The Newtown bee., 1880-03-03

But Theresa'S jealousy once aroused was not to be squieted by any such pre- lenses as these.- It was all very well | for Ernest to say so, but his saying so l did not deceive her. Having once thrown her influence over Ernest. Con- stance she knew would not be satisfied | to resign her power so easily. She didn't doubt but that Constance would in some way or other contrive to see him, and this morning s paper had given her clue to the means she had adopted. Very well, Theresa, too, will be at l Victoria at I2 noon.
 The carriage had just returned from taking Ernest to the station: it should also convey her to the next train for London. She would have sufficient i time to reach the trysting place by noon. Victoria station, however, is rather a wide, open place, not adapted for con- cealment. How should she so disguise | herself that she might witness the meet l ing unobserved? Then she remembered that her Aunt Blake, who had been a widow for a couple of years, had left behind her widows caps bonnet and veil, having the opportunity of visit to her niece to resume the ordinary cos tune of womanhood.
 Bonnets are not formidable things nowadays; and Theresa put her aunt's a travelling bag. She put on a black dress with white shawl over it, and her usual travelling bonnet, that she I might not give rise to surmise at her sudden assumption of mourning, and then started off.
 The clock showed five minutes to twelve when she arrived at Victoria She hurried off to the ladies' waiting room, donned her bonnet, cap, shawl and veil, and came out upon the plat form demure widow.
 Sure enough Ernest was there, walk ing up and down. She gave a kind of guilty start as he passed her, and he | looked rather hard at the young widow with the nice trim figure.
 "So," she thought, |" that is the way you look at young women when l am not byp"
 The next turn that she took she started as she saw approaching her from the opp osite side of the platform the very double of herself. Black dress, black crape shawl, widows bonnet and everything! She thought at the first moment that therewas a mirror oppo- site her, and that she saw her own re- fiected image. But it was not so. The lady threw up her veil and revealed the features of Constance Brown. It was
 
 her veil closely over her face, and mak- ing slight gesture, as it seemed, of caution, she made her way to the book ing office, went up to the porter, and asked, in a clear, loud voice when the train started for Brighton.
 Theresa glided into the office by the opposite door. The pretended widow was waiting for her turn at the ticket hatch. With the quickness of thought Theresa ran up to the barrier. A genial looking old gentleman was taking his ticket.
 Might I ask you, sir, to get me ticket for Brighton ?"
 Most certainly, madam" said the old gentleman.
 She grasped the ticket and hurried on the departure platform, giving as she went the same signal with her hand that she had seen her double make just before.
 Yes, he had recognized the signal and followed her.
 The train was just ready to start, and she hastily jumped in 8 first-class car riage. A gentleman jumped in after her.
 Faithless fellow" she tbaneht ,v.oo at her side" dearest Constance"
 You wretch !'' cried Theresa, sud- denly unveiling.
 But this effect was not what she an- ticipated. It was not her husband at all; it was Captain Potter, late ot the Plungers.
 It is now necessary to revert to the proceedings ot MT. Black to account for his presence on the scene.
 Ernest had intended to take the news paper up to town with him, having been interested in an article he had not time to finish. But having with his customary carelessness, left it behind 1 him. he bought another at the station, | and then the advertisement caught ms eve" Constance to Ernest" Yes, he | knew what it meant. Ernest Black ard Ernest Potter had been schoolfellows and cronies in early days: but their friendship had long since decayed. Potter was reckless ] spendthrift, who had been obliged to leave the Plungers and sell his commls- l sion. swamped with innumerable debts. He had been an old friend ot the Browns, too, and Constance had for merly been infatuated with him; but her father, who was a very violent, self-willed old fellow, swore that she
 should never marry such a scamp. Constance had nice little fortune oi her own, and she had just come of age | SD UlldI II SllS pSISl5bCSt AIi eAAt w Aho A~SA
 self and her fortune away, there was nc
 help for it. Still Ernest thought 1t wa:
 his duty to stop it if he could. He Hat
 tered himself that he had some infuenc'
 over Constance; and if he couldn't .pu
 an end to the affair altogether, he mlgh
 vet prevail upon her to have all he money carefully tied up. The advertisement meant an eiope
 ment, Ernest thoughts clandestin marriage, and the sacrifice of girl future to a worthless scamp. He wout be there, too, to save her if he could At all events he found himself on tn platform of Victoria station at moor |; An! there was Captain Potter, as he ex , pected, stalking up and down, evidentl ! expecting somebody. Ernest didn't talk ,, any note of him; and Potter scene anxious on his part to avoid any recog milton. But there was no Constance : : He kept, however, a sharp lookout Q !. the captain, and, all of 8 sudden | noticed that his eyes lit up--and, turr ]. ing quickly round, Ernest saw Lady . deep mourning pass into the booking ' office.
 Potter now took up aposit1on clo' : by the wicket that opened to the depa e ture platform, where the man stood tn : punched holes in the tickets. Present s a lady in black rushed rapidly pas IF Ernest followed her a few paces to 8 n sure himselfit was not Constance Brow IF No; the lady was of different carrlas if and figure from Constance-more Ill ii his own wife, he said, with ajealo1 d pangs that he laughed at himself the ne for fooIfnr WhnQvp1. If yTs