Gunnison news-champion., 1910-06-10

ried without ponip. quietly. iirst at
the magistrates aud then at the
church. At last the day came.
We passed through the streets 10
the magistrates. | did not know then
that ] was not In love. that | was only
young and curious. ! threw roses 10
any who asked The prince sat besile
me In full dress uniform. looking very
handsome aud distinguished. The
prince smiled. but he was nervous and
not at ease. ! thought nothing of this
mt the time. I believed his nervous
ness part of my own.
The magistrate performed his part
Legally we We're man aud wife. We
were leaving for the church when at
the very doorway a handsome woman.
sad eyed. weary. shabbily dressed
touched me ON the arm.
"A rose. signora.
gave II to her. smiling pityingly
'C;od pray" she said. .-that this man
will make yen happier than he made
me-
Let us be ON" said the prince
eagerly.
"Wait-' I turned To the woman
''Signora. what do you mean by those
words?'
His highness knows" She pointed
to the prince. whose face I now saw
strangely enough. for the first time
1t was black with rage and ugIiness
What has he been To youg" I de
manded
She answered. ! understood. In that
moment became woman without
illusions. Without looking at the prince
] entered the carriage and closed the
door in his face. He stormed: he lied
] was of stone. He turned upon the
! Isoor woman and struck her in the
3 face. Even had loved him that
would have been the end of the ro-
nance. ! drove home. There would
lie no wedding at the chur'h that day
There was a great scandal l,very one
took up the princes cause. with the
exception of the king.
The prince was almost bankrupt
lie had squandered his all lie had
sold 10 uSurers half of the fortune he
eXpe, ed : 10 get after marrying me. He
he'd not the slightest affection for me
He was desperate and wanted thu
money. How old and wise I became
during that ride home from the magis.
trate's, | vowed he should never have
a penny. 1t should all go to the crown
When at length he found that I was
really serious he became base in his
tactics. lie was the one who was
wronged. He gave life to such rumors
among those I knew that soon I found
doors closed 10 me which had always
been open. No Italian woman could
see the matter from my point Of view
! was an American for all that my
mother was a Venetian. therefore !
Was wrong.
There. That is all There is no
more mystery concerning Sonia Hilda
Grosvenor.
And SO the letter ended There was
not word regarding any future
meeting. There was nothing TO read
between the lines. A great loneliness
surged over Hillard. Was this, then.
really the end? No, He would wait
here in Florence lin the day of doom.
ne would waste no time in seeking
her. for he knew that il he sought he
would not find.
Day after day dragged through the
hours. and Florence grew thinned and
torrid. Sometimes he rode past the
villa Ariadne, but he never stopped.
IL was in the middle of June tina,
one AFTERNOON the concierge handed
MIN Telegram. Ii contained hut three
words:
! Villa Serbelloni Bellaggie."
} The Villa SerbeIloni. now a b.sel
stands on wooded promontory among
the Alps and between the lakes. n,
heliaeSio. and all day long the warm
sunshine fiocds its walls and terraces
and giances from the polished leaves
Of the tropical plants.
/. The O'Clock seat from Gem. ,,,yy.d