The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1915-05-29

tuc tAutc by Acuftuf nomcAiintS
think you are ghost come 70 haunt
me. to torture me. What trick. what
magic is behind all this2 Has her
soul. her spirit. her actual being found
"A lodging place in you, and have You
been sent to curse me for"
She rose halfway out OF her chair.
leaning farther across the table. Yes,
James Brood, represent the spirit or 1
Matilde valeska. II you will have II so.
Not sent TO curse you. but 10 love you
That's the pity OF IL all. swear TO
you that IL is the spirit OF Matilde that
urges me 10 love you and TO spare you
now. II is the spirit of Matilde that
stands between her son and death. But
IL is not Matilde who confronts you
here and now. you may be sure OF that.
Matilde loved you. She loves you now.
even in her grave. You will never be-
able to escape from that wonderful
love OF hers. IL there have been times
and heaven knows there were many.
I know--when appeared TO love you
for myself. swear TO you that ! was
moved by the spirit OF Matilde III
am az much mystitied, as greatly puz-
xled as yourself. came here to hate
you. and | have loved you-yes. there
were moments when l actually loved
you"
Her voice died away into whisper.
For many seconds they sat looking
into each others eyes, neither pos
sessing the power to break the strange
spell OF silence that had fallen uurn
them.
mo. II is not Matilde who confronts
you now, but one who would not spare
you as she did up to the houri OF her
death. You are quite safe from ghosts
from this hour on, my friend. You
Will never see Matilde again. though
you look into my eyes till the end OF
time. Frederic may see, may feel the
spirit OF his mother, but you--ah. mol
You have seen the last OF her. Her
blood Is in my veins. her wrongs are i'm
my heart. II was she with whom you
fell In love and IL was she you married
six months ago. but now the curtain is
lifted. Don't you know me now, James?
Can your memory carry you back
twenty.three years and deliver you
from doubt and perplexityf Look
closely. say. ] was six years old
then and"
Brood was glazing at her as one
stupened. Suddenly he cried out In a
loud voice: Heaven help me, you
are-you are the little sister? The,
little Therese?"
She was standing now. leaning far
over the table, for he had shrunk down
into his chair.
The little Therese. yes! Now do
you begin TO see2 Now do you begin
TO realize what came here TO do? Now
do you know why married you? Isn't
IL clear TO your Well. / have tried
to do all these things so that / might
came to make you pay!" She was
speaking rapidly. excitedly now Her
voice was high.pitched and unnatural.
Her eyes seemed 20 be driving him
deeper and deeper into the chair, fore.
ing him down al though with giants
hand. The little. timid, heart-broken-.
Therese who would not speak to you,
nor kiss you. nor say good-by to you
when you took her darling sister away
from the Bristol in the Kartnerring
more than twenty years ago. An, how
| loved her--how I loved heri And
how ! hated you for taking her away
from me. Shall ever forget that wed
ding night? Shall / ever forget the
grief. the loneliness, the hatred that
dwelt in my poor little heart that
night7 Everyone was happy--the
whole world was happy--but was 1?
was crushed with grief. You were
taking her away across the awful sea
land you were 10 make her happy. so
they said-ai-e. so said my beloved,
joyous sister. You stood before the
altar I'm ST. Stephens with her and
promised-promised every
thing. | heard you. | sat with my
mother and turned to ice. but heard
you. All Vienna. all Budapest said that
you promised naught but happiness 10
each other. She was twenty-one. she
was lovely all, far loyelier than that
wretched photograph lying there IN
front OF you II was made when she
was eighteen. She did not write those
words on the back OF the card. wrote
them--not more than month ago. be-
fore | gave IL TO Frederic. To this
house she came twenty-three years
ago You brought her here. the happi-
est girl In all the world How did you
send her awayf How"
He stirred In the chair. A snnsfr %
pain crossed his face. And was the
happiest man In all the world" he said
hoarsely. You are forgetting one
thing. Therese." lie fell into the way
OF calling her Therese as II he had
known her by no other name. "Your
sister was not content to preserve the
happiness that"
Stop" she commanded. you are
not TO speak evil of her now. You will