The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1879-05-30

last had 70 clutch at the nearest chair d
keep herself from falling.
ut Ii all overt" she cried, after Z
while, putting her hand to her forehead
with dAxed look; AL overall over
And yet. OBJ, how lovef him!"
The match between Lydia Trentham
and Leonard Drake had been q runa.
way one. Her family was richer than
his, and ambitious that she should make
great alliance. for she was beautiful
aud accomplished, and had such q
charming manner that every body
raved about her. When, the refore, she
fell in love with Leonard Drake, who
had but . comparatively small CON-
petence, and no business knowledge
whatever, her father angrily babe her
20 dismiss such lover forever from her
thoughts But with Lydia, as with most
romantic girls, this stern decree acted
only IS an incentive. She thought her
father unjust, and went on loving Drake
more than ever. Finally she eloped.
From that day her parents looked on
her as on the dead.
" She has made her bed, let her lie in
it." said her father, savagely.
There had been only one cloud on the
happiness Of the wife, She had come
to her husband penniless when he had
right to expect fortune, and she fear
ed that some day be might regret his
choice. All at once, like q thunderbolt
out Of clear sky, came the crushing
blow which destroyed her happiness in
one hour.
In his bachelor days, and before be
met Lydia Trentham, Leonard brakes
name had been associated with a beau
tiful girl, who afterwards married Mr..
Dorchester. banker. People said she
had never loved him, but that her heart
had been given to Leonard Drake; that
Leonard had really loved her, and that
Miss Bentley had only taken the rich
banker because, = as she said, " Leon
ard and herself were too poor to mar
ry."
Lydia, at the time, hearing these
things, had not been without jealousy,
but the entire devotion of Leonard had,
in the end, satisfied her; and for years
she had forgotten even the existence Of
Mrs. Dorchester.
Suddenly Mrs. Dorchester had APP
peared at the summer resort where the
brakes were residing temporarily.
Here she had renewed her acquaintance
with Leonard. Lydia remembered well
how embarrassed both had seemed at
the unexpected meeting. Mrs. Dor
chester was widow now; notes began
to pass between her and Lydia's bus
bard; and twice the wife had detected
them walking together in the dusk Of
the evening"
For weeks she had struggled against
conviction, hoping towards the last
against hope, until this day, when she
had found torn and crumpled letter
hidden between the pages OF book, the
first words Of which drove her almost
insane. She remembered now that she
had surprised her husband that morn
ing reading letter which, to her aston
ishment, he had shufiled into an open
volume before him, but she had not no
ticed what book il was, and it was BY
accident only she now discovered il.
1t was but the part Of letter, how
ever, that she found. The paper had
evidently been torn into several pieces,
and only portion had been thrust into
the book, as II $50 she reasoned now)
her husbands agitation had deprived
him for the moment Of his self-control.
Under any other circumstances paper
belonging to Leonard would have been
sacred to her, but when she saw the first
significant words, I've must keep the
secret, she read Mrs. Dorchester's sig
nature At the end.
Much was lost, all was more or less
but enough remained to
the tortured wife that every
thing was over for her in the way Of
happiness in this world.
She remained there for nearly half an
hour, dazed, crushed, not knowing as
yet what TO do. The door opened at
last and old Dorcas came in. Old Dor
cas- bad been Lydia's nurse and had fol-
lowed her after her marriage, the only
Dne, poor or rich, that had stuck to her
fallen fortunes. She started back on
seeing the ashly face Of her mistress.
"What is it?" said Lydia, rousing
herself.
a note from Mr.. Drake" was the
reply. But, deary mel are you i'll,
"No, am quite we'll" answered the
poor wife with great effort. "Ah, I
'ee that Mr. Drake writes be Is going to
Join party 70 60 up to Dover not to
return till night, II will excuse his
coming back to dinner.r
"Yes," Dorcas said vaguely :
"The man who brought the note
waits for an answer. Tell him to say
% MIR. Drake, Go, ~ all means III
haven't time or would write.''
Dorcas started of, but her MISTRESS
Toicc again made her pause.
"When you have sent him away
ZONE to my room-I want YOU" said !
lydia.
There was q little delay, but when