The Morning herald., 1878-06-01

almost more tnan bhe coulu Dedr. one tolu
herself that it would not last-that, knowing
they were parted forever, her love must die
by degrees. But the weeks and months had 4
brought no change as yet, unless to strength
en- and increase her misery and yearning.
She was sitting by Mr. Lenny one even
ing, ten days after the night Mrs. Legros
had called her in, busily stitching at some
work for Cecil, her thoughts back to the
happy days at Sandbea h, when she had
been unconscious of her own feelings or
Geoffreys, while the invalid, propped up by
pillows, dreamily watched her quick fingers.
"Godfrey thinks l may get on to the sofa
tomorrow" he said presently, sand tells
me have only you to thank for it. l don't
know how to thank you though, Mrs. Elton.
What shall / say?"
"Nothing. l do not like being thanked,
especially when / have been acting only
with common humanity. l came here at
Mrs Legros request, an she Is quite cross
with me because you have shown her too
plainly that you prefer my nursing to hers"
"How could 1 help it?" he asked, with
faint smile. ''You can hardly realize the
pleasure it has afforded me to havethe gen.
tie care of lady again after all these long
years. As Frank says, it is pleasure to see
YOU move about the room How do you
like Frank, Mrs. Eltont"
"Very much, she answered warmly; and
then there was silence for some minutes.
81 have been dreaming such happy
dream as I lay here he said at last, with
slight hesitation in his manner. "Can you
guess what it is?
II am not good guesser,' she replied,
shaking her head with a slight smile. ''Tell
me your dream"
"Well, don't be angry if you don't like it,
but Frank is such good felow-so differ
ent from me-that l thought you might
learn to think something of him, and it is
plain enough he is falling head over ears in
love with you.
Sibyl laid her work down in her lap,
crimson flush on her face and her eyes gilt"
tering with anger.
sMr. Lenny, how dare you say such
thing to me2" she said, in voice he hardly
recognized. 'Is this your gratitude foi
what l have done for yon, to attempt to
plav such cruel trick upon me? l know
as we'll as you do that my husband is still
alive, and have found it very hard to forgive
you for lending yourself to such a cruel
fraud"
She rose and turned to leave him, but he
caught her dress w.
Stop, Mrs. Elton!" he cried. "You
shall not 60 till 1 have learned what you
mean. swear Inever knew-never guessed
that YOU had married again. am no party
to any fraud; thought and hoped you weie
free to become my brothers wife"
She sat down again, for her limbs trom-
bled so that she could not stand.
81 do not comprehend what you mean by
married again, She said, looking him full IN
the face. "But you told that gentleman who
came to see you-Mr. Chetwynd-that my
husband. John Lawrell, had destroyed him.
self before your eyes, when you knew 1t was
Frank: and had not John wanted money
from me, and come to me in person last De-
cember, / should have married another man.
1t was a cruel trick to play, and now you
are making it far, far worse.
Richard Lenny passed his hands before
his eyes like a man half
cam mad, or are you?" he asked sharp
lv, 81 have played no trick. Before
| Heaven I swear that saw John LaWreil,
YOUR husband, Jump out Of a second-stoiy
window in fit of delirium tremens, that !
helped to pick up his body, that was cllei
witness of his death at the inquest, ana that
this all happened last October! l have no'
seen Frank for more than year. lie COM
mitted forgery, and has been in hiding ever
since. That's the whole truth. Now tell
me what you mean.
In few words she told him OF hef nus
bands visit, and his account OF the Whole
| affair. ,:too
| Mr., Lenny was silent for several minutes,
and then broke into laugh.
81 see it all now," he said quickly, ''and a
clever trick it is too. You saw him IN the
moonlight only-and he is like enough to
mislead YOU after not having seen poor JACK
for three wears. 1t was Frank who came 10
vou-Frank Lawrell-- meaning to make
GOOD thing of it, and very nearly succeeded.
| IF T had died the other day, if you had not
come to this house, if 1 had never said any
thing to YOU about marrying again, you
wonld probably have gone on paying nm q
| thousand wear without ever seeing him all
| his life What a near thing 1t has been
Now send for him-say you have something
nrpent to communicate to him, and Will not
nav in his money-which is just due again,
by.the-bye-unless he comes for IT, ana
move nv words Mrs. Elton, how thankful
t am to be able to repay you for all you nave
He fell back breathless and exhausted
from so long a speech and the excitement OF
the discovery he had made, and Slbyi. WIN
trne nurses instinct, thinking OF nun De-
fore herself, poured out, with trembling
hands. some brandy and water and gave II
to him. Then, as she fully realized al nc
had told her, and all it meant for her-oeol'
frev and happiness that short houT age
had seemed utterly and forever beyond hsi
reach--she fell on her knees by the pGosioe'
and, buryng her face IN the oeu'io'nes eo' hT
thanked Heaven with tears OF Joy lot ''J, d., e
reward for her simple act of charity, Bn
Richard Lenny knew that his lappy dream
was over.
| ru,o mn CONTINUED,