort seemed to hold her
in its shaking grasp.
Nothing, nothing! In heavens
name, why have you stirred me so?''
he cried
"Supposing. after all, loved you"
He retreated Madam, your sup
positions are becoming intolerable and
impossible"
Nothing is impossible. Surprising
l loved you as violently and passion
ately as you love this girl?"
Madam, hastily and with gentle
ness, do not say anything which may
cause me to blush for you; say moth
ing you may regret Tomorrow
Il am a woman of circumspection.
My suppositions are merely argument
alive. Do you realize, Count. that |
could force you to marry me?"
Karloff's establishment could not
be equaled. Force me to marry you?"
rs the thought SO distasteful, them"
"You are mad tonight
Not So In whatever manner you
have succeeded in this country, your
debt of gratitude is owing to me.
do not recall this fact as a reproach;
[ make the statement to bear me on in
what l have to submit to your dis
corning intelligence. | doubt if there
is another woman, here or abroad,
who knows you so well as l. Your
personal honor is beyond impeach-
ment but Russia is making vast efforts
to speckle it. She will succeed. Yes,
could force you to marry me. With
a word | could tumble your house of
cards. l am a worldly woman and not
without wit and address. 1 possess
every one of your letters, most of all
have l treasured the eXtrayagant ones
To some you have signed your name.
# you have kept mine, you will OBJ
serve that my given name might mean
any one of thousand women who are
named Grace Shall you marry me?
Shall | tumble your house of cards?
could go to Col Annesley and say to
lin that if he delivers these plans to
-oH. shall GeuCuLce him to the secret
'o.1'ce o-.,ers. I might cause his ut
= financial ruin, but his name would
descend to his daughter untarnished."
You would not dare!" the count
Interrupted.
what? And you know me so we'll?
have not given you my word to re-
'eql nothing. You confided in my rare
.uality Of silence: you confided in me
,cca@se you had proved me- Man is
,ot infall!ble, even when lie is named
Iarlaff." She lifted from a vase her
lowers, from which she shook the
rater Laws have been passed or an
ul!ed laws have died at the executive
esk. Who told you that this was to
e, or that, long before it came to
ass? In all the successful intrigues
f Russia in this country, whom have