The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-08-02

10 uOCnmg 1artner With you, 1t seemed
to me the very best thing for us both
that we should part. Inever embarked
ON the Petrol, as you may suppose. I
only took advantage of it's wreck, with
all hands lost, to write you that letter in
a feigned hand, as if from one of your
husbands friends, to tell you he had
sailed on her, and so mako you a widow.
I thought you might be able to endure
your weeds ; though, Grace, you did
love me once"
''I deny it," The low voice was clear
and steady now. "It was IL girlish fancy
an ignorant belief that you were some
thing very different from yourself.
Love I thought it was; but now can
assure you know better"
''Since you've taken up with this fine
fellow from the Park, ell, Grace2"
She had no retort to this insult from
him. She only lifted her eyes, haughti-
ly, full OH him. She could look full at
him for to this man, Ashford Bell, she
had done no wrong. TO Norman
Wyndham-but she dared not think of
him now.
"May ask why, having lost sight of
mo these six years, you take the trouble
to look me up now?"
''For two reasons, my dear. To be
exact, never lost sight of you. You
have owned that snug little property
these four years. So much for reason
number one =; secondly, I have certain
objection to seeing my wife the wife of
another man"
There was n ring Of truth in the last
words, moclxingly though they were spo-
ken. Grace looked at him and calmed
herself.
CAT least I owe you something for
saving me from that" she said, quietly.
''But tomorrow everything shall be
arranged between u.s."
She went past him, into the house, and
upstairs to her own room.
He understood her woll enough she
was leaving him there rs master of the
house; only tonight, as she had told
him, there was nothing moro to be said
between them.
We'll, so let it be. He was content
enough.
He Lit his cigar, which he had taken
from his lips when Grace first came up,
but had not ventured to light while its
spark might have betrayed him to
Wynham lettering with Grace i'll the
garden !; and when he had smoked COM
placently awhile, he flung himself to
sleep on the drawing-room sofa. ..-
Everything was going well; he was
quite ut his ease. So much at his ease,
so comfortably asleep, that when there
was light rustling through the shrub
berry under the windows, it never reused
him.
It was but an instant. p
A dark figure gained the gate and sped
on swiftly up the road.
In the morning they found her cham
Der empty, her bonnet and shawl gone,
her purse and small satchel filled from
her open bureau-drawers, and two
sealed notes Oh hor dressing-table. One
was addressed to Ashford Bell, and it
ran thus:
ri told you owed you something for
saving me. Take, in repayment, my little
property, which my poor aunt left me,
and which J. give freely to you, trusting
that this .cloars off all scores between
you and GRACE BELL"
The other note was Norman Wynd-
hams:
"Forgive me if you can, when yon
read below, and see that have deceived
you--that seven years before met you
had ceased to be Grace Lindsay. For
give mel tried to tell you Of my past !;
when you see the man who is my hus-
band, you will understand how I shrank
from the humiliation of the confession.
I think I need not tell You I had full
reason to believe him dead-dead and
blotted out of my life six years ago. 1
| might have known such blot as that
could not leave any after page fair md
clear I did know-but loved you-
though I am GRACE BELL.
And that was all-the last page of her
! Life that these two men ever read.