Argosy and Railroad Man's Magazine — page 57: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

WHOSE tion, the man took me into the conserva- tory and declared his love for me. I was in a panic. If I refused him too suddenly I would lose the home, and Amédée would kill me. If I accepted his caresses and Amédée learned of it, he was just as likely to kill me. “ For, curious as it may seem, he is in- sanely jealous of me, and of every one who looks at me. I tried to think of a way. Suddenly I went to pieces, and told the man I loathed him—I saw a movement among a group of palms near me—and Amédée came out from behind them when the man had left me. And—well, I have promised to get the papers to-night. I do not know if I can.” She stopped speaking and lay back on her pillows. I went and took her in my arms. “Don’t pity. me,” she said. not bear it.” “Tm going to take you to New York with me to-morrow,” I said. She sat up, frightened. ‘“ Oh, I could not go! He would not let me.” “‘ He is not going to know when or where you go.” “Oh, but he would find out. Besides— the church—the disgrace! None of my family have been in any scandal. And he would follow us.” Finding that further talk but excited her, I left her with Mammy, who came in bringing a julep to brace her for the ordeal of this last night of festivity—and some- thing more. But I made up my mind that, with the assistance of Dr. Richard and young Ran- dolph, I would put Amédée de Charleu where he could not harm his wife. The afternon and evening seemed end- less. Somehow Nita, under Mammy’s skil- ful hand, and by the aid of her own ter- rific pride, managed to recover her dyna- mic vivacity. None could have guessed the horror she had come through only the night before. She did not mention it to me again. And I felt that she already regretted her burst of confidence. They have no lip pride, these creoles; but it is deep in the hearts of them; buried in every grave; writ on every tomb. “T could HANDS? 399 That night, when I saw her beckon to Burns, who had received an invitation to the Dwyer ball through the De Charleus, I turned sick. Her smile was perfectly done. I had to go out on the balcony for air. Returning in a few minutes to the ballroom, I looked everywhere for Nita and Burns. Nor could I find De Charleu. After a while she came in on the arm of Burns, and her face was so bright, so gay that I thought she must have succeeded without any—unpleasant complications. I had not estimated the fulness of her proud control. That night when we returned home, with my fears temporarily. allayed by her man- ner and my determination to start some ac- tion for her on the following day, I sank into a deep sleep almost as soon as I touched my bed. Suddenly I was roused to full conscious- ness by a loud, piercing scream. ~ A second and third followed in quick succession. There were two voices, and they came from the direction of Nita’s room. I don’t know how I got down the dark stairs; but all at once I found myself at her door. It was open. No one was there, so I ran to Mam- my’s room, from which I now heard hid- eous moans. How can I describe the sight that met my eyes at that door! There, in the pale lamplight, crouched against the wall in an attitude of abject terror, stood Nita; her head was bent as if to ward off a blow, her arms were half ex- tended, as though she sought to push them from her. Her hands hung limp—those frail, blue-veined hands that had always seemed so fascinatingly useless! I fol- lowed her stricken gaze to the fireplace, and there on the floor lay Amédée de Char- leu—dead! Mammy was huddled in a heap on the further side of the room. ‘Oh, Lawd A’mighty!” she moaned. “Oh, Lawd A’mighty!” She rocked from side to side. “Nita! Mammy! Oh, my God!” I cried. ““ Ah nevah meant to done hit!’”” Mammy pleaded, looking up at me for the first time. “Ah nevah meant to done hit!” she kept repeating over and over. comnicloooks.conn