Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1875-05-15

married him. Mark Dillon, acted
upon my firm conviction of your death.
Now, | know myself to have been in
error, and single course remains to
me. The instant that Melville Austin
returns home. | shall inform him of
the truth.
Are you mad, Dora Dillon? ?" he
exclaimed, every trace of his supercil-
ious manner gone, and nothing but a
sort of furious surprise remaining.
Are you mad, thus 10 throw away the
position you have won?-to make of
yourself ii beegariy outeast ?-to-."
Enough of this, Mark Dillon, she
interrupted haughtily. Your game
was bold one, but it has proved
failure. All, my husband"
Melville Austin had suddenly en-
tered the apartment. CHANGING at the
ashen- pale countenance Of Dora, look
of amazement overspread his own.
Then, turning toward the stranger, who
stood beside the chair in which she
was seated, Mr.. Austin said, 1T strikes
me that | heard your Voice, raised in
rather disre>pectiully loud tone, as |
stood in the hall a moment ago Were
you addressing this lady, sir? Dora,
who is this person? 2"
\ slight tremOr shO,k Dora Aus
tins frame, and her CHASTITY lips quiv-
cred for an instant. But only for an
instant. She had risen now, and was
addressing Melville, who listened ST.
lently until she had ceased speaking,
stupefed, doubtless, by the dreadful
import of what she uttered.
That man, Melville, is my husband.
Five years ago, before you aud | ever
met, poverty had reduced my mother
and myself to the last stages Of want,
On my mother S death, and while was
still almost child in years, Mark Dill
Ion asked me to become his wife We
were married. and | soon discovered
that my wretched, friendless position
had been exchanged for one of still
greater misery. | had become uniled
to man from whose vile, wicked life
my whole nature turned in loathing.
One evening, in a fit of drunken fury,
he struck me. That nj ght | fed from
his house. During the year that fol-
lowed, | succeeded in supporting my
self comfortably on the proceeds of
my needlework. Two months before
chance had made me acquainted with
you, Melville, | had learned accident
ally of my husbands death in France.
You know what followed. To-day
learn, for the first time since our mar
riage, that Mark Dillon lives
oh, God, can this be trueY'
The words seemed wrung from the
very depth of Melville Austin's agon-
lied soul. Staring first at his wife,
and then at the moody, crestfalIen man
beside her, his face expressed the
keenest intensity of mental suffering.
And now the icy calmness with which
Dora had spoken melted to a passion
of sobs.
Stealing toward her husbands side,
she muTmured, brokeEly: Before we
part, Melville, say that you forgive me
Tor being the cause of so much future
wretchedness-for having brought to
your noble heart sorrow it has SO lit
tie deserved. y
Part Dora? We must motive
shall not partI'
lie had drawn her to his breast,
with a wild, impulsive movement. At
the same instant the door of the studio
was suddenly Enclosed, and a woman S
voice cried out in clear, ringing tones,
Mark Dillon lies, Mrs. Austin, when
he dares tocall himselfyour husband
I-wronged, desert d, outraged as
have been, am none the less his law.
fully welded wife, married to him
seven years ago in Manchester. Let
him deny it if he dares. You need
not scowl and glare at me, the woman
went on, hotly; what | speak is the
truth, and | do not fear to utter it,"
a low cry of rage escaped Dillon S
lips, as he sprang toward the woman
who had spoken. But with a blow OF
! iron Melville Austin's hand hurled
him backward. For moment the
william stared at his wife's protector
with a tieerish fierceness in his dark
dangerous eyes, and then, like the COW.
ard he reallywas, skunk from the apart
ment.
And from the house, too, never en-
tering it again. An hour ultcrWard
his wife, Ellen Dillon, followed him,
against the earnest entreaty Of Mel
vile and Dora.
He will beat NE when | return to
him, perhaps, she said, with mourn
| full smile on her exquisite face, but |
must 90. nevertheless 1t seems like
| a curse, sometimes, that in spite of his
brutality and wickednes<, | cannot
hate Mark. Butwhencver think of MY
boy at home, believe that this weak
ness is ali for the best. | can guard him
against initiating his father; and who
| knows what sons influence may DC
in future year.?
Her sad words left Dora Melville
grave and thoughtful for long time
after her departure.
That woman loves him, Melville,
the wife murmured, ut length, III slow,
I musing toneS-"loves him in spite OF
his villainous treatment. What mar.
velOus mystery love is !"
Marvellous. indeed, Dora
Did you really mean, Melville, that
nothing should part uS-nOt even the
! knowledge of being another's wife
when you spoke SO passionately just be
fore Ellen Dillon entered from the
studio?'
Her soft hand had stolen into his
her fearful eyes were fixed upon his
own, with eager questioning in their
blue depths.
Melville Austin's answer was spoken
with uDhesitating foudneSs: Il meant
that, if all the world had Striven tC
separate us, Dora, | should still have
struggled to regain you. Until to-day
| never have known the strength and
power of my love.
His arms were clasped about hel
now, and she was sObbing forth her
thankfuiness upon his faithful breast
The Secretary of the Treasury has