The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1863-09-26
ELLIN0R WILKINS
OR THE
HIDDEN SECRET.

P-escr'i- down ,he Stair. with slow. deliberate
dignity. csne the handsome Lady Cotbss. in her
r'.,ing silks and amr'c retticosts, carrying her
fne hoy. and followed ~ her ms estic nurse. She
was II .pltasrd that any ono should come and take
up her tashauds lime wheu he was AZ home spei
supposed 10 be 81 joving DOM leisure AMI hcr
irIp. rioLs, inconsidsrate nature did not p-cmrh
lie, 10 ar cvi;y toward the gentle creature siuir
down wc.rv aud hearts ok "a her house On tle
contrary size looked her - she SLOWLY deerer IL
ed, ii Elinrr .hrank absshed from The steady
gs,e 4 the arc black eyes Then she. her 10 ",
| snd nurse disappeared into the la-ge dnng-ro m,
into which ali the preparations for brsaEfsss had
been carried
The M person to come down would b he
jude rllinor ins,inc,i,ey put down her veil She
! heard his quick, dec ded step: she had ksown u
well Of Old
II. gave one ortis QUICK, shre-d chances al the
person sitting in tho hall aud waiting 70 -te.k 70
him. and his ptactsed eye recognised tho lady 81
| once. n spit. # her trsyel.wlrn dress
'Will YOU Just cone into 'kis room " opening
the or 4 lis study u the front ~ ne hou~-th.
dining room WAS 30 the back hey communicated
By liing doors
70 the n lev; IL Was thc natural position OF the
IN ster If the apartmcn: but IL also gave him he
| advantage NJ sceirR his cotnpanions face m inll
gh'. Elluor nel her veil u had only teena
dislike 10 = recognition in che half which hsd made
her put Il down.
| Jiig. Corhers counsenanre changed more than
hers She had been prepsrei for the interview; he
Wap not. buN no usuhIy lull VI shV
expression on his face.
"EIlinor, Miss Wi kin. IL II you ,"
And lie went forward holding out his hand with
cordis greeting. under which the embsrSSnsnS
Hhe fet any, WAS carefully cooceaed.
She could not ape IL oil at once in the way she'
| wished
THAT stupid Henry told me Jsnkinsi I beg
your PARTON. How could they put you down 10 sit
In the bali, You must come in aud have eoms
hT'akf'st With US; Lady Corbes viii be delighted
I'm sIre."
Iii, sons. OF III. swkvarinsss Of the uesne
witt the woman who was once 70 have teen HIS
wife. and Of tho probable introduction which was
TO follow to the woman who was his actual wife,
grew upon him, and made him speak ltsls hun
reSy.
E!iinor's next words were wonderful rslE;
| and her sof, gentle way Of speaking WA ike The
touch Of cooling bslsam.
"Thank you, you must excuse me. lam nme
n city on business, otherwise shsuli never have
thought ofcalling on you o. such an hour. hnsoon'
r or Dixon :"
"Ahi l thought a. much I" said .hs ~ dse.
| handing her . chair, and sitting down himself..
lie tried h compose his mind n business, tnit m
spite Of his strength Of character and his present
| eaorta, the remembrance Of old times would come
back OF the sonni OF her voice. He wondered II no
was a. much changed 10 appearance ~ .hc struck
him a. being IN that first lons OF Recognition.
After that nrss glance he rather avoided meeting
hcr ewes.
al knew how much you would feel N. eome one
81 Hellinsford told ne you were abrosd-in Rome,
think. But you must MOI distrcss yourself
necessarily the sentence il sure 70 be committed
| TO transr orsation eshing equivalent. Iws4
| tskng " tho Home Secretary about Is only laa
| night LsI-e Of time aud subsequent god char.
ae,er quite preclude any idea OF capital paanish-
ment."
All the sims that 10 said this he had other
| thoughts At the back OF b mnd-aome curiosity .
| Little regret, touch OF remorse wonder bow the
| meeting (which Of course would have to he
time! between Lady Corbes and Ellinor would so
| of out he spoke clearly enough on the suh'srt In
| hand, and no outward marx OF distraction from II
appeared.
| III came 10 tell you, whs, suppose may Be tod
| n any Judge in confidence and full relance on
his secrecy, that Abraham Dixon is not the mur.
derer."
She stepped short and choted liule.
| The judge looked sharply 81 her
| "rhen you know who VA !! SAID he.
| YES" she replied. with low. steady voice,
looking him full the f,ce with sad, solemn eyes.
| The truth flashed into bis mind He shaded bis
| face. and did not speak for minute or two. Then
| lac ssd. 10, looking up, little hoarsely.
This, then, was the shame you to d me Of long
sgo"
Both at a tie still. quite silent, for scme tue.
Through the 81 ence . sharp, clear voice VAS heard
| SPEAK ing through the folding doors.
| Take tne keigeree down, and tel the cook "
keen ii hot for the Judge. II 80 trssone. rsopls
coming business here a. 1.-THE judge had not his
| proper hours Z r being AZ Chambers.
He got UP hastily, and went inc the din ng-ropm,
but he bad sudibly some difacul,y IN curbing his
| wife's Irritation
When he came back, Elnor said
~ am AFRAID ought not to have come here
now"
"oh. it's all nonsense" sad he. IN . tone Of az.
noyAuce. "iou've done quite right"
lie seated hims II whore he had been be.ore ami
| sssin hsfcovsred his face with his hand.
and Dixon knew OF this. believe mus put
the fact plainly W you-your father WAS the guilty
person He murdered Dunswr'
Yes; II you cal IL murder. II was don. by
blow, in the heat o! passion. No one ey~r tell
s.tlpid, heavy way; and then sne sighed.
| GLOW do you know this 2"
There was q kind oil tender reluctance in the
Judges voice AZ be put oil these ques.iops.
| Elln.r had made up hsr iund beforehand that
something like them must lie sssei. and must also
be answered but abe spoke ike .s!e~p-wslker.
II nIne Into pslAs room Just after he hsu struck
Mr.. Dnnster the blow lie WAS lying insensibi~, ~
| We thongh.-iesd, IS lie really WAS"
What WAS DiNon's part il ~ lie must have
known good deal about it, And the bofs Sc % acct
that MAS found with lis name upon -"
| "Psps went 10 wake pSou, aud hs brought his
fesm-I suppose to try and bleed him 1 lay,
ssid enough. have not! seem so confused But
will try and answer any Question " make Il sp-
pear that Dixon Is innocent"
| The Judge had teen noting sl down lie sat
sill now without replying " her Tn, n be wrote
rs Ally. referring TO his previous paper from tune 10
tune In Eve minutes or ~ he read the facts which
hli.nor bad Eatcd a. lie now arl an, them, in 4
legsl And connected form. H. just asked her on.
to'er 10 her AMI ASKED her to sign u. She took
up the pen ard he'd II, hesitstpg.
"This VIII never be ma q pubic ?" s.ki she
"So. shall take care that no one but the Home
Secretary sees IT,"
Thank you. l could no, help IL now il has