New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-09-30

| sor, of gasp. iou-Sou n"'oi"' ''' "A"
Il did not say that" His foot was almost on the
| threshold Of tho door while he spoke.
"Sfuart p she exclaimed. hurTying toward nm.
| The 1.-THE symmetry OF her shape was very Deauti,
| ful now her worst detTactor could not nave sah
| Otherwise She felt that the man whom she loved
either of his shoulders. She tried to look INTO
| his eyes while he avefted his own.
" Will YIN leave me like this " she went on:
.You knew me long before you knew her Don't
| let us quarrel IL confess everything. II have
been very foolish; But YOU won't 90 ~, 100 harsu
| with me-you will forgive, Will you not r
| He did not answer her He removed her hands,
| Then he receued IRON her.
"Stuar, y she still appealed
" | have given you back your LETTERS nc re-
| sponded standing quite near the threshold.
az ell me one tbng-do you love her9 Is 1t be,
cause you love her that you want to part IRON me
| IL have scarcely seen you for weeks. You once
| said that day wasn't day unless You had seen
me Do you remember Eve. been stupid But
| YOU won't mind so much when you've let me ex-
| plain more. Don't go quite yet. Stay moment,
He had passed quietly from her sight. She waited
| until she heard the claug OF the outer hall door
| ben she understood what a knel 1t meant Inc
| alienation must now be lifelong. she bad made
| him back. Seated before the fire. that
| snapped and flashed as II IN jeerlng gee az
her own mbse su eat Tss Of rspusd love She
had never believed herself at fault In her conduct
| toward Claire. Jealousy had speedily Dlackeneo
the lial act of her rival but IN any case the story
as Mrs Twining told It, would have reused her con-
vic,ion thar this desertIon had been most unnat-
ura and cruel one. So esteeminglt she haa piayeu
tbe part of castigator. She not sure that she
would have done very differently If Claire had not
been az all an object of her hatred. She had not
found the least difficulty III persuading herself mat
n was wholly moral deed to use with vengeiul IN
tent knowledge which she would have been justified
IN using with an intent merely punitory. 49,.
But now she bad wrecked all her own futurs by
| seeking to destroy Clalre's. Mrs. Twining had
broken faith and betrayed her. The passion which
she fell for Goodwin an irrecoverabe one. Her
do. fatin of IA
ceaseess parting grew as she wept over tue ruin OF
| her hopes and mingled its ferocious heat with the
more human tenderness of her tears. She passed @
urid hour there in her little picturesque parlor
she was in spiritual sympathy. so to speak with It's
Oriental equipments she could nave unders.01 1
poisoned draught, the stealthy bowstrlng and the
ambushed scimetar have bequeathed to history and
legend. Her past pletstic feryors had left Der win
no memento of consolation. stormy turbulence
had taken hold of her mental beng and shaken 1t as
blast will shake a bow. In her sorrow she was
gtill womanj III her nate she was something
She at length remembered the letters that he had
returned TO her, and drew them forth from her
BOSOM For moment the anguish of loss gained
mastery her soul, and she held the packet clasped
between both hands, her eyes blinded to any sight
Of them and her frame convulsed with racking. IN
ternal sobs She knew that she must read them
all over again, and thus replunge into coverts OF
memory whose very charm and fragrance would
deepen her despair. To reperuse each letter would
be IKE prying open the slab of grave. =.
sudden impulse assaied her as the violence of
her grief subsidized. She rose and raised the letters
| in one hand meaning to hurl them into the oppo-
| site blaze and thus spare herself. while the des
structve mood lasted fresh future pangs; But at
this moment her glance lighted on the packet itself
1t was Of moderate thickness and tied together by
strip of ordinary cord Inside the cincture so made
and held there insecurely oy one shaTp. corner
| the remaining contents Mrs. Lee disengaged this
paper opened it, and cast her tear-burred eyes.
careessly enough at first, over some written lines
which she had immediate certainty were not her
own. . 80
But presently little cry left her lips. She turned
the page with rapid jerk. searching for sigma
ture She did not fluid any, but found merely two
initials instead She dropped into her seat again.
and with fire in her dark eyes that seemed TO nave
quickly dried their last trace of moisture. she read,
pausing overnearly every word andponderlng every
sentence, a letter which ran thus
"DEAR Mr.. GOLDwIN: think that meant all
the harsh treatment gave you last evening. When
| recall what my feelings then were, am certain
that my Indignation was quite sincere. But very
much has happened since then TO change me, and
TO change my surroundings as well. suppose am
in most reckless mood while write these lines:
my head is hot, and my hands are cold, and tTembe
so that the words am shaping have strange, I'M
| familiar look as though myself were not writing
them at all Well, for that matter, the same woman
whom you lately parted from IS not writing them.
Another woman has taken her place. She is a way
ward. desperate sort of creature; she IS coward,
an migrate, a worthless and feeble egotlSt.
"but this identity OF mine will last have
made up my mind to take a bold step, and nothing
can now deter me- shall not be explicit; at some
other time will send for you and tell You every
thing. You shall hear my reasons Tor acting as pro-
pose to act. l don't claim that they are strong or
good reasons, and yet feel that they contain
has been lrreparable mistake; can't 90 back
and live the last year over again can't re-pos-
sess my yesterdays Hence, have become wIful
and headstrOng about my to-morrows. III lhadeYer
really loved Herbert all would now be so different
But have never loved anybody who is now living.
There YOU have a frigid confession. You never
reused in anything but decided liking; that
other woman-the woman who called herself by my
name a few hours ACCUSED 10 dlsappr0ve good
deal that there Is about you. But my new self Will
doubtless pass over these fanits very lndulgenty;
she will have enough OF her own to account for;
Still, she can never do more than think you good
company l fancy that when was very young
child nature locked up certain cell of my heart,
and then threw away the key where no one can
ever hndit.
II mean to go abroad, very secretly;
o Of the needed funds. It viii be q flight
and a flight from than you are yet aware Of.
| If we meet abroad-say In Paris may even stoop
TO discuss with yon that question of divorce. 1t
is horrible for me to write these words IL 10 SIN,
| and feel tho stab of it, But surely Herbert de-
serves TO be rid of me, and perhaps he Will come IN
time to value his freedom. / should want him TO
have the right of marrying again. Would not that
| be possible arrangement know almost nothing
| of the law Oh these points.
1T does NOT now seem conceivable that should
ever become your wife after had ceased TO be his.
| ] have had enough OF marriage without love, But
If you should prevail with me, 1t would be on " be-
cause of your great wealth, and the ease and dis
| finction that are now slipping away from me. You
| see, an hdeously candid don't mnce matters
| . where would be the usel
do not answer this, but destroy il immediately.
| In regard 10 the last request, count with per-
| feet con 6dence upon your honor. Were 1t
| not that | did so, i should never send
| you this imprudent, daring perllous scrawl.
d" DO not come until | send for you can
| not tell how long that will be. c. H."
Before Mrs. Lee refoded the letter which con-
tanned these words, she Had read them through GER
tainy five successive tines
Not until then had she made up her mind just
what TO do. She would put the letter In an en-
velope and direct this, very leglbly, 10 Herbert
HOLSTER Her determination as fixed as fate.
TO be Continued