The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1868-07-08

',1s she there :" he asked. fs
."No, she drove off in the coupe half
an hour ago."
Carl got up and began to move about.
81 am glad she is gone. ! have been
trying to keep myself from going to
her. Once with her I shall betray
everything And / want to be master
of myselfNwhicli I am net to night. .
The pallor of intense feeling was
upon his face. His blue eyes shone
steely bright-the fire of love burned
steadily-but around the mouth, the
nervous, convulsive motion, betrayed
his excitement.
"Carl, am sorry for this %
"For what Z" zsz@-
N am sorry that you have fallen in
love with girl of whose atecedents
you are ignorant, whose friends, if she
has any, we do not know, who may
be-,
He turned upon me fercely.
"What ?"
"Anytkingl A beggar in disguise.
perhaps"
He ,ooked CRATE fully relieved
"But, Carl do be rea sonable J"
He gave mea hurried glance, and
then flung himself into chair, looking
as little like reasonable person as poss
ible.
But I was patient.
"You must admit the existence of a
mystery, Carl, why is she SO reticent
as to her history and connections p
Where does she go four or five even
ines in a week !? Who is this disreput-
able person WHO presumes 20 seek
her ?j
Harsh questions, 1 know but I felt
justified in putting them. Carl WINGED
visibly his face whitened.
"rhe mystery may involve nothing
discreditable to her, Nelly" he answer
ed. 81 am sure she has good reasons
for whatever she does. She may have
disreputa0le friends, but if she were
pure 1 would pluck her out of the pit
itself And, Nelly, when some carrion
crow of gossip was pecking ut her re
putation did you not say you would
take your life on her goodness?'
This style of argument was embar-
RAISING. 1 found refuge in iteration.-
sYou see, Card, she has something to
cor ceal. She was both angry and
frightened when you picked up her
letter."
"Thc anger was for that beast, who
ever he is"
"And the fear was lest you had dis
covered something that would betray
her"
smelly, was it like an intriguamte to
turn upon me with that sharp, curt
question as to whether 1 had seen the
superscription Z"
.'.That may have been a piece of sub
tie acting. Or the alarm may have sur
prised her into directpess. At any
rate, Carl, promise me that you won't
marry her till you. know more of her
than you do now."
"I will rot marry her unless she as
sures me that she is willing to confide
her history to me, and let me judge of
it for myself" ......
"Pshaw ~
But these were the best terms l
could make.
We both retired early that night. l
think IL was about eleven o'clock when
1 heard the French maid trip softly
down stars, and return presently y ac-
companied by her mistress, having let
her in at private side door. A little
time passed, and I fell into a sound
sleep from which l was suddenly
awakened by low conversation that
went on just outside my room. The,
sounds sometimes rose to audible speeche
sometimes seemed to die away in sobs.
And I was sure that it was Miss Aubus
so n pleading with such agonized earn
estness for l knew not what. Carl's
room was adjoining the parlor. rose,
dressed and went out.
"Carl I' l called softly.
He came out instantly, dressed as he
had been during the day.
81 think she; will need me. Half an
hour that man has been in the entry,
and she has been beseeching him to go.
If he does not leave her soon shall go
out
1t was now quite twelve. I could
hear the murmur of conversation below.
The house was not yet asleep. Pres
emily there came tap at our parior
door.
Gail opened it upon Miss Aubusson.
standing there in her white cashmere
wrapper, her features tense and sharp,
her eyes wild and fearful. .-s4.
"You said you would help me, Mr..
Fries"
"I will-with my life"
'Thauk you" The word so poorly
expressed the gratitude that lit her
face. "I need you now.,
Carl went out instantly, and closed
the door somewhat chagrined. 1, too,
was eager to help her. But she had
not seemed to see me, and 1 would not
obtrude myself.
But through the opened door I had
seen the man leaning against the wall,
intoxicated, as believed. The French
maid stood in the doorway of Miss Au
busson's parlor, shaking her fist, and by
other vivid pantomime expressing her
scorn of the intruder. -...
1 heard Carl say:
Il will take him away, Miss Aubus-
SON. Pray don't be alarmed"
She broke into n low cry.
"Oh, don't hurt him, Mr.. Fries Oh,
be gentle with him /! IF you can only
get him away without any one seeing
him L will thank you forever. l shall
die of shame if he is seen'-and here
the voice was choked by passionate sobs.
"Don't fear 1 will do my best.
Where shall I take him 2"
She gave an address, and added few
broken words of thanks.
heard them going along the entry