Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1882-02-02

"If you mean about Percival.r Shy
answered coldly, lit is quite true.
have met him every day since he lefs this
house.
The Countess looked at her aghast.
~May ask why r. she demanded in her
quAvering old voice, her eyes still fixed on
the impassive face before her.
because he has asked me to meet him,
was Sibyrs answer.
A sudden Fame Of anger shot into the
grandmothers eyes.
"what right had he to ask or you TO
promise such a thingi" she cried fercely,
beating her stick upon the floor.
"That your ladyship can answer for
yourself"
There was dead silence that lasted fol
some minutes. Sibyl stood in her long
dark gown like Fl ,sure carved out Of eb-
ony.
81 did not believe i'll" cried the old wo-
man, lifting her two hands in horror. 81
could not believe that any one belonging
to me could be so lost to all sense of wo-
manly pride!"
Sibyrs lips curled.
ait is just five years, your ladyship
since became So"
"Five years3'
ayes; it is five years since you sold me
to Mr.. Breton. l dare say It does not
seem so long to you"
"Sold you'll" the Countess echoed, quail
ing beneath Sibyls steadfast and earnest
gaze.
The girl made her grave bow.
"Sold me, your ladyship. 1t does not
sound nice know; but there are worse
things about such bargains than the
sound"
Again there was a pause.
ave acted for the best" said the trem-
bling old voice then; and there was ring
| in it-a ring of most unwonted pathos.-
'Sibyl, remember how much depended
| on it."
II do remember. Why will not you re-
member as we'll as do, and leave me to
go my own way unmolestedY What do
/ you hope"-wearily-"to gain by this per-
/ petual interferencel"
"Interferencew the Countess echoed in
amazement. "Do you suppose we are all
/ going to stand by and see you rushing
headlong to destruction without putting
out a hand to save you?"
Sibyl was silent.
"Have you no respect for your family 2"
persisted the other, trembling with excite
ment.
"No! 1t is my family who have made
Observation-Disclosures amp
"For your child?"
"My child" There was break at last
in Sibyls hard voice, try as she would to
master it. "You have made even my
child'a thought of shame to me. She is
nothing to me but the personifcation of
my falsehood and"-the hot blood rushed
to Mrs. Bretton's marble pale face-"my
humiliation"
The Countess heard her in incredulous
dismay.
"For your husband thenf' she cried in
| dignantly. "No woman ever had kind
er or better one, Heaven knows"
"My husband7" sibyrs cold lips curled
with smile of cruel contempt. "Your
ladyship does well to urge Mr. Bretton's
claim on my respect"
"What has he done"-the old voice
shook again-'to forfeit your respectl"
"He married me.'
Sand should think"-a wrathful fame
shot from the Countess's deep-set eyes
"that the crime has carried its own pun
ishment. He married you! He might
have married any woman. Mrs. Breton!
Why should you blame him for having
chosen you?'
81 donot see," sibyl said wearily, "what
is to be gained by this catechising, your
ladyship. 1t is not likely to change my
opinion of the man who married me, know
ing that had no heart to give him."
"You cannot forgive him that, after all
these years of kindness and devotion?"
"No'
The old woman looked at her again,
with much of the same despair that once
filled the girl sibyl's breast in looking at
her, as she devised the marriage that had
wrought the misery of three lives.
"If-if you could have respected your
husband" she began, after long and
troubled pause, during which Mrs. Bret
ton stood motionless before her-"if, we
will say, you had married man who
knew nothing of your previous affair,
who believed you to be fancy-free, would
you have still persisted in your unnatural
behavior"
"What possible interest can such sup
posititious case have for me?" Mrs. Bret
ton took out her watch-the same little
cheap Geneva toy she had worn as a girl
and looked, signing, at the time. 81 am
afraid must leave you for the present.
+"
"Stay moment sibyl" The old wo-
man began to tremble more and more,
and her sallow face to burn with a sud-
den flush. "What would you say if I told
you that-that it is not supposititious
caseY"
II should be compelled unhappily to
disbelieve your ladyship's statement"
"Not if I swore to you that am speak
ing the truth"
ITo BE CONTINUED.