The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-10-25

siring imagination Of the other. who u5ser
dreamed how deeply the poiaoned arrows hsi
struck. Atlength a bright idea comes to her v
how esey the solution of this mysters. II
there yet time ! The slender minute.hanl Of
the little boudoir clock on the maptel pointed
to the half heur after noon, She would vet
he early enough to reach his, office and con.
front him on his arrival from his cauestinc
whit to the hidden beauty
Az fact rs her trembling hands permitted,
was the robe d. chambre changed for the
plain but elegantly fitting elk. which pretty
little Mrs Lyle c'asped round her pretty little
form, hiding both carefully within the folds of
n loug, black cloak; and gaitered gloved, aud
tonneted, and closely veiled, eschcwing city
cars, for the excitement of her mind spurncd
the quiet, easy motion over tho rails, siic few
rather than walked down strect into
Pry tanis, until che arrived at No. - Camp.
The Office boy was gaping at the door, and the
solitary clerk WIS al his work at tue desk
Mr.. Lyle was not there.
My husband is not ip Mr. Jones r.
Mr.. Lyle is scarcely ever in at this hour
said Jones', wondering al the unusual excite
ment of In. employers pretty wNc and as
there were no babies To lee aiiing, he sad,lIe,l
the matter on the usual pack horse for offences
IN the ntenose-.the servsn.s-~aud laid down
his pen 10 x vc nnjmpeded eympathv Blu:
tbsre was 90 call on him. Tho dark bruws
lowered over the cyes, aud the lips were
clamped, AS If by the sudden clasping of IL
spring lock, She buried herself, hoops, cloak,
and all, IL the great. faded, red Iporosro chair,
and resumed the cid emplovment OF tryiag to
read her fate III the blazing Goals
The clerk cleared his throat, setiied himself
more sqaarely IN his chair, and WAS n. II loss
to know whether etiquette required him 10
copy the example of his visitor. or go on with
HI. work. He was ready for either, but not
being able Ia make up bis mind he steered "a
middle cenrse, re- arranged each separate arji
Gle on his desk, and stirred the fire; and then
,sszed earnestly up and down the street The
seconds grew into minutes, then the loud tones
of the city clock struck one. The little Jew
eiied Geneva, at the lady g side, was drawn
forth for comparison, and silently replaced; :;
and she sunk again into the notionless quiet
which Jones, being a married man and secret
IL poe'ical. likencd i'll his own mind to tho mo
mept T. pause that nAture takes To summon her
whole strength for the storm. He knew all
ahout it, and rubbed his hands quietly, and
cleared his throat again, but 80 Significantly,
that had not Mrs, Lyle been thus pre- occupied,
she might have rcad II lesson
When the watch was next consulted = quar-
ter OF an hour had passed, and simultaneously
Nas heard qnck step at the door. With the
majesty of o wrunged Medea, she rose to meet
the trnior. and "a ith one blasting flash of her
eyes To pour into his heart her full knowledge
Of his crime-ard found hersef face to face
with her husbands new law student!
''N hat its Conrey is ii - thought Jones,
his elation taking a new turn; and Conrey
paused on the door sili, the look Of csadness
leaving his eyes, and Il troubled bewiIderment
creeping therein
Bat Mrs. Lyle brushed past him, unheeding
the respectful bow uncOnsclousiy given i'll de-
rrecatou Of the anger he saw but conld not
understand and the iiutteriug of her ribbons
/ q
"Nhat sin the wind now ~ exclaimed Con-
rcv. Jones only shook his head ,nystcIi"usly.
She WAS his employers wife, and he had Il
wiie--iwu potent reasons for being silent
And The way she dashed ont of the office set
him TO thinking it wasn't Conrey after all,
Any way, il was none of his buslness, and he
took up his pen and arranged i's disorderod
papers
Mrs Lyle 10 Carcndeiet street Rather high up,
uutil fsrordslet wsa lost in something ese.
lived Aire. Weldon, and '.llst oppoaitef WIS
the pretty cause OF all the morning. mischief.
Mr.. I.vfe haied the omnibus. The sleek,
eoft gentle motion of the cars would have
added TO the torture she was enduring; but the
tearing apart of soul and body joltmg of the
omnibus Juei suited her. 1t sesmed the eu;.
ward manifestation Of the demon, whose in
dwelling was riddliug her heart strings.
Il was . most impl1ident stop, this, making
herself so conspicuous by calling on stranger
with inquiries about her own husband, aud
showing her mistrus. and susricicns - the
world. But it WAS impossible TO reason nov
Her happiness was at stake, and why should
she be deferred from satisfying her ewn mind
by fear Of what the world might say II
he could thus deceire and wrong her, the
world would sron know mure of it. So tbs
OMNIBUS. instead Of allaving ths fever Of her
mind. but aggravated 1t. Perhaps the city
cars might have acted as sedatlye. Be It 81
il may, by the time she pulled tins check string
knew where Mrs Weldon lived and before
she rang tbs bell made long and strict ex-
animation Of the house '.ju-t opposite There
was nothing suspicious about 1t re-
spectacle old houee, newly repaired. The
parlor blinds " ere open, nc it WIS on the shady
side of the street, and the white linen shade.
lowered, As was usual The little yard in from,
was newly dug aud planted with roses ana
evergreeps, aud the palinga were fresh ano
white. There seemed nothing to be gieane.
from an cutside survey. She rang the bell
and asked for Mrs Weldon.
The maid eh0wed her into the parior, and
there MIRA. Weldon met her. An amiable
| comfortable looking woman, with seemingly
little 10 do, and not great deal TO think about
But she did feel some curiosity to know the
name Of her pretty visitor aud her business
hghtened.
Mrs. Weldon, believe" Mrs Weldon
bowed II have called on you, madam, about
il little matter on which you csn give mt some
information. Will ycu forgive me troubling
ycu, Int can YOU tell me tho naiue Of the
family who llas lately moved III the house op
pcrite 7"
Mira. Wswhols face was illuminated by the
three magicarwords, ~ hner a. !" 4ou could
read them as plain az your childs lesson in the
primer But il would not do to seem TO know
too much, and she rubbed them out as quickly
1.-THE family-opposite Really. madam
hem in these rented houses Mrs. Weldon
lived in her own house, people come and go &c
rapidly--I believe new family has moved il
across the way
This was worse than the soft, gentle rock-a
| by of the city cars.
'Wiil you be kind enough, Mrs Weldon, tc
tell ME who they are, if you happen to know =
And the voice quavered with excitement.
Mrs Welden's WAS u quiet, uususceptiblt
soul, but the spark WAS struck that answered
back. A shade of feeling crept in her eyes
and ne voice had touch OF interest in itstcnes
NJ che replied readily and truly with all she
knew:
s'And tha: so little, madam, fear you will
be disappointed A fortnight ago the family
for whom you inquire moved there-a lady ailt
her daughter, think, from the country Theil
servant tells mine they are named Crawford
No one In the neighborhood has known then
before. and no one visits them but IL gentle
man whom have heard called Lyle. In fact
know his name Is Lyle, for | have seen thu
same gentleman quietly seated. as ii at home
in an Office in Camp street, with the namo
X. II. Ly OH the plate 10y the door. The ser
van. also tells mine that be is u lawyer, ant