Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-09-26

MRS. RANDOLPHsS SECRET.
A True Story.
BY HATTIE KYLE.


sweet playful expression, changed for
One demon might have worn.
They were a strange contrast, this
mother and laughter-th woman feeble,
delicate and pale; the girl, scarcely
more than q child in years, but looking
much older than she really was-with
dark, flashing eyes, rich crimson lips,
and skin tinged with the grape blooms
purple gray.
.sPlease do not speak so, Marguerite"
said Mrs. Randolph, raising her languid
head from the pillow of the lounge on
which she was reclining, and glancing
timidly toward the half open door
through which the sound of mans
tread, though deadened by soft carpets,
could still be family heard.
''lt's the bitter truth, and I've known
from my childhood" cried the girl inn
petuously.
Marguerite, my love, do be sensible.
| only wish to see you married soon, for
your own sake. A hundred things may
happen to interrupt long engagement.
''Such as what ?" asked Marguerite.
eff | were to die, it would probably
be put off still longer"
But you wont die, mother"
The girls voice quiVered and she slid
down upon an ottoman close by the in
vald's side. and looked anXiOusly at her
pale, quivering eyelids.
perhaps not, dear, but | feel sure
that it is best for your welfare. Be adj
vised by me even if your father opposes
it at first Lee Noir is very much in
earnest, and surely you are not ayerse. y
At this moment servant entered and
announced Mr.. Lee NOir, and Marguerite
with bright smile and heightened color,
sped to meet her lover. Then the foot
steps in the next apartment drew near
er, and a gentleman entered, a tlOrid
man with broad shoulders, ample fore
head, black curling hair and mOustaChe,
and a Somewhat severe expression Of
couEtenance.
'Lee Noir is in great haste to carry
our pet away" said this gentleman to
Mrs Randolph, who had risen at his APP
pearance and seated herself in an easy
chair.
: ''But you must manage Marguerite,
Helen, and not allow her to consent to
anything hasty. The child is altogether
too yOang."
Mrs. Randolph sighed and forced a
plaintive smile which might have been
taken for assent, but uttered nota word,
and after few moments pause, she
said i'm timid tone. which was habitu-
al to her when addressing her husband:
Bertrand, can you let me have a few
dollars to-day?'
''Afew dollars? To be sure. Order
what you want and send the bills to
me-"
"You are very kind, said she, "but I
would like il in cash. if it is quite con-
venient-just little"
s'What do you want? Cannot I get it
for you ?" said Mr.. Randolph, inspecting
his pocket book. ''N0u ought not to
go out to-day. You must be careful Of
yourself, little wife
The little wife thus apostrophized,
flushed with pleasure and stretched out
one of the little, slender hands to him.
but either he did not see or did not iced
the action, and drew it back with 4 sigh.
II have not anything about me, I be-
lieve. Let me see-one, two, three, four
dollars-stop, here's check filed out
for twenty dollars. VIII that do?"
eyes, yes" said Mrs. Randolph. and
took it with trembling fingers.
Her husband looked down with a lit
tie impatient. half cOntemptuous frown,
for he was one of those strong, healthy
men who, through their very strength
and certain moral Deficiencies, have no
sympathy with physical weakness and
mstrung nerves. and it was only in his
wife's brightest and most cheerful moods
that she ever received those smiles and
kind words that were SO precious in her
estimation. So he turned on his heel
and left her, and she buried her face in
her hands and sighed.
ooh, Bertrand if you could only
love me just little" she moancd
And below. in the splendid drawing
room, Percy Lee Noir poured his pas
sionatc protestations into the ear Of his
beautiful beloved.
The silver-tongued timc-piece on the
bracket sounded two clear. ringing
notes. Mrs. Randolph started to her
feet 1t was strange to see the change
from languor to activity.
She touched a bell-pull, and summon
ed a servant man to her door.
''Paul," said she, you have often
been to the Bank for your master?"
eyes, maam. said Paul.
"Then take this check there for me
/and get it cashed How long will it
take you?"
'"Two hours, ma'am."
''Well, do not be longer, she said
and while the man was gone she sat at
the window and waited, looking alter
nately at the broad, clean pavement and
the pretty clock on the bracket.
The window overlooked Fifth avenue,
and people in all the splendOr of fash
ionable attire were passing hither and
thither, on foot and in carriage. More
than one stopped at the door of her own
house, but Mrs. Randolph took no more
heed of them than if she had been stone
blind
Her eyes gazed into the crowd, until
at last the form of her messenger APP
peared. She give a little frightened
start, the color flushed in her face; she
took the bills from the mans hand, and
when once the door was shut, cried to
herself softly, while both hands clutch
ed them close to her heart
THANK Heaven thank Heaven
Two hours later, when the day was
turning into dusk-for it was winter
now-she called her maid.
''Tel Marguerite to have. dinner
alone, she said. ''Mr Randolph will
not be home and want nothing at pres
ent. At ten o'clock you may send some
tea and toast.
Then she closed the door
Along the garden patch, in the gray
gloom, stole a figure wrapped in acoarse
shawl-such a shawl as no wealthy lady
ever buys or wears; but yet the figure
bore remarkable resemblance to the
invalid lady of the Randolph mansion.
Behind the tall box-hedge it crept, out,
at the garden gate, through the long al
ley that lay between the two tall rows of
houses, into by street, down this street
with flying footsteps into another still
farther toward the East river, up a mar
row lane which reeked with decaying
garbage, then paused, breathlcss, beside
an old wooden pump.
Out of the darkness came another fir
Urea woman, too: but il was plain
that this one had no need of conceal
ment. She came forth from some shad-