The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-09-11

only / see but one way it can be managed
without making a terrible scene."
"And how is that?"
''By leaving here in the night without
her."
"But would she allow that?"
"She must not know. | shall go to her
presently, and try to calm her down; but
without limiting at the fact of your hav-
ing seen her in this state. After time
she will fall asleep, and never rise for
hours. We must wait until she is sonnd-
ly off, and then get our things together
as fast as we can, change horses at an
early stage, without letting our driver
know which route we mean to take, and
so destroy the tracks of our journey"
"But what will the people of the house
say at our leaving he. .behindT'
"Their only astonishment is that we
have kept her so long. Besides, shall
take care that she has enough money to
take her comfortably home, and allow
for some delays on the road"
Euphemia was almost excited. The
thought of this relief, now that she al
lowed herself to indulge it, to admit it
as feasible, seemed too exquisitely pleas
ant; she could almost have danced with
joy.
A vivid color suffused her cheeks; her
eyes were as brilliant as twin stars. Mr..
Roper looked at her admiringIy, but
wondered a little that she should have
been SO 10th to accept the relief, which
was evidently 50 welcome.
They parted at the door, Mr.. Roper
going to his own apartments, Euphemia
to Margaret's room. She found the
woman stretched on the floor, struggling,
shrieking, and tearing her massive black
hair, which lay like cloak around her.
A more haggard, desperate, pitiable OBJ
ject could not be seen, and Euphemia
stood and contemplated her with inward
horror and disgust. She let her grovel
there for an hour, without once speaking
to her, waiting until the paroxysm should
be spent, and the woman should grow
calmer.
After while she began to reason, and
also to abuse the country, which was
always her first step towards recovery.
Then Euphemia said, quietly and firmly,
that she should fetch her cup of coffee,
and insist upon her taking it, as it would
restore her quicker than anything else.
For wonder, Margaret did not object;
and Euphemia flew to her own room, un-
locked her dressing case with gold key
that hung upon her chain, and took from
it little bottle, tightly corked. This
she slipped into her pocket, relocking~the
case, and came down to the salon, and
rang the bell. To the waiter who an
swered it--a Frenchman--she asked for
a cup of coffee Immediately, very strong.
"Bien, madame" he replied, and was
gone.
In less than two minutes the coffee
arrived, and Euphemia had it placed in
front of her, and took up newspaper,
as if she meant to drink the steaming
liquid at her leisure.
But no sooner had the waiter gone
than she sprang up, and gave quick,
eager glance round the large salon. The
looking glasses reflected her figure over
and over again, and also her face, in every
possible attitude, but no one else.
She stood, then, with her back towards
the door, so that any one entering sud
denly would not be able to tell how her
hands were occupied, and, taking the
little bottle from her pocket, uncorked it
carefully, and poured about ten drops Of
the yellowish mixture it contained into
the tea-cup.
This she stirred repeatedly, added g
couple more Jumps ofsugar, and returned
to Margarets room. Margaret's violence
having spent itself by this time, she wa.
inclined to be maudlin and pitiful. How
ever, she drank the coffee down at {
draught; and, looking up at Euphemia
with lack-lustre eyes, declared she felt Sc
queer and heavy, she had better go tt
bed. Her mistress encouraged this idea
and eagerly helped to undress her. Shc
crawled in between the sheets, and, il
less than minute, her heavy breathing
proclaimed her asleep.
The evening was closing in, md there
was no time to be lost. Euphemia wrap
ped twenty pounds in piece of paper
wrote few words inside, telling Marga
ret that her own conduct had forced
the alternative Of leaving her be
hind, placed a packet in the bed, and il
the folds of her dress, so that in rising i
would fall to the ground with noise
and proclaim itself plainly to her withou
having first tempted the cupidity of tn
hotel people; and then she closed tn
door, and went out"
There was an odd expression on her fac
as she gave parting glance at Margare
the last, the very last, she hoped fel
vently, she might ever cast upon he
again.
"Well?" said Mr.. Roper, glancing ur
inquiringIv, as Euphen1ia entered til
room. "What have you donew
81 have settled everything, so far a
Margaret is concernedT
/ "Where is she?"
'In her room, fast asleep, and quit
quiet. We had better order the horse
at once, and settle our bill"
"And what about your thingsw
"They are all together. I can &c
, them into my box in less time than
will take'you to settle your business dow