River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-03-07

| lifted themselves from her eyes.
linen 1t was no dream" she murmur-
ed, hoarsly, rising from her fallen pos
ture, assisted by the man she addressed.
You have come" she presently contin-
| ued, ito reveal all TOTO Melville Aus
tim
She sank back into an arm chair now,
with weary, gasping sigh.
haven't come to do anything of the
sort, Dora Dillon" the man said, with
kind of sullen emphasis ia his gruff tones.
! don't wish to claim you as my wife.
You believed me dead, three years ago,
and married Melville Austin; there is'noth-
ing particularly culpable about your
conduct as far as can discover. / shall
be the last one, depend upon it, my dear
Mrs. Austin, to reveal anything disagreebIe
concerning your antecedents.n
And why will you reveal nothingg
Let there be no disguise between US,
Mark Dillon. know your brutal nature
thoroughly. You came here this morn
ing to sell your silence. Is it not so2'
You are perfectly right, Mrs. Austin
-ol hrs. Dillon. Which is it to e,by the
way2r
His tones were deiantly supercilious;
his keen, cruel eyes were fixed upon the
agonized woman with something of a
serpent's pitiless gaze when the prey is
within easy distance, and possession has
become a certainty.
But Mark Dillon started back with
amazement, as Dora answered him calm
ly, scornfully and decisively in the fol-
lowing words: IL shall not deceive the
man to whom owe all the happiness /
have ever enjoyed in this world-the
man whom | love, honor and reverence,
as only nature like Melville Austin is
worthy OF being regarded. When l
married him, Mark Dillon, / acted upon
my firm conviction of your death. Now,
know myself to have been in error,
and but single course remains to me.
The instant that Melville Austin re-
turns home, | shall inform him of the
TRUTH
"Are you mad, Dora Dillon?" he ex-
claimed, every trace of his supercilious
manner gone, and nothing but a sort of
furious surprise remaining. care you mad
thus to throw away the position you have
won?-to make yourself beggarly out
castillo"
Enough of this, Mark Dillon" she
interrupted. Your game was bold one,
but it has proved failure. All, my hus
bandn
Melville Austin had suddenly entered
the apartment. CHANGING at the ashen
pale countenance of Dora, q look OF amaze
ment overspread his own. Then, turning
towards the stranger, who stood beside
the chair in which she was seated, Mr..
Il 81. hot r
your voice raised in rather a disrespect
full, loud tone, as stood in the hall mo-
ment ago. Were you addressing this lady,
sir? Dora, who is this persona
A slight tremor shook Dora Austin's
Frame and her CHASTITY lips quivered for
an instant. She had risen Low, and was
addressing Melville, who listened silent
ly until she had ceased speaking, stupe
fed, doubtless, by the dreadful inport OF
what she uttered:
''That man, Melville is my husband.
Five years ago, before you and | had ever
met, poverty had reduced my mother and
myselfto the last stages of want. On my
mothers death, and while / was still al
most child in years, Mark Dillon asked
me to become his wife. We were mar
ried, and | soon discovered that my
wretched, friendiess position had been ex-
changed for one of a greater misery. |
had become united 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 night
Hold from his house. During the year
that followed, | succeeded in supporting
myself comfortably on the proceeds o.
needlework Two months before chance
had made me acquainted with you, Mel
Vile, I had learned accidentily of my
| husbands death in France. You know
what followed To day | learn for the
first time since our marriage, that Mark
| Dillon lives"
ooh, God, can this be true?"
The words seemed wrung from the
Every depth of Melville Austin's agonized
soul. Staring first at his wife, and then
| at the moody, crest fallen man beside her,
his face expressed the keenest intensity
of mental suffering. And now the icy
calmness with which Dora had spoken
melted to passion of sobs.
Stealing towards her husbands side,
she murmured, brokenly; Before we
part, Melville, say that you forgive me
for being the cause of SO much future
wretchedness-for having brought to
your noble heart sorrow it has so little
deserved
"Part, Dora? We must Motive shall
not partr'
He had drawn her to his breast with a
wild impulsiva movement. At the same
instant the door of the studio was Enclosed
and woman's voice cried out in clear,
ringing tones, "Mr. Dillon lies, Mrs.
Austin, when he daTes to call himself
your husband l, wronged, deserted,
outraged as / have been, am none the less
his lawfully welded wife, married to him
seven years ago. Let him deny 1T II 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 billions lips
| as he sprang toward the woman who had
spoken. But with blow of iron, Mel
vile Austin's hand hurled him backward
| For a moment the villain stared at his
wife's protector with tigerish fierceness
| in his dark, dangerous eyes, and then, like
the coward he really was, skunk from the
room.
And from the house, too, never enter
ing it again An hour afterwards his
wife, Ellen Dillon, followed him against
the earnest entreaty of Melville and
Dora.
.He will beat me when | return to
him, perhaps she said, with mournful
smile on her exquisite face, but ! must
/ 90. nevertheless. 1t seems like curse,
sometimes, that in spite of his brutality
and wickedness / cannot hate Mark. But
whenever think of our child at home, /
believe this weakness is all for the best.
| can guard him against initiating his
| Gather: and who knows what a sons in
fuence may do in future years.
| Her sad words left Dora and Melville
grave and thoughtful for long time
| after her departure.
/ ~ tn ,,Io,,,ar loves him Melville .