Weekly Trinity journal., 1879-01-04

berton knew, and there had been more
than one tempestuous anger and hot re-
proach, or sarcastic Indifference, on his
only the name OF Lora Dane had never
been mentioned between them.
Lora Dane That was the name that
was sounding mutely in Geotlrey Challis'
ears as he stood watching whom he had
travelled thousands Of miles to see. Lora
Dane, with her sweet, grave face, and
dark soulful eyes-eyes and face he had
worshipped so ardently-eyes and face
that were gone from him forever since
the night, so many weeks and months
agore, when the mortal remains Of n
young girl had been found in the Della
ware.
! 1t had been terrible shock to him.
He had sworn to discover tho reason of
her sudden rdshness, and the result had
/ been, he had come to believe it had not
/ been case of suicide at all. He had
come to believe that his love had been
/ deliberately murdered by the husband
OF tho fair woman he was looking at-the
woman they had told him never wore
jewels whose diamonds alone were
/ worth Il tortune-the diamonds whose
history he had traced until it brought him
face to face with lIelen Pemberton.
AS he stood there, watching Der quiet
grace and self possession, the music be-
gan-a low, enhancing waltz.
Mrs. Pemberton was left alone n secoad,
and Mr.. Challis took advantage of her
momentary liberty TO so up to her, for
the first time that evening,
She met him with her usual calm cour-
tesy--a plucidity that was never known
to pe ruilled, sweet gracousness that
Mr.. Challis disturbed most agoHzingly
by his first words.
Can | see you somewhere, alone, Il
moment ? have bad news for you,
Mrs. Pom Scrton and-Lora Dane.p
A deathly whiteuess surged suddenly
over her face then, very quietly, she
answered him:
." am at loss to understand you,
Mr., Challs. Please explain do nol
think we will attract attention."
I" can explain, in n sentence. this
that it has been discovered that your hus-
band came dishonesty by suit Of da-
monds now in your possession, and that,
three years ago, he deliberately murdered
;he girl who alone knew Of his guilt, and
whom"
She looked at him with dumb horror
beneath her society mask of freezing dig
nifty,
Wen ?"
Chaiis smiled.
was about to say, whom ! shall
avengs' loved her, and she loved him. +"
And Helen inclined her regal head in
n slow graceful fashion, while her very
heart seemed standing still.
You had better repeat your surpris
ing romance 10 my husband, Mr.. Chal-
| hs.n
Then, while there was reveIry, and
music, and dancing in the grand parlors
below, Helen Pemberton and her hus-
band stood alone together in quiet,
dimly-Iigbted room up stairs her face
full Of ghastly horror and pain--his cold,
grave, stern us fate, as he looked at her
I" repeat again that, whilo 1 thank
you for your thoughtful caro- in coming
to warn me, / shall not 90 away. Listen,
Helen, while tell you for the first time
since the day you began to hate and mis-
trust me, that am not guilty Of the
awful crimo of which you have always
silently suspected me. Until to night, |
have been too angry, too stubbornly in
different, to explain that, when / went
out, that fatal night, | did not go near
the place OF appointment. | have been
too indignant at your conti.ued reserve
aud cold unforgiyingness to toll you the
whole story-the true story Of the dia-
monds, and the unfortunate girl whose
destiny was linked with them"
Helen stood listening, cold scorn on
her face.
PembertOn went on resoutely
" / will tell you now, and then go
down and face Geofrey Challs. Helen,
the diamonds are yours. They were
mine by virtue OF their purchase by me
peculiar purchase, which | hoped never
to be obliged to explain. You will ap-
preciate why preferred to keep the Sc
cret, which | shared with Lora Dane,
when | toll you that the girl was madly
infatuated with me that her mother act
ually offered her TO me ; that both moth.
er and daughter were indignant at what
they were pleased to call my refusal-'an
insulting outrage : and that, afera time,
thsy allowed themselves to become con-
ciliatcd, in consideration Of the exorbi
tant price / offered them for their one
possession-a portion Of tho jewels l had
reset for you"
:" IT was more money than owe with
both women, | think, especially the
mother Of .he girl, and she, despite her
agreement to the contrary, lost no oppor-
tunity to annoy me, declaring | was
false, heartlsss, insisting the jewels were
the price Of her heart. She came to see
me on our wedding day. You heard her
senseless talk-a fair specimen of her
styles and Helen, you believed hei in
preference to me. YoI doubted me, and
trusted her. You even dared suspect me
ot--blood-guiltiness.'
| A sudden, convincing eageness and
dignity in his voice thrilled her to the
heart-lthis woman who had reared The
barrisr between their two proud, naughty