River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1912-04-04
y as he entered. turned the key in u,

iOChs
His mood was exalted. his imagina-
zion excited; the swift succession or
events which had made memorable the
night. eliminating with his open In
vitation to challenge from the most
desperate duelist in Europe, had In
spired volatile vivacity such as not
even the excitement of the Casino had
been potent TO create IN him. Or all
mad conjectures imaginable the mad
dest was too weird for him to credit In
his humor of that hour. Eliminating
all else that had happened. In the
course of that short evening. his neari
had been stirred. his emotions played
upon by a recrudesence or . passion
which he had striven with all MS
strength TO put behind him for Tune;
he had first heard the voice OF the one
woman to whom his love and faith and
honor were irretrievably pledged. he
had then seen her Cor another VINO re-
markedly resembled her) for the scant'
lest of instants; and finally he mad
mysteriously received a letter wnlch
could. he believed. have been convey
ed to him by no other hand but ners.
And now he was persuaded beyond
doubt that the person OF the alcoVe
the eavesdropper for whose fair repute
he had chosen to risk his life. was no
Lody in the world but that same one
woman.
But nore than all else, perhaps, ne
expected and feared to find the room
deserted: for the balcony outside the
windows afforded means OF escape
too facile to be neglected by one VINO
wished not to be discovered.
His first definite impression was Oh
CONSERVATION and despair; for the
lights had been shut off In his az
sence. Then quickly he discerned
with eyes dazed by the change from
the lighted hallway to the hgntlesS
chamber. the shadowy shape OF WON
an. motionless between him and the
windows, waiting.
An electric switch was at his Ell
bow. With single motion he coulo
nave drenched the place with light
For an instant tempted, some strange
scruple OF delicacy, abetted 1t may be
by his native love of romantic mystery
stayed his hand.
Madame" said he, "or mademol
selle, whichever ye may be-tne win
dows are open, meself's not OBTAINING
We. Ii We choose, We may go; Du'
ye'd favor me by going quickly.
| give ye," he continued, seeing thaN
she neither moved nor replied, this
one chance. In thirty seconds turn
on the lights
The woman did not stir; but ne
thought he could detect in the still
ness her uuickened breathing.
What we've TAKEN" he amended
I'D thank We to leave as ye go-f ye
came to steal. IT'S little | have to
lose.
There was no answer.
He touched the switch wtSh an i'm
patient hand, stepped forward single
pace, caught himself up and stopped
short. now pale and trembling who had
a moment gone been flushed with
calm.
.Beatrix!" he cried thickly.
Dumbly his wife lifted her arms and
offered herself to him, unutterabiy
lovely, unspeakably radiant.
1t were worse than a waste of time
to attempt a portrait OF her as she
seemed to him. Seen through her nus
bands eyes, her beauty was incompar
able. immaculate, too rare and fine, too
delicate a thing to be bodied forth in
words. dependent upon the perfection
of no single feature. Not in her hair
fair as sunlight on the sea, not in her
eyes of autumnal brown, not in the
wonderful fineness of her skin or In
the daintiness of her features, not in
the graciousness Of her body, did he
find the beauty of her that surpassed
expression. but in the love she bore
him, in the sweetness OF her inv1olate
soul, in the steadfastness of her I'M
pregnable heart.
But it's doubtful If ever he had an
alyzed his passion for her so minute
Iy. Mostly, think, at that moment OF
her abrupt disclosure to him, he long
ed unutterably for her lips and the
DrOffGr6d wreath FOuuU MS HeCh VI ASA
slim. round, white arms.
Yet he would not. Trembling though
he was, with every instinct and every
fiber of his being straining toward her,
with the hunger for her keen pain in
his heart, he held himself back; or his
conception OF honor held him back.
That which he had voluntarily forfeit
ed and put away from him for his hon
or's sake, he would not take back
though it we're offered freely to him.
49," he said, after bit. shakily;
then pulled himself together. and
controlling his voice-"So twas your
self, after all, Beatrix! Me heart told
me no other woman could have sung
that song as We did"
The woman dropped her arms. Your
heart, Terence?" she asked little bit
terly.
What else? Do We doubt it?'
CTO BE CONTINUED)
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