The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1874-01-31

was what Miss vernon th0ugnJ, Tor 81
did not more than mechanically Join in th
evenings entertainment Upon her bro
was sadness, and in her mind more than
naturally sad emotion at the marriage {
her father a deep distrust Of her father
choice as u wife. And she was not at a
i'll advised in her belief in the unsuitable
ity of Miss Vernon, as the head of the Will
household The scene of some weeks pre-
vious, wherein she had seen \ man ente
the room, at midnight, Of the lady guest
had made her, in measure, suspicious
That suspicion had become well founde,
in her mind, for she had heard and seel
more than Beatrice Vernon imagined, AM
only one little incident prevented the en-
tire destruction Of the adventures plot t.
marry Colonel Adams.
Myrtle had found letter; letter bear
ing the signature of the simple letters ''V
E." She had read tit was couched il
language which either showed that Mis-
Vernon was a party to a deep plot, ant
hand -in-glove with base confederate, o
that she was being the subject of the per
secutions Of some one bearing the name o
"E. A."
This letter Myrtle returned to the tabl'
where it had been carelessly laid by Mis-
Vernon, where the bride-elect had agaiI
found it, not suspccting that it had been
perused by person who had long medi
tated over it. She did not tell her father
of it however, but she determined to watch
Miss Vernon
Could she have followed her to her room
on the eve of the marriage, she would have
witnessed a startling scene. Miss Vernon
entered her room, all unconscious of anoth,
er presence /; when, as she went to the Ia
Bile to turn up the lamp, she was startled d
by the snap of the door, and turning, she
saw man standing with his hand on the
knob quick snap, and she knew that she
was prisoner, and party to an unavold-
able interview with - whom!
In the first moment of her terror, for il
was actually this, she did not recognize the
face Of the woman who stood there before
her. In a moment, however, she was all
self-pOssessed once more, for her entire ca
reer had been so signally one Of surprises
and incidents, that she was not long at
fault in knowing the real extent of her be-
ing confronted by an abrupt foe, or being
taken aback by an unexpected revelation
of some hidden deed.
'What are you doing here" she de-
manded
The woman before her was not entirely
prepared for this GOODNESS. Tm4.--.s the
key in the door, she was about to leave the
room.
''Stop n commanded Beatrice Vernon.
Wild eyes met her own as she placed her
form between the doorway and her intru-
der
81 would GO"
''You cannot go. What were you doing
here. A common thief suppose y
Beatrice Vernon made feint to reach
for the bell-cord. She saw her advantage
in moment, and she was resolved to main
tain it, She readily realized that the wo-
man before her had an object in view, and
that object was not favorable one to her.
But she also saw that her collected and
calm manner had, in n measure, subdued
the woman before her, who now sprang
forward, with gesture Of diversion from
summoning the servants to her room.
DO not ring that bell, said she. 'FOr
your own sake"
Miss Vernon dropped her hand, and q
cold scrutiny Of her visitor followed the
latter bearing her glance with an unhinch-
ing frmness.
what do you want here :" demanded
she.
The woman did not at first reply. What
ever her original plan might have been,
she was, in measure, banked by the wo-
man before her. She had not, it was evi-
dent, calculated upon so cool reception.
81 am Cyrille Eyting," she sad.
Miss Vernon did not evince any concern
at the mention Of this fact
Indeed = she said, simply. You may
be any body else for all that l know"
"You do not remember me
"No Y de6antly and boldly.
81 was at Acton three years ago"
So superbly acted, upon the part of the
woman who was soon to become the wife
of Colonel Adams, was her evident igno-
rance of any such person as the woman be-
fore her - of any such place as that Of
Acton, that the woman wavered and hesl-
tated.
Could she be mistaken after ali 7 No,
no; in the eyes Of Beatrice Vernon gleam-
ed the same determined fire - in the ripe,
full lips was the same lurking cruel scorn,
in the whole face was falseness and deceit,
all hidden from view by that marvellous
and rare beauty which had made her a ver-
liable victor in the social world.
''How did you gain access to this room,
and what is your mission 7" demanded the
naughty belle again, reading the face, 50
emotional, so changing, of her visitor.
In reply, Cyrille Eyting pointed to the
window.
"You entered there T. cried Miss Yer
non, in surprise.
'Why not ! am as steady climber as
an experienced acl obat Besides, had a
mission. Scarcely expecting to find myself
unknown to you, l find my intention en-
tirely alien from my mind.
Beatrice Vernon breathed hard. She
felt that she was upon the point Of an i'm
portant disclosure, and yet she hesitated.
Would the declaration of the woman pay
her enough for her to invite the confidence.
In moment her mind was fully made up.
II do not know you, and | have no re-
membrance of such place as Acton. You
are either q maniac or an imposter. Al
either, give you FIVE minutes to leave this
room as you came. If, in that period OF
time you do not comply, shall ring fol
the servants and have you confined as 9
trespasser.
She swept with all the regal grace she
could command, to the ormolu clock on
the mantle-piece, and leaning, over watch
ed the progress of .he hands over the dial
In the mirror above, she had full view Of
the woman behind her, who clutched heI
hands angrily and then went to the win
dow, her dark eyes afame and her face al
aglow with the commingled emotions o.
defiance there, but mute; and her lip
framing . sentence, the very commence
ment Of the same causing Beatrice Vernon
to start wildly, and turn to the open win
dow.
'sYou can affect all you may see fit to,
said Cyrille Eyting, "but / know you
| W.. - A. .,na.rdanonn sn& rronr husband