The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1881-03-05
"Faulkner p and he threw tbe door

( eLce VI many flowers.
He, however, noted nothing, except
the perfection of the whole. She her
self, who stood before him, was, as he
would have expressed it, siren-that is,
beautiful woman, clad in dark velvet
gown, with creamy lace about her throat
and wrists. What she was doing there
he had no time to ask, for the lady re-
peated the word Faulkner" and then
inquired hurriedly, almost excitedly, if
that were indeed his name.
Horton nodded his head in acquies-
cence without speaking; every sense he
possessed was at that moment merged
into sight, as he gazed at the unexpected
vision. She, meanwhile, needed him
not, but had concentrated all her power
of thought on the name of Faulkner.
Have you known Mr. Faulkner
long?" she asked.
"About two years" he answered,
briefly, still too much taken up by gaz-
ing to waste his energy in words.
Two years only-then it all hap
pened before ?"
IT. What was it? But Frank at that
particular moment did not feel any over
wbelming curiosity to ask.
I" Is he a drunkard?" was the lady's
next question, abruptly put.
Frank thought of the five bottles Of
seltzer and shuddered. She evidently
misconstrued his meaning, for, sinking
down on the sofa beside her, she hid her
eyes with her hand and gave little sob
as she said:
81 knew it knew it. All! if you
had an idea Of what | have suffered from
this man, and to meet him here"
Faulkner is a good fellow" put in
! Frank, little hesitatingly.
He was too loyal not to try and defend
his friend, tho he was desperately in
chned to make love to the lady himself
"You men always hang together, she
said, getting up once more, and pacing
excitedly about the room.
"DO you know who L am?' she asked,
after a while.
Frank shook his head
{" am Mrs. Faulkner.
impossible! Why, I never heard
that he was married.
'Of course not, my dear Mr.. -"
Horton" interrupted he.
''Of course not, my dear Mr.. Horton
When was Mr.. Faulkner ever known to
speak the truth VIII you sit down for
few minutes while [ tell you something
of my history, and let me explain how it
is that / am here in this hotel with only
my maid?
Frank thought momentarily of the
good supper III the room at the top of
the steps; but the magic power OF the
beauty conquered, and he sat down with
scarcely any regret. She looked very
| bewitching, as she sat with the light
falling on her face near the fire; and
Frank decided that he could not be more
than fOur-and-twenty, and that it would
be imperative on him to expostulate with
Faulkner on her account If he had really
been base enough to ill-use this beauti-
full young creature.
50 On a Christmas eve, five years ago, "
she began, Il was staying with my
mother at Mr.. Dents, about six miles
from here. II was there | met Mr..
Faulkner. l was foolish enough to lis
/ ten to HIM, and in less than a week had
promised to be Faulkner's wife. NV
mother objected, but / was headstrong
girl, as / am a self-willed woman, and
opposition only served to make me the
more positive that Faulkner was the
only man in whom L should ever find my
ideal. We married in the spring,
against eyeryOne's wishes, and in a few
weeks l discovered that my husband was
Il lunatic.
ga lunatic! Faulkner lunatic? Why,
he Is as sane as | am" said Horton, in
much amaHement
1T matters little whether the brain is
affected from the use OF alcohol or from
I hereditary disease, she answered, the
/ effect IS the same.
Frank thought of the array Of bottles
on the supper-table, and wondered
/ whether the beautiful woman's love for
/ Faulkner would be re-awakened when
she learned how entirely he had re-
/ formed, but he madenO observation. and
4 she went on
! "To give you any idea of Mr. Faulk-
/ ner'5 vile and dlsgraceful treatment of
me were impossible. Suffice it to say
/ that his cruelty, his brutality, when he
{ was under the influence of drink was so
( excessive that my life was III danger, and
that when l had been married scarcely
year | fled abroad, carrying with me
my little baby only fortnight old.
There / remained IN strict secIusion till
+ about six months ago, when informa-
/ ton reached me that my husband was
dead, and | returned once more. |
/ still, however, lived under the name OF
/ Madam ROse-my christian name is
/ Rose-fearing that I might be in some
: way prosecuted or annoyed by my late
husbands creditors, who were numer-
( Gus. it was only IN response to very
+ pressing invitation from Mrs. Dent that
( L was induced to break thro my retire
ment, and agree to join, with my little
/ daughter, her party.
( " You're little daughter-is she also
here? asked Horton, who was utterly
+ staggered by the strangeness Of the
. story, and the SURPRISING beauty of the
woman. She raised curtain at the
side Of the room, and showed him a
sweet little piece of loneliness of about
four years old, fast asleep. Pretty tho
( the child was, helooked from the mothers
/ face TO hers and back again, but could
. see no resemblance
"She is like her father" he ob-
+ served succinctly.
Madame Rose leant over the child
and kissed her. There were tears in
/ her eyes when she raised her head.
" For her sake, If not for mine. You
viii save me- from this man, Mr.. Hor-
ton. Judge of my horror when. be
lieyinG in the absolute safety of nv
supposed widowbood. | all of a sudden
met my miscreant husband here alive
III this hotel But you viii protect
me from him, viii you not "
q" To the deGthm answered Frank,
bTaYplv nc he wondered what co1r,,sa