The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1871-02-23

II believe it," he said and he did
believe it, though hs knew that she
despised him. Then he slightly r::ush-
ed her away from him, as though refus-
ing beforehand any little weakness OF
which she mish' he guilty, and lean
ing forward filled his pipe afresh while
she rose from the kueeliog posture
which she had assumed, and walked
back to her own side of the fireplace.
''1s there anything that I can do to
help you, Heury?"
"Nothing-except remaining quietly
at Ash Grove, and keeping up the de,
lusion Of my being 10 Calcutta. Stay,
though you can write to Geoffrey
Garden, and ask him to interest himself
on my behalf.''
Why did the blood rush to her face
at the mention of this name, az it had
done upon previous occasion? Was
it by accident-or was it shame?
"What good could that possibly do?"
She put the question firmly, although
her lips were trembling as she said the
words. "-. g." !!
He looked up into her :blushing face
with sneer.
"Wbat good? Do you mean to tell
me you don't know what good ? The
good of enabling him to allay the in
teresting fears of Mrs. Archer, and of
avertipg the sad consequence which
must fall on her Innocent offspring and
herself from an exposure Of her hus-.
bands villainy, by; the assurance
that he shall not be prosecuted. All
that good, Of course and surely Mr..
Geofrey Garden is too much your friend
not to obllge you in so trif1ing a matter
though, after all, perhaps, it would
be going too much against bis own in.
terests to expect him to accede to it."
The sneer and the bitter innuendo
which accompanied these words were
lost upon her. She stood before him
silently Indignant, her cheeks one
burning blush the tears gathered thick.
ly in her eyes, and her eyes bent upon
the floor. Yet she neither refuted nor
allowed the truth of his suspicion.
"Well, madam" he continued, find-
ing that she did not speak-''am I not
right? Would Geoffrey Garden feel
himself but too honored to be allowed
to help you out Of your difficulties, or
mine 2"
She raised her eyes slowly-those
large blue eyes which looked SO beauti-
tul through their tears-and met her
husbands mockiug glance, until he had
turned uueasily away, and redireoted it
toward the fire.
"Shame upon you! !" she said, after
a little pause and he had nothing
wherewith to answer her rcproach.
"Henry" she went on, 6ruly-"I
shall not write t, Mr.. Garden, nor to
any other friend, on your behalf: No
one can aid you and, if they could, I
am not the person to ask such favor
at the hands of strangers: You have
br 'ught this misery on your own head
you must bear the consequences as
best you may ;" and with th>t she re-
sumed her chair, and the softness which
his first appeal to her seemed to have
awakened died away from her features
and her heart.
"Do as you please" he muttcred,
sulleuly, for he had no means of max
ing her will succumb to his. "But re
member what I told you. I will not
live to undergo exposure, aud the last
disgrace may be worse for you than tie
frst;' and then he cast his pipe aside
and went and threw hiuke upon the
bed, while she retained her position by
the fireplace throughout the livelon2
night.
|, She thought, sometimes, as she pur:
sued that melancholy vigil, that the
day would never dawn for her; she
longod, sometimes, that it might dawr
and 6nd her dead-dead to all sorrow
aud vain loneiugs, and loathing Of th'
chains which bound her to the slumber
er upon the bed -; and yet it came a
last, as, thank Heaven! it comes for al
of US after the longest, darkest night
and she was glad to see the beams 0
the rising sun, and to remember tba
: before they set she should be on he
way back to her little ones.
At an early hour she presented her
self in tn" Office Of McAlbert e. Wigsau
: doing all that was required Of her; ant
by twelve o'clock her husband had suit
able lodging in an obscure quarter Of tn
town, and they we're standing ia th'
sitting room together, waiting to BIZ
each other farewell, for space of time
which was as uncertain as it might b.
uolimited. ..
It was solemn moment, and Eugen
ia felt it to be so. They were parting
under circumstances of great difficulty
and even danger, and at the though
, all her womau's nature bubbled to th,
surface and she remembered nothing
excepting that her love had been his
and that he was unfortunate. ,> :,
"Oh, Heury!" she exclaimed, will
her arms fast around his neck, and he1
soft cheek laid on his-''forgive me i