The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1918-06-27

"She lived in Paris in her new
house. Neither she nor her hus-
band ever referred to the past"
How do you know9 Did she
write to youf"
"No. Marie Is a woman who
does not do her duty by halves f.;
and her sense Of duty is strict to
excess. She never wrote to me.
But Florence, who had accepted
a place as secretary and reader
to Count Malonyi, your predeces-
sor in this house, used often to
receive Marie's visits in her lodge
downstairs.
"They did not speak of me
once, did they, Florenee9 Marie
would not have allowed it. But
all her life and all her soul were
nothing but love and passionate
memories. Isn't that so, Florence 7
"At last" he went on slowly,
weary of being so far away from
her, l returned to Paris. That was
our undoing. 1t was about a
year ago. l took a flat in the
Avenue du Roule and went to it
in the greatest secrecy, so that
Hippolyte Fauville might not
know of my return. I was afraid
of disturbing Marie's peace Of
mind. Florence alone knew, and
came to see me from time to time.
l went out little, only after dark,
and in the most secluded parts Of
the Bots. But it happened-for
our most heroic resolutions some
times fail us-one Wednesday
night, at about II o'clock, my
steps led me to the Boulevard
Suchet, without my noticing it,
and | went past Marie's house.
1T was a warm and fine night
and, as luck would have it, Marie
was at her window. She saw me,
| was sure of it, and knew me !;
and my happiness was so great
that my legs shook under me as I
walked away.
after that l passed in front Of
her house every Wednesday eve
ming; and Marie was nearly
always there, giving me this un-
hoped-for and ever-new delight,
in spite of the fact that her social
duties, her quite natural love Of
amusement, and her husbands
position obliged her to 60 out a
great deal"
"Quick! Why cant you
hurryY" said Don Luis, urged by
his longing to know more. "Look
sharp and come to the facts.
Speak,"
He had become suddenly afraid
lest he should not hear the re-
mainder of the explanation and
he suddenly perceived that Gas
ton Sauverand S words were max
ing their way into his mind as
words that were perhaps not un-
true. Though he strove to fight
against them, they were stronger
than his prejudices and triumphed
over his arguments.
The fact is, that deep down in
his soul, tortured with love and
jealousy, there was something
that disposed him to believe this
man in whom hitherto he had seen
only a hated rival, and who was
so loudly proclaiming, in Flor
ence's very presence, his love for
Marie.
Hurry" he repeated. every
minute is precious!"
Sauverand shook his head.
II shall not hurry. All my
words were carefully thought out
before | decided to speak. Every
one Of them is essential. Not one
of them can be omitted, for you
will find the solution Of the prob
lem not in facts presented any
how, separated one from the
other, but in the confederation of
the facts, and in a story told as
faithfully as possible"
"WhyY I don't understand"
Because the truth lies hidden
in that story"
"But that truth is your inno-
cence, isn't it,"
"It is Marie innocence"
"But l don't dispute it,"
"What is the use of that if you
cant prove itf"
Exactly! It's for you to give
me proofs"
81 have none"
"What! !"
81 tell you, l have no proof of
what l am asking you to believe"
"Then l shall not believe it!''
cried Don Luis angrily. "No, and
again no! Unless you supply me
with the most convincing proofs,
| shall refuse to believe a single
word of what you are going to tell
me-"
"You have believed everything