Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-06-01

Yes" The light in his eyes was
feverish despite the pallor of his face
who was it?" fercely. Oh, but she
would have revenge for this miserable
jest!
& issued those invitations-with a
definite purpose"
> "You?" Her eyes grew wide and
her lips parted.
.T!" a set defiance in his tone.
st is you who have done this
thing?"
Eyes. l am the guilty man. l did
the work we'll, considering the diff
culties. The list was the main OBJ
stacle, but overcame that l repre-
sented myself as secretary to her
Highness, which, when all is said, was
the very thing agreed upon in Venice.
am the guilty man." but he spoke
like man who was enjoying a tri-
umph.
"And you have the effrontery to con-
fess your crime to me ?" her fury blaz-
ing forth.
Call it what you please, the fact re-
mains
What purpose had you in mind
when you did this cowardly thing?
And had trusted you and treated you
as an equal. And so it was you who
perpetrated this forgery, this miser-
able jest?"
Forgery, yes; jest no. Her anger
did not alarm him; he had gone too
far to be alarmed at anything.
why did you do it?'
81 did it as a man who has but
single throw left. One chance in
thousand; took that chance and
won
81 do not understand you at all"
She was tired.
CAS- l said had definite purpose.
An imposture like this is a prison Of
tense. | asked you to marry me. l
do so again"
"You are hiding threat" The men
tai chaos cleared and left her thought
keen and cold.
Il shall hide it no longer Marry
me, or l shall disclose the imposture
to the police
"Oh!" She shot him glance, in
solent and piercing. Then she laugh
ed, but neither Historically nor mirth-
fully. 1t was the laughter of one in
deadly anger. 81 had believed you to
be man of some reason, Mr.. Worth.
Do you suppose, even had l entertain
ed some sentiment toward you, that
it would survive a circumstance like
this?"
L am waiting for your answer"
"You shall have it. Why this is
scarcely on the level with cheap melo-
drama. Threats? How short-sighted
you have been been Did you dream
that any woman could be won in this
absurd fashion? You thought nothing
of your companions, either, or the
trouble you were bringing about their
heads
eyes or nor His voice was not so
full of assurance as it had been.
"No!"
Take care!" advancing
Il am perfectly capable of taking
care And heed what I have to say
to you, Mr.. Worth. You will leave
this villa at once; and if you do moi,
go quietly, | shall order the servants
to put you forth. That is my answer. :"
you speak as though you were the
princess" he snarled.
"Till Thursday morning l ami" La
Signorina replied proudly.
Il shall inform the ponce.
do so. Now, as there is nothing
more to be said, be gone!"
He saw that he had thrown and
lost; and man who loses his last
throw is generally desperate. Regard
less of consequences, he seized her
roughly in his arms. She struck him
across the eyes with full strength, and
she was no weakling. He grasped in
pain and released her.
"If l were a man." she said quietly,
| but with lightning in her eyes, you
should die for that" She left him.
Worth, a hundred varied emotions
rocking him, stared after her till she
was no longer in sight. There were
tears in his eyes and ringing in his
heart. Fool! To play this kind of
game against that kind of woman!
Fool, fool! He had written the end
himself. It was all over. He went to
his room, got together his things,
found a cart, and drove secretly into
Florence.
On the night OF the ball there was
brilliant moon. Rosy Chinese Ian,
terms stretched from tree to tree. The
/ little god in the fountain cleaned with
silver on one side and there was a
glow as of life on, the other. From
the long easement windows, opened
/ to- the mild air of the night, came the
murmur of music. The orchestra was
playing Strauss, the dreamy waltzes
| from The Queens Lace Handkerchief
/ Bright uniforms and handsome gowns
4 flashed by the opened windows. Some
times a vagrant puff of air would fine
its way in, and suddenly the ballroom
dimmed and the dancers moved like
phantoms. The flames of the candles
would struggle and, with many flick
er, right themselves, and the radian
colors and jewels would renew theil
luster.
/ O'Mally, half hidden behind tree
wondered if he had not fallen asleel
over some tale by Scheherazade ant
was not dreaming this. But here wa
old Pietro standing close by. 1t wa!
all real. At odd whites he had (;
vision of Kitty in her simple white
dress, of Merrihew's flushed face, o
Hillard's frowning pallor, of La Sig
norma wholly in black, a rare neck
lace round her white throat a sta