The Morning herald., 1878-05-30
CHAPTER XIV.
A HORRIBLE AWAKENING

II was the twenty-second Of December;
Christmas was close at hand nova real,
good, old fashioned "white Christmas" for
the snow, though MT deep, was frozen hard
and crisp and showed no disposition to 60;
the birds, looking fat and comfortable in
their rufficd feathers, unconscious of how
they were niuring their own case by appear
Ing 50 well fed, hoped from window to
window, peering in with round black eyes at
breakfast and dinncr-time; tie hollies were
full of berries.
Sibyl, the weary look gone from her love-
ly eyes, soft bloom on her cheeks, and
happy smile playing round her delicate
mouth, stood leaning against the manlel-
piece in her cosy drawing groom, listening
intently for some sound outside the cur
tanned and shuttered windows. She had
put on black velvet dress, as looking less
like mourning than any other black dress;
a sprig Of holly; with it3 dNrk, shining
leaves and glowing berries, was placed IN her
fair hair; soft white tulle was at her throat
and wrists-for Geofrcy was coming, and he
hated to see her in mourning, "to be re-
minded that she had ever belonged to an
other man." and Sibyl had no thought IN
life but how to please him. He was to ar
rive at the Abbey this afternoon, ana was
coming to see her in the evening at hGil-Mst
oieht. lie had said-nud it had struck eight
more than quarter Of al hour since. Cecil
was in bed and asleep, happy in the Thought
of seeing his dear - Mr.. Gcollrey cn 'Ae
morrow.
Suddenly Sibyl started, and the warm
blood rushed to her checks. Surely tuat
was mans step outside With W!idly
beating heart she went to the door and bent
her head and listened, and then, as the snow
grated again under a mans boot, she opened
A man stood there on the gravel path in
the bright moonlight, scarcely two yards Of
"a man, but not Geoffrey Chetwynd-a
nan Of middle size, in a big cloak and
wide hat, his features scarcely perceaptble
above black curly head but at the sight OF
him Sibyl reeled and leaned against The
doorpobt. .,
.Who are you? What do you want?"
she exclaimed, her voice thin and sharp,
her face as white as death.
The man gave q short, low laugh.
every well done, dame Sibyl, he said, in
n low voice that had ring Of satisfaction in
it; "but your face shows plainly enough
that Won know who am. Wives don't for
Get their husbands so soon as all that"
II have no husband" answered SlbyI, III
| the same sharp tone OF fear and misery
| "He died two months ago. You are not my
husband. I do not know you.
"Perhaps you will say next that you never
were the wife of John Thursto Lawrell, l1s-
ouire," the man said sneefngly THAT
wasn't bad dodge about my death, was it
| r. hornened to be nv brother Frank that
| Jumped out of the window; but, as my dcbts
were pressing, and I had got into little
| trouble that would have necessitated my ap'
! sence from England, I thought we might es
well change places, and now, to everybody
! but YOU am MIR. Frank Lawrell. We are
! sufficiently alike to take each others place.
Consequently, shall want Shall aiio"'
ance from my dear wife.
| Sibyl stood shiverng and Silent 1nel
| she remembered Geoffrey. Ii ne met 1ohr
Lawrell now, might not mlscmei occur
maddened with misery as he would bef
$50 away now, she said quietly. 81 am
exnectipp IA friend, aid | do not wan
| YOU to meet. Come again at this time to-
morrow, and will talk to you. But go al
once"
"All right, and he turned and went away
rapidly. his retreating steps ringing, ou
clearly md distinctly on the hard, frost
bound road. ... ,.z4 -.
Sibvl listened till they died away, a1ic IN
then closed the door and went back to the
fire. She had been absent from the room
barely ten minutes, and in that space O.
time She had fallen from the summit OF nap
J piness to the very depths Of despair. Sh'