Ellsworth American., 1920-01-21

l
brids ; II must be his possessions.
| But she could give no warning; 1t
would be set down to Jealousy. Be
sides she had no proof other than her
| instinct. Instinct fares badly when
| opposed to a woman's alluring beauty
| and mans love.
| Despair when deep enough Is tonic.
Marcella found herself laughing, talk
| ing gayly dancing like thistledowr
| with feet that die not tire. She did
not let herself think back nor for
| ward; instead she concentrated her.
self upon the flying moment.
With a curious dual sense she went
| through her own allotted part, yet
| took note of all about her. 1t was
thus that very late she marked Sid
ney's absence from the ballroom at
the very instant Elbridge came to her.
"Give me this waltz-no matter
| about your card" he said, whirling
| her away to the rhythm of wailing
| strings For two rounds - said moth
ing, only held her delicately away
| from him and studied her face. Then
| with quick shiver he drew her closer,
whispering: "Marcella, I used TO
dream we should-go through life
| together"
''You have found out better-in
| time" Marcella answered. In a voice
whose evenness surprised her. FL
| bridge drew deep breath. "You
| don't care-and I'm cur enough not to
be sorry of It," he said. Come away
out on the piazza-I want to talk
| and this is the last chance"
81 think you can have nothing to say
| to me-" Marcella began but found
herself imperiously borne outside.
| Down, down the long smooth stretch
| Elbridge wheeled her, the music grow
| ing faint and fainter, until 1t was but
a ghost of sound. There had been
| lights everywhere-now half the Ian
terms hung dark, and in the rest there
were but fiickers
The shrubbery at the west angle
was all dark, but to those upon the
| piazza, persons standing among ii
were family visible. Two stood there
man and woman. locked in a long
embrace, and shuddering visibly.
| Neither spoke for minute. El-
bridge made to draw Marcella away,
muttering an lmprecation under his
breath. Then the full moon riding
high among clouds, came suddenly
out, and flooded the shrubbery with
| silver. The woman broke out pas
sionately: Carl Carll Take me with
| do Il fer
anything-if only 1 have you"
"You chose-the rich one" the man
said, his voice that of an outlander:
''You laughed at the count without a
castle-who must ask your rich father
to take care Of both -"
did you come here to mock mel"
Sidney Cleve demanded. II came
because you called" the stranger be-
gan. What else he might have said
| died in his throat-with leap FL
bridge had reached him, borne him
down and backward and knelt upon
him with murder in his face.
$50, you cowardr' he Kissed
through set teeth, this is how YOU
keep the promise that saved your mis-
cradle life. / forbade you to even
think of-but never mind. Remember
you had forfeited your life to me
and spared you-on conditions. Don't
delude yourself that shall spare you
again"
'But you will. And spare yourself
much more" Marcella cried, kneeling
beside him to unlock his tightening
fingers from the other mans throat
Sidney stood staring and dull-eyed as
though stricken with madness. As
Marcella wrenched loose Elbridge's
fingers, Count Carl Won Gutenberg
groaned in relief, then said thickly:
Let me up | will never more trouble
you"
Carl! VIII you leave meT' Sidney
entreated, fiinging herself prone be-
side him. Elbridge got up, his face
curiously hardened. "He shall not. /
will see to that" he said. "It has
come to me suddenly that by making
him marry you l shall be sufficiently
revenged on-both."
Vengeance? Do you deserve II?
Think wellw Marcela said, stepping
back a pace. Again the moon hid her.
self. All was soft gray darkness.
| Through 1t Marcella spoke low and
clear; "Forget-all of you-and let
things be as they We're. You may
trust me-nobody shall ever know"
Elbridge caught her hand. "You
need not say that" he said. "You
are truth and honor all throughput
one does not really forget. ! thought
had forgotten you-now / know nv
mistake. Sidney it is / who should
ask pardon-of you and the count.
Let me help you with the angry father
i think 1 can make 1t smooth for
you there. In return you must help
me. l want to win back my good
angel. She has saved me from mur-