Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1907-08-22
CHAPTER XVIII.

Two days had passed since the
morning upon which Helene believed
herself TO have won a complete vic
tory over her heart, and had firmly
convinced herself that the surging
tempest of her emotions must sub
side in the face of the irrevocable
certainty. How little she had been
able to fathom the depth of her pas
sion! She had grasped at straw
floating upon the surface Of a raging
food and it had sunk with her into
the depths. Only two days! But they
outWeighed the whole of her pre-
vious life In the fuIness of pain. she
constantly repeated to herself that
the end Of her days, the longed-for
peace, was not far off, yet she shud-
dered before the brief term of earthly
existence that still lay before her. She
felt ever more clearly that her prom
Use to live at Gutenberg made her sac
rifce a super-human one. But she
would not, at any price, have changed
one iOta of what she had promised
Hollfed. She wished to be worthy OF
his love, to deserve his respect by the
most tremendous seIf-sacrifice. Poor,
blinded girl!
Her enfeebIed nerves suffered in
describably from the continuous in
ternal struggles. She had constant
unrest That which occupied her
whole attention, absorbed all her
thought aud feeling, pressed Unceas
ingly to her lips, but she kept silence
most dutifully, because HorfeId de
sired it. Nor had he permitted her to
summon Elizabeth to herself, because
he feared, and perhaps correctly, that
in her excitement, she might spoil his
scheme for the young girl. He had
taken the first measures for approach
ing Elizabeth again He had rung
twice at the little portal to inquire
for the health Of the Won Gnade,
witzes,' but although he had almost
torn out the belI-handle, the portal
mad not been opened. The first time
no one had been at home; but yester
day Elizabeth had seen him coming
Her Barents were at the Lodge and
had taken Ernst with them. and
Miss Mertens agreed to EIizabetb's
proposal not to admit the visitor. The
two ladies sat in the living room
laughing, while the little bell ranq
itself hoarse The sutton without nat
uraIly cherished not the remotest
suspicious of this plot.
1t was seven o'clock in the mOrnfne,
Helene, dressed was resting upon
her couch. She had tossed sIeeplessIv
about upon her bed the whole night
through. The baroness was still
asleep. HclIfeld was equally invisible
TO be alone the young lady neither
could nor would endure, so her
maid had been required to fetch some
work and seat herself beside the
couch. All that the girl chartered
passed as unheard and unheeded. but
there was something reposeful in the
sound OF human voice after the
lonely, feVerish, night
The noise of an approaching va.
hlcIe suddenly Interrupted the mar.
ration. Helene opened the window
ana leaned out. Her brothers. eouin.
age was just stopping before the main
entrance. The vehicle was empty.
Where is your master?" called Hell
enc to the COachman as he drove I'M.
der the window.
The gracious master left the car
riage upon the highway" replied fine
old man, taking off his hat land is
coming on foot across the mountain
by way of Castle Gnadeck."
Inc young lady closed the window
Snunuerlng as though suffering from
EMIL, She could not bear anvtbing
Inat reminded her of Elizabeth with.
out that sudden terror which ghost
~ apparition arouses in our ina Gina
ton. ''i'' . iii''
She arose and went into her
brothers rooms supported upon her
maids arm. She had his breakfast
served in parlor whose glass door
opened upon the stone steps ana
seated herself in a fauteuil to await
ms return. She took up one of the su
perbIy bound albums. which Law
StreWn about, and mechanically turn-
ed the leaves. But she could not have
'oId, thougA her eyes rested upon
the steel engravings. whether she had
been looking at portraits or land.
scapes.