Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1878-03-13

wishes her 10 wall ~ INC studio till Ills
return, liy the way, James, you may
}, manage 10 lot her pass through this
room, | wish to see her"
The man bowed, aud departed to
execute Mrs, Austn's order returning
presently, followed by q poorly clad
woman, Of whose face Dora merely
caught u momcalary glimpse M she
hurried lowards'lhe adjoining studio,
"How beautiful = the young wife
murmured "and what q taco for Gle.
J opatra She seemed anxious 10 es'
cape my notice, poor woman !
/, wonder it she Is ashamed VI her yoca,
ton 7 You told her, James, did you
not, addressing the butler, who re-
turned at this moment-"that Mr.,
Austin would return, shortly"
"Yes, ma'am."
James was not absent from the
breakfast room five minutes before he
again made his appearance there, a
rather shabby man desired to see
Mrs. Austin, Should she admit him 7
But the cercmonous butler had
scarcely finished speaking when n
gruii voce sounded from the entrance
Of the room.
a rough'looking, hcavy'bearded
min was standing on the threshold,
directly opposite to Dora, who was
seated near one of the windows.
"You may go my good fellow the
man said. 1'yc particular business
with Mrs. Austin
"Ios-Jamcs you--may go
The words were gaspcd forth from
Dora's white lips. If the servant OBJ
served the agitation which had sud
denly overpowered his mistress, he
was too well trained to manifest any
surprise, and quietly withdrew from
the room, closing the door after him.
"Oh, heaven ! is it you, Mark Dill
Ion ? / thought YOU dead-l--'
She had risen while speaking the
above words, but the hoarse whisper
in which she uttered them died to 81.
lence before she had finished, and Dora
Austin fell heavily forward in a dead
swoon at the strangers feet.
The sound Of her fall was quickly
followed by that OF an opening door
at the further end Of the room, as Mr.
Austin's model, wearing startled
look on her beautiful face, hurried in
from the adjoining studio. But the
strangers back was turned TO her as
he bent over the PROSTATE figure OF
Dora.
Nor was he aware of the woman's
presence in the apartment until she
touched him lightly on the shoulder,
and IN rather timid voice said: "ls
the lady i'll, sir? | was in the next
room, and heard Heavens, Mark
you here!'
"Ellen !" The man had snddenly
turned his face towards the speaker,
while still STOPPING over Mrs. Auslln's
senseless body. ooh. | rccpIlect,' he
continued stern]y ''you told me that
you went out as a model and that wo-
mans husband Is an artist. That ac-
counts. perhaps, for your being here,
and you may thank your stars for hay
ing so good an excuse. If | thought
YOU had followed"
The angry flash of his dark eyes
Finished the sentence more powerfully
than words could have done.
Trembling in every limb, the woman
answered pleadingly: 81 had no
thought of following you. Mark. l
never imagined that you knew this
lady. i"
leave the house, instantly, Ellen.
Don't hesitate moment, but 60 at
once"
The woman shuddered, and turned
towards the door leading into the stu
dio.
Il may explain this matter to you
some other time" the man continued
"but remember, I warn you against re.
naming IN this house a moment long
er than you can help"
When the studio door had closed
behind the woman's retreating steps,
Mark Dillen once more bent over the
white face of Dora Austin A faint
sbiver convulsed her frame at this mo-
ment, and while his gaze was eagerly
fastened upon her countenance, the
silken lashes slowly lifted themselves
from her eyes.
0Then it was no DREAM she mur-
mured, hcarsely, rising from her fal-
len posture, assisted by the man she
.N -. I.... H.