The daily gazette., 1882-04-29
A RUSE.
BY FLORENCE MALCOLM.

asSsMDiago OF nlDLrt0nic talent--A star
combination of genlus-capable Of rem
deriDg 10 the life the pa, sIons which the
tsxt of the drama so wildly and lnten-
sely portrays.
was not destined, however, to wit
ness the entire performance. Just as
the curtain fell upon the second act,
felt my arm grasped spasmodically, and
turning round to my companion, Earl
HannathoD, from whom tue grasp pro-
ceeded, saw, with surprise, that q dark,
angry flush was glowing upon his fore
bead, while his usually calm eyes were
lurid an1 blood-shot.
"Let us 90 home," he said hurriedly |:
"let us 60 bone at once, Arthur !" aud
as be spoke he arose from his seat. See
ing that he was In no mood to be bear
questioning, followed him In silence,
and In few minutes sfterward we were
In our cab, being driven rapidly toward
the Astor House, at which hotel he and
l had been stopplng since our arrival
from the Crescent Ciiy--sn event which
dated back fur weeks.
II vas not until we were at cur room
in the h0.el that Hannathon relieved
my wonder and anxiety by an explana-
tiOn. During the boineward ride neither
If us mad uttered q syllable.
IL required but few words to explain
the cause Of his sudden emotion.
"She was in the house," he said, Sin
the palquet seats, with Delavau bes de
her."
The proDoun represented the woman
who had once been his wife, and whom
ha had unt aoan alma Tho t,arfod & ,lat-
divorce, some three years prior to the
time of cur sketch. During that three
years !, bis partner in business and COM
panion in pleasure, had never heard him
I, fer, III the most remote manner, TO her
who bad once peeu SO dear TO him; but
had not accepted this silence as proof
that he had f,rgotten her; for knew
that Earl Hannathon naughty, reserved
and controlling the fiery impulsts Jf his
creole blood with an iron will-was not
the man TO dwell upon the great sorrow
Of his life even to me, who had reason
10 believe myself his most confidential
friend.
! had been his groomsman on the
occasion OF his ii lated marriage.
Never did wedding bells chime for Q
nObler bridegroom--a lovelier bride,
He was tall and dark, like q young
Spanish hidalgo; and she, small and
txquisitely beautiful-a peerless Eng.
lish girl, with face that came nearer
to my conception of an angel than any.
thing which ] had ever before seen In
nature.
1t is not my inten' ion to dwell upoG
the painful and disgraceful detaill
proceeding and attending the divorce
ment, which took. place in less than
four years after the marriage; suffi ce
it to say, that IN Martin Delavau, an
old and trusted friend, Earl Hanna
thon found the destroyer of his honor
and happiness,
A duel took place between them,
Earl escaped unhurt, but Delavau re-
ceived wound which was thought,
at the frs, to be mortal. He recov.
cred; however, and in a short time
after the granting of the divorce, tool
himself off 10 parts unknown, accom-.
panied by the paItner of his infamy.
When informed of this flight, Ear
was heard to say:
81 should have shot him down with.
ont mercy and thus saved her from
further sin. Well, well, he bias es.
capped me once; let him ever again
CT oss my path, and will write my sell
murderer in his blood"
These words recurred to me as
witnessed the smothered yet terrible
wrath with which he spoke of his
wife's aud Delavau's presence in the
theaier. foreboded evil, and ere
went to rest that night my mind wal
fully made up to rise early upon the
following morning, seek DelaVau, and
warn him to leave the city. This
should do, not from any kindly con,
sideration toward the william or his
paramour, bnt to save my friend from
the commission of crime.
Until the City Hall struck twelve
Hannathon walked the floor of OuI
room, never once looking toward me
but talking aloud in one long, pas
sionate strain, uttering words lik,
| these
'tGod bear witness how loved thai
woman Oh she sinnned agains
me foully-brought my pride down Il
the mire of shame, and trampled my
heart beneath her feet. Iloved her.
worshiped her. ! set her up as ar
idol in my heart, placing her beforI
my future aud my God. She was tn,
sunlight of my life, and all else wa
dark to me was drunken with hel
beauty and mad with her love-"
Thus he talked on until midnight
when / succeeded in persuading hin
to seek bis couch. at one O'Clock b.
had fallen into a troubled slumber
and my last remembrance as I, too
fell asleep, was that of hearing hin
muttering his dlshOnored wife's name
compiled flercely with that Of his falls
friend,
he had made no threats respectln
Delavau, but felt assured that h
wonld do him harm, and SO my afore
said resolution was carried into effeC
upon the ensuing morning.
found Delavau, as had anticipa
ted, informed him of his danger in
few brief, cutting words, and advise
him to leave as speedily as possible
which he assured me, with an attemI
at thanks, that he would do at ono,
An unforeseen circumstance delaye
my return to the Astcr until eleve
O'Clock, l had lett it at six. foan
that Earli had just risen, and was NAL
ing hasty toilet.
His revolver lay upon the bureau
l took it IN my hauda.
GIT is loaded" he said with q stranl
smile,
"When did you load il?" asked.
GA few minutes ago."
did not ask for whom he had inten