Williams news., 1914-06-25

dream, but she felt the package in her bosom and she knew that 1t was no dream.
 She did not weep. Her eyes were dry and hard. She slowly unwrapped that medallion and looked at that lock of glossy hair. The portrait of her own child and a lock from her head! She repressed her feelings resolutely and left the room with a firm step. She passed through several rooms. nodding now and then to the people she met, until at last she arrived at her own door
 She entered and locked the door. and sank into chair; not to give way to her sorrow and sob, not to pray for consolation, but to curse the cruel fate that had robbed her of her only child, the only pure, clean, innocent thing in her life.
 She looked at the clear. smiling eyes gazing at her from the exquisite little portrait Still she did not weep; her mouth was tightly closed. and the corners slightly dropped.
 You have taken her from mel" she hissed to the invisible foe. You WdulSu IO CIuSu luo. l0A0 buOOh hSE clenched hand toward that phantom pictured in her brain. "But you can not. I am stronger. Until today there was one pure spot in my soul; had one being whom loved unselishly. whom wanted with me always, yet I would not let her live in my atmos- phere, because I wanted her to be all that I was not And now she is gone!" She groaned in anguish.
 God! Are you the God of Love that Christ told of, or are you the | vengeful, terrible God who vents his wrath till the seventh generation?' You have taken my love; now my heart is black and empty of all save hatred" She became calm; her pale face was expressionless, her movements meas | ured.
 Nobody shall know that I have suffered" She stepped before the mir TOT and looked at herself. But nhl- lions shall suffer. I-will-make the | whole world suffer for my loss. "No more love, not another tender feeling shall creep in my heart" Her eyes glowed fiercely.
 "I swear, by all the devils of the underworld, that I will plunge the world into mourning, that rivers of tears shall How to repay me for my hearts blood" | After a few minutes work before her mirror, she emerged from her room as rosy-cheeked as ever and smiling. At first her steps were slow. but they soon quickened, and by the time she arrived at the concert hall nobody could have told that she had | gone through terrible ordeal.
 The last entertainer was leaving No one, save MT Hale, knew of her long absence from the hall. When she met Astra she felicitated her on the success, of the concert.
 When the guests had left, Astra and the countess retired into, the little room that was reserved for family occasions.
 You will soon be the happiest woman on earth, my dear." remarked Rositta, casually.
 q am happy now. my dear girl. l pLuI0Q hoItd
 The gods have given you a won derful temperament, my dear Astra You, with your calm, serene nature, were created to be happy. You sim. ply shed the difficulties of life.".
 Why, dear, are you unhappy?'
 Unhappy" A sigh, escaped the countess lips, spark of fire gleamed in her eyes, then smile parted heI coral lips. "A person with a. a.tempera ment like mine never could be happy My selfish mind craves just the thing some one else has, and if I should rob that person I would get tired ol the object and cast 1t away" She looked at Astra., but Astra only smiled seriously. +
 Such is my fate, my dear. Tel me, am responsible for being suct an unhappy combination? Am I tc be judged by the same measure al you, who cannot help but be good?"
 We all have passions. Mine art for liberty, peace"
 Liberty, peace" repeated Rositta then relapsed into thought: Had Astrs been able to read those thoughts, shs I . .
 would have had cause for alarm. Hel brain was filled with war, destruction and mourning all over the world.
 The next evening Rositts returned to Ciryne, with Santos at the vince of the aerodromone. ~-s l..
 Napoleon and Astra watched tn, great bird disappear in. the wester1 sky. and then they walked silently t, a seat that overlooked the city Ma poleon talked for the first time abou his love for her. Astra was calm, bu she rose quietly and stood looking a the pulsating city below them. Thei love had been understood between . them, although they had never spokel
 of it. Yet it made her heart throl
 with happiness to hear his tende r words He rose and gently takin