Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-04-29
DELIVERED FROM EVIL.


The twilight Of mid uly was fal OK tender.
opal brightness; the scent Of new mown hay
t"sifS Gov 2 nom far Of breezy slopes h0atsd
IN ne air. and Just beyond the clns in the h0I-
pearl, and from her lew seat beneath the over
nsll lng hOEeySdCkles. Bertha Wyman saw and
ItI az tfls summer beauty with the faint.
D.is,iai an gu0r ofa tropic dream.
Paul Fordham crossed the broad ribbon OF
moonlight shat uttered over the plaza, and
came 20 at down az his nance : fest.
: On are IKE picture tonight, Bertha; 10
yOu know It?7 80
Am Ig''
Miss Wyman was accustomed 20 adalation
ana tcok u very cOOiiy. with Cniv A rOyaI smile
dung down 20 he's sdmirer
she vas ike pie.ure-fair and gracious.
WI oiHe eyes, and great co j. CT golden hair
tnnh1 around her head, while, even in the n
certain twilight, yOu could see that the color on
Ter cheets V1S softer and more tsRderly tinted
Ele. - N0'
e Hush-who is that?-' she said. with little
staIt, As light feotstep sounded on the matted
"Oniy your sunt's companion, Mrs. RAJ
mond- BY the way, Bertha, what very inter
~ Ute thlng she is-such child widow
with those big black eyes, and the heavy llshes
tlat seem actually 90 weigh down her eveIids?
she makes me think OF one of those EXQUISITE
little Sonth American birds, all grace and
sparkle"
e i never could account for the taste of youpy
men, said Bertha. half contemptuously.
No Nul bSdULN. Dy JOVei Il can tell
yoq what my fair Saxon Empress, i'll hal not
lost my heart irrevOcsbly to you, long before
ever saw Mrs Raymond, there's no telling what
might have happened"
He spoke jestingly, but Bertha drew away the
EEud lie had taken rather cOOlly.
- 1t e not yet too late, Paul. if you really al
mire Laidee Raymond so enthusiastically"
Miss wymsn laughed a strange, unnatural
sort Of z laugh; Up to this moment her lips
had ncWT tasted the bitter cup OF Jealousy, now
" seemed n the FrQuULf mn
How dared Paul FOrdham, her bstrothed lover,
10 speak il terms Of commerdation OF any wo.
man save heTself2
Bertha WRs one OF those unfortunate crea-
tnrss Who have what is termed "a high tenn per-
and an her life IL had been unbridled. She had
never learned The lesson Of seli-cOntrol and it
Miss Wyman went up 10 her own apartment
earlier tBan usual that evening, not because
y anted 20 punish Paul FOTdkaIn, who was fond
Of moonlight, aud sentiment, and delicious july
evening. tor his UnwaTrsHtable notice of her
auIt's dark-eyed companion.
Asshe sat AZ her window, brushing out the
way feathery gold OF her magnificent ha.r the
sound on voices on the piazza below arrested
her attention. She listened a moment, holding
the golden masses away from her head, with her
scarlet llps half apart. 1t was Paul FOrdnam
and Zsidec Raymond.
4" thought So she murmured under her
breath - II would he no bad speculation for ne
VOveTty-stricken widow to vile Paul FOrdham
and his wealth 10 Ler nets. knew she was art
lN> NtC=hitE IeI luuOEEI-s Cl4l1lsu WAYS. but II
sue daTes 20 come in collision with me, she shall
be CTushed-cTushed as I wOuld strike a moi
some insect 10 the grOSnd."
She sat there silent and motiOnlesS. for we'll
nigh half an hour; then there came a soft tap at
her chamber door.
- Come in. ," said Bertha.
And Mrs. Raymond entered.
.. beg your pardon foT disturbing Won. Miss
Wy-ran, but were you aware that You had left
your bracelet on the piazza hOOr2 Here il is"
90 Il takes You and Mr.. FOrdham some time TO
discover The less of bracelet said RPrtha
taUrtingly. " am really sorry to have given
YOU the trouble OF so heightened a search.'
Zaidee Raymond's check flushed painfully.
e IL Won would but ailo " lime TO confiie in yOu
Miss Wyrsau,' she faltered, drawing a step or
Two nearer 20 the naughty Saxon beauty. "Mr.
