The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1916-08-17
ed, and he entered his wife's apart

| fleet the tender glow.
She looked up as he entered, and
cold little smile curved her lips and
drifted away.
"Ah, you are homer she said. did
| you enjoy the play?''
Il went to the Venus" he said frig-
idly.
Now Mrs. Dacre laughed softly.
''The Venus, of course! l, too, was
there"
"YOu?" he stammered.
| eyes. 1t was all rather stupid, was
it not? Always excepting Ecarlate"
He was silent. His mouth was
white, and his gray eyes looked cold
and impenetrable
| Eve arose and crossed to the phono-
graph. She slipped in a record. set it
in motion and returned to lean over
| the back of her chair, looking at her
| husband with grave, dark eyes. while
| the tender strains of Ecarlates dance
rose and fell.
'What are you doing that for?" he
demanded fiercely.
weary, ''let us be frank with each 9TH
er. You want your freedom. Am 1
right?"
"You are dead wrongw he retorted
doggedly.
But Ecarlate?" Her voice dropped
| to a whisper
I'VE will not talk of her."
"And those that came before Ecar-
| late" she went on, while the haunting
music made background for her pas
sionate words. 81 have overlooked.
have forgiven, and now it is Ecarlate.
You love her. You dare not deny itv'
Again he was silent. He looked at
her, noting, with a shock of surprise.
that there were silver threads in Ewes
dark hair and lines about her mouth
and eyes-lines that he had craven
there. Eve was only twenty-five. and
he was killing her youth.
Suddenly she drew long breath.
"What is it about these women that
attracts you? What charm do they
possess that is not mine?"
Still he did not answer.
She swayed little and turned away.
"Ecarlate is here l am sending her
to you!"
"Ecarlate here? You are mad!' ne
exclaimed But the gentle closing of
the door sent him quivering to chair.
The music played steadily On-that
eternal butterfly dance. He began to
hate it. What was Ecarlate doing
herein his house? 1t was like a
jealous woman to take revenge, but he
had believed Eve above such trickery.
Ecarlate!
The repetition of her name, the IA
miliar music, and again the old en-
chantment fell upon him. He watched
the door for her appearance. What
would she look like? Beautiful, of
course! He forgot that Eve would &C.
company the dancer.
He jumped up when the door slowly
opened to admit Ecarlate's scarlet clad
form. She was alone.
The door closed and left her leaning
against the white paneled surface.
painting little, as if afraid.
Dacre laughed triumphantly. Ecar-
late afraid of him, her adorer!
He made one step toward her, but
in that instant she left the door and
swayed like a butterfly in the mazes
of her dance. Delicately she poised
before him, and then, before his out
stretched hand could touch her, she
had melted away beyond his reach.
| Her tiny scarlet shoes seemed to
barely touch the floor; she floated; her
chiffon wings beat the air; the jeweled
band above her forehead blazed with
myriad lights; the cactus flower famed
like burning heart.
Suddenly the music ceased, and the
dancer was once more leaning against
the white door of Ewes dressing room.
Through her black mask her eyes
cleaned strangely.
Dacre clinched his hands. Ecarlate,
standing there with outstretched scar
let winged arms, appeared like scar
let angel barring him from his wife's
room.
He stared at her smiling lips, at the
alluring sparkle of her eyes peering
oddly at him through the mask, at her
black hair with its dazzling band Of
brilliants.
Suddenly he remembered that his
wife's hair was black, but it was
threaded with silver. He had placed
the silver threads there.
| He laid his hand on Ecarlate's arm.
His voice was hoarse with resolve.
"Allow me to pass" he said.
She laughed, merry, trickling,
hooking laugh that ended suddenly in
a sob of pain.
His hand had closed on her tender
| flesh.
"Will you let me pass?' he asked
| through clinched teeth.
"You love mev' she whispered tensely.
He was silent
"Say you love me!' she repeated.
| He lifted his hand and deliberately
| tore aside the mask.
For several minutes he stared at
| Ecarlate's face. How many times had
he yearned to tear away the mask and
| feast his eyes on her unknown lowell