Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-09-18
&c And vet YOU do not answer me. To

know how to approach the subject wnicn
brings me here to-day, to the house IN
which my children were born, and in which
1 have spent so many happy years. beg
you, by your sense of honor, by your sense
of right and mercy and justice, to help me
if you can. You are a gentleman | am
but weak and most unhappy woman"
Harold turns suddenly to Mauvain.
Mauvain," he says, this is the mother
of the girl we met this morning. This is
Margaret Sylvester.
Margaret looks towards Mauvain, whose
face is still averted from her, and who
acknowledges the introduction by nod.
You saw my daughter Gabrielle?''
eyes, and spoke with her, says Harold.
s'It is seldom I have seen a fairer face.
You appeal to my chivalry; thank you
for the compliment and to my humanity
not often, l am sorry to say, brought into
play. If speak lightly, lind some excuse
for me; it is my manner. Your appeal
places me at a disadvantage. A woman's
strength is in her weakness, and man is
no match for her. Now, you have men in
your household father, husband, a
son. Had any one of these come in your
place, it would have been easy to answer
him"
"They do not know of my visit. am
here of my own prompting.
sis no one acquainted with your pres
ence here to-day ?"
"No person"
"You have friends outside your family
who do not regard US with too much IA
vor?"
"I do not understand to whom you
refer"
s'To Rant, the hunchback, for one"
"He is not aware that 1 have come to
you"
At the mention of Rant s name, Mauvain
exhibits closer interest.
"May proceed?" asks Margaret.
cit would be churlish to refuse"
81 will speak more plainly. am not
native of the Silver Isle. My girlhood's
days were passed in your own land, where
at the saddest crisis of my life l met my
husband, then stranger to me, and his
father. Twas worse than alone l was in
the power of man who betrayed me, and
who tore from me the being most dear to
me- Even now, although have children
whom love and husband whose tender
regard for me is as great as any woman
could hope for-even now, in this peaceful
isle, where want and worldly care are
unknown, where we live honored and re-
spected, with almost certain prospect of
happy ending to our days-even now, 1
feel that this being to whom | refer is
more closely knit to my heart than those
who call me wife and mother. She was
my sister, and between us existed love
which made US one. was Older, wiser,
stronger than she, and when our father
died, it was / who took the place of parent
and protector to one whose innocence
should have been as shield against the
treacherous arts of villains who live to
betray and who bring shame to those who
are weaker than themselves and children
in the experience of the world. 1t was
our unhappy lot, through our fathers mis-
placed faith and confidence, to find our
selves at his death in the power of an
interruptions master, who used what little
talents we possessed to his own selfish
advantage. 1 could have borne that l
did bear it looking forward to the day
when we should be of age and out of his
power. This villain made love to my
sister, and l taught him a lesson which
prevented him from ever again insulting
her. He was an ignorant, ill-bred man,
with no pretensions to the title OF gentle
man. 1t happened that fatal fortune took
us to the town in which our master hoped
to enrich himself; he was a gambler, and
there were gaming-houses IN the town.
We became favorite with the people,
and he made money by the exhibition OF
our talents. We were called upon to
perform before company of gentlemen IN
theater, which seems to me even at this
distance of time the most beautiful on
earth. / have not told you've were
travelling actresses, with no stain upon
our name. Our lives were as pure as those
of the highest ladies in the land and in
most places we met with respect. Our
success was SO complete in this beautiful
theater that it led to most base and
shameful betrayal. In the middle of the
night my sister and l were awakened to
dance and sing before two gentlemen with
whom our master was gambling. At first
l rebelled, but / was compelled to obey.
My God Can 1 never forget that night !:
Is it possible that l, loving my sister more
dearly than ever woman was loved by man,
can lose the remembrance of the smallest
incident in that fatal night which tore my
darling forever from my side? The room
to which we were conducted was but dimly
lighted our master was there, flushed with
wine and excitement, and with him two
gentlemen whose features are as familiar to
me at the present moment as though my
meeting with them occurred but yesterday
in the suns full light.
Margaret pauses, and looks straight at
Harold with meaning he cannot mistake.
Harold meets her look without an attempt
at avoidance, and says gently, Go on"
"Only one of the gentlemen was playing
with our master the other came toward
us with a candelabra in his hand, and
spoke in tone so courteous that it was
almost sufficient, if anything could have
satisfied me, to allay my fears. Before he
addressed us, this gentleman said few
words which in my after experience af-
forded q clue to his character. / do not
remember to what they were an answer.
His words were these She can dance in
shadow he was referring to my sister,
who was almost asleep in my arms; let
her dance in shadow he said it will
form finer picture. None but an artist
could have given expression to the words,
and indeed afterwards that this GENTLE