FoTdham has told me-"
II DO not with % become the repository of
your confidence" said Bertha, With chilling alb
ruptness, ''nor Go care what Mr.. Fordham
chooses 70 tell YOU. Good night"
And she mOtio1ed Mrs. Raymond impers-
lively from her presence.
" should have struck her in another second"
she muTmnred To herself, tearing the tiny lace
fTiI away from her throbbing throat, as if its
slight pressure impeded her free respiration.
% have seen the nurses shrink away from me,
as a child, when my temper rose. There was
murder in my eyes, they said. 1 think murder
came into my heart, when stood there facing
that treacherOus black-eyed woman. Let her
beware how she ventures to come between me
and miDe."
Unconscious Paul Fordham. Ifhe could only
have known, as he paced up and down the
Nch idNBg SHiOhAik Tue bllOuSutS NuAl
were passing through the mind Of his lovely be-
trothed,
{" Bertha, he said, the next afternoon, as they
stood together by the great, spicy sgeet-brier
bush. edo YOU know had quite a chat with
Sirs. Raymond las niCht?''
Lam aware CT it," answered Bertha, indif-
terentlv, STOPPING 70 gather scented spray.
- Ard by JOve, Bertha, the little creature
has had the most Romantic life, to"
"I dare say, :" said Bertha, turning abruptly
sway. - The breeze Is tso strong out here. 1
fhiWk / would rather back 10 tl6 EbrarV.D
Paul stared Al his companion IN utter bewild-
eTment.
talk any more about Zsidee Raymond. Wen,
OF all incouprehensi5'e creatures, a woman Is
the most incOmprehenslble! They are leagues
and leagues beyond my penetration, the whole
race OF them. 1 supposed she would be inter
ested; and here she snaps my head OF before l
get out a dozen words"
And Paul followed Bertha TO the library, con-
fused and not altogether pleased az the ar bI-
trary decisiveness OF the beautiful blonde.
IL was about a week afterward that Bertha
Wyman was coming home from a long walk %
distant farmhouse, where Sn old schoolm ate of
hers resided. She had refused Paul Fordham's
escort, probably because she had seen him
walking up and down the long hall with Mrs.
RAYMOND iaf his side, that very morning, and
row she felt q htteswearied, somewbad lonely,
and very cross. The sun had been down about
half an hour, but the west was still illumined
with . belt OF orange brightness, and tho wind
ing river, tangled along the shore with starry
wateT-lIlies, reflected the warm glow Of the sky
Ike q second GrmAmcnI
AS Bertha descended into little hollow, fra
grant with Wild roses-fOr she had avoided the
thOroughfsre, unfrequented though II was, and
chosen instead shaded by-path-she became
conscious that two other persons were strOlling
along the road itself, from whom she was only
divided BY a tangled mas wild grape-vines fes-
TONED from the slender branches Of few silver
bIrches-twO other persons-raal Fordham aud
Zaidee Raymond.
The color died away from Bertha's somewhat
fushed cheeks, as she paueed 20 listen, for they,
too had paused where two roads separated.
I'VE mustn't walk any further together"
said Paul FOrdham's voice. Z" Nobody is TO
suspect anything yet, you know. Wen surprise
them"
And then came Zaidee's soft, hesitating laugh.
- IL seems like dream, Mr. F0rdham."
But you will ind IL, i hope, q happy reality"
lie said, lOOkiI.. tendorly down upon her bowed
head. 80 You 10 not regret trusting in me@"
ssOhi1 she murmured, " I never Dreamed
that earth bad so much OF happiness in store for
ne yei! And owe IL al TO you!"
And then Bertha AID hear his footsteps dy-
ira AWAY in the dist nee; she could see Mrs.
Pavmord standing InOtionless for a moment,
with her tiny hand elasped, and then gliding
on, her scarlet scarf gnmmering through the
dusk like the wing of a Caylon bird.
Falsei faithless!" murmured Bertha under
her breath, with her white teeth set closely to-
sethsr. And she! how dare she?"
TheeStoTm Of hot, unreasontng fury that
RACED In her breast seemed 20 shake her slight
frame as n leaf A. shaken by the equinoctial