Year: 1874

pleasure and deepening flush then, with
quick glance around, she drew his head
closer and closer, until her perfumed hair
touched his burning face, and imprinted a
kiss full upon his lips.


To the young artist it was kiss of tire.
1t burned into his very soul, and 1red
every pulse, thrilled every nerve to tumul-
tuous throbbing He caught her hands
between his own and murmured:


You will be mine only say that you
will be mine y


Deep plotter as she was, she did not d.
vine his purpOse-did rot sufficiently un-
dcrstand his temperament and mind to
comprehend that her lightest word was to
him dearer and far more sacred than an
oath did not think that he would claim
possession Of the heart she avowaedly gave
to him before the whole world.


"Yours ever" she murmured softly.


He caught her by the waist, and flushed
with wine and excited by hls triumph,
sprang to his feet.


"a toast = be cried, holding the Coun-
tess close to him, and brimming goblet of
wine in his unoccupied hand, g" toast !
The health of my dard-eyed bride, the
Couutess Blanca Tuttir'


All at the table sprang to their feet in
wonder and amazement. Was the Ameri
ca,to mad, or was this only one of the wild
freaks Of the eccentric Countess


A low, mocking laugh, echoed by Colo
mel Delevan, issued from the lips Of the
beautiful Countess as she tore herself from
the artists arms and dashed the goblet he
held to the floor. So sudden was the
change that Thurston, sobered and s artled,
retreated step or two before the scornful
smile and imperlOus contempt Of the willy
Countess.


His bride she cried, iii tones Of
stinging scorl, raising a goblet from the
table and holding 10 in her hand, HE is
mad "a ravin5 lunatic The Countess
Tutti the bride Of penniless dauber, whose
pictures are excelled by any second-class
Italian amateur His bride salutes him
thus r She flung the contents of the COB
let IN his face as she spoke while jeer
from the men told Thurston how complete
ly this woman had deceived him-how
wontonly and Intentionally she had humil-
lated and insulted him. Blinded, stung to
madness by the coarse jests and biting sar-
caslns Of those around him, he flung up his
arms in mute agony and dashed from the
house.


He knew not where he went, he cared
not. Madness was in his brain his heart
seemed pressed and broken by fingers of
steel On, on he dashed, aimlessly, madly,
incoherently raving Of the Countess Tutti
and Of her falseness and deception.


Once he fell, stumbling over a rock and
well nigh falling over precipIce a few
inches beyond. The jar and wound blinded
and numbed what little sane consciousness
was remaining. He dashed on with a
scream Of horror as he arose to his feet.
Then his madness took new forms. Peals
of hilarious laughter rent the still air about
him he prayed, cursed and pleaded.


The morning was just breaking as he
neared the convent Of st. Ursula. The
deserted valley lay still and peaceful in the
early dawn; and the birds, Just awaking,
seemed to lull with their light melody the
fever in his brain. His wandering gaze
rested ON face before him. A feeling of
mad security came over him, and with
yell Of laughter, the last expression of his
insanity, his wrought brain gave way,
and he fell, unconscious, to the ground.


Safety and peace he found, and both in
the arms Of the woman he had SO cruelty
abandoned for false coquette and heart
less woman Of the world.