The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-07-07
TWO WOMEN!
A STORY OF ADVENTURE,
LOVE AND DARING.
DY,
CHsKINE BOYD,
AUTHOR oy
TEE STOLEN CHILD" DRIVEN FROM
IoAE," "PARISIAN DElEo-
TIVE" &C.. &c.
CRsKINE BOYD,
AUTHOR oy
CHAPTER XVIII.
HAPPY HOURS,

About this time, man, still young, and
of very distinguished appearance. might
have been seen almost every day, TOWARDS
six in the evening. graveLy purchasing
bouquet, at the end shop in the avenue Of
Coycot Gareen Market. The bouquet
b. ing wrapped in blue paper, the purchaser
took it up carefully, aud then walked
A. ay--aiWays in OF direction.
Had he been followed, he would have
been found togo down ParliamentStreet
a.nng Great George Street, enter at Storey's
Gate, pass along BirdoaGe Walk, take the
pagcd passage on the left, and thus reach
ing Great Qneen and Park Street, he would
have becu remarked knocking ever at one
door, and never apparently i'll vain.
The individual who SO watched would
have also had the opportunity of remark
iE z that this gentleman was closely follow
&C by small, frail. and far from good
looking man. who followed the first about
twenty PAGES off, and who did SO until he
turned up the passage leading from Bird
cage Walk.
At this point he continued on,nast sever
al houses, where he let himself in at gar
den gate, which he closed after him. lie
then entered the house by the back door.
And these proceedings taking place in
February, it neea not be said that it was
iark, when both men entered the same
honge-the one by the front door, the Sec
onG about half a minute after liml by the
garden entrance.
Tie FIRST man entered brilliant draw-
.aA ftIl
woman, who received hin with smile.
The second man, with n0iselcss step,
stole up the staircase, opened the door-
window on the first landing, thus reached
balcony, aud crept along Until he was
hidden amidst the shrubs with which the
wide, long balcony was flied. From this
point lie could see into the back drawing
room, where the beautiful woman was al
ways seated waiting for her visitor.
A brilliant fire blazed cheerfully, and the
scene was lit by great lamp.
These persons were, as the reader knows
already. Austin Sivory, Margaret Mayter,
and Paul Webber.
Austin and Margaret sat near each
other
She was still in deep mourning; but a
close examination Of ber toilet would have
shown that faint attempts had been made
to modify the seN Gritty of the costume
| while Alargarets very beautiful black hail
! was not worn so plainly as when first she
| was introduced to the reader. On the par.
ticular nEht at Which we have now arriv.
cd, O sprig OF white lilac lay in her hair
il was Austin who had brought that lovely
| flower.
"Dare / believe you" said Margaret
continuing a conversation already com
nlenced with Austin. Dare l give implici
faith to your oathsS Do not all men be
| licve that promise made to a woman il
not binding7 have already been the vic
tim Of lovers treason. A man is engaged
to an honest girl-pure, faithful ard conf
dent. She demands q stern fidelity, equa
to her own. In her innocence, her faith
her womanly honesty, she cannot think i
is possible to be otherwise with MN. NJ
doubt or suspicion crosses her brain
Would SHE think of deceiving him sh
lovesP But while she preserves thu
her faith, sincere, true, even in thought
be in whom she so fully trusts-t0 whoI
|
may think fit to turn his thoughts in an
other direction, and yet suppose that b
has perfectly fulfilled his duty to her whor
he is about to honor with his name. 1t
IlonstrOus."
But he could not love the first, if he be
haved thus" urged Austin.
"Then why did he say that he love
her7n
"He thought, perhaps, that he did. Ther
are men who naturally live 50 calm all
ouiet life-are 60 sheltered from tn
wbirlwinds of passion-that they are quit
CAPABLE of deceiviug themselves, and
supposing that they are devoted, whe
they are positively nothing of the kline
Their hearts beat little faster.they thln
little more Of certain w'-Ian than tho
do Of any Other, and they fancy themselvt
desperately in love. 'fis but rose-Watt
love which is felt by these men"
1t was impossible that Margaret conl
avoid admiring this man, whose almo
l feminine delicacy but enh anced his mai
illness.
= She did not perceive that Austin ha
: drawn nearer to her-that even one OF b
hands touched hers as it rested on u
sofa.
This scene the blazing fire encircled vii
. it's brilliant flame, which mingled vii
: the subducd light which streamed fro
\ the lamp.
e Out in the cold, heavy darkness whit
n held possession of this balcony, crouchil
down near the lead, that no passing indivi
! ual on the path below should see bis me;
! form outlined on the glass-out in this dc
: olation Webber watched them.
He was suffering an agony of hopele'
; helpless bitterness. He could not avo
i ladmiringAustinSiyory. Willingly he.cou