The Magnolia gazette., 1883-11-01
HER LIES SECRET.
BY JENNIE DAVIS BURTON.
Aiphor of "Str1ngslB Wed," "T7s ThorHhurs
Mystery :" The A1diest Marriage Erer
RGs," F." Cecrs secret" " 4 aieT-
cless F0c, cto., etc.

CHAPTER CONTINUED.
"Quest told YOU, but Quest did not
know the wretched story Of my girlhood,
did not know the prosecutions with
which Narick followed me, until / was
driven 20 that horrible deed. / went
ont with the set purpose Of killing him,
Or myself, Of both Of us, that night, 1t
seemed to me that / was justified in do
ing IL; sooner or later | knew that blood
would be shed. II was either to XII
him then. or TO have him and Rodney
meet, and one slay the other. OF the
consequences. further than 10 save my
husband, never thought. When | saw
nm before me, knew that he had wit
messed. that deed. l tainted, and after
that knew nothing for long weeks
When came back 10 myself at last my
father was with me. He gave me to
understand that Rodney had left me. |
took interest in anything beyond that,
and il was easy for them to keep me in
ignorance Of the truth You were born.
and when began % gain strength, they
broke it to me and gave me the letter
he had left J"
OF her horror and agony she spoke,
as person telling the story Of another.
There was murder branded incifaceably
upon her soul. but it was the murder Of
the husband who had given himself up,
willing sacrifice, for her sake, rather
than Of the man whose blood she had
spilled. She had accepted unquestiOn-
ably the one penance he had asked Of
her when she gave up her child. She
had laid out for herself life Of atone-
ment by good works, and when the
yellow fever broke out in Havana she
was one Of the first 10 volunteer az
nurse. All She hoped for was to lose
the power 0f suffering in an early death,
but Death passed her by, so near, in
deed, that she felt his cold breath, but
she was spared and struggled unwill-
ingly back to life.
But it was q new life she came back
TO. All natural feeling had not died out
Of her heart. Lcye came back TO ii.
first for her child, then for the man who
thought he knew the darker part Of her
history, yet who knew nothing Of the
fact that il was her hand which sped
the fatal ball; that secret, intrusted to
Rose Sangerford, had ever been held
invlolate by her; Of that, and Of much
IN her earlier life, he suspected nothing.
She knew she was doing wrong in
listening 70 him at all; she tried 10 do
right, vet we know little OF the mental
struggle through which she passed. She
did yield, and the great, overmasterinp
passion Of her life grew up for the hus-
band whose loved and loving wife she
mad been for so many quiet wears.
Quiet, but hardly happy. Love could
not still the throes Of conscience entire
W Fear OF exposure She scarcely had.
believing her secret locked up in her
own breast, She only learned better
when she questioned Lex regarding her
knowledge Of Mr.. Quest, a day or two
subsequent 10 that scene in the library.
Lex, in utter frankness. BETRAYED the
admission he had made her.
He said that he had very nearly
committed bank robbery once, but
was saved from il and almost frightened
to death by having a murder done right
under his eyes. That he had got away.
but expected 20 convict the murderer
yet, or words to that effect.
From that hour Mrs. Oliphant knew
the doom which hung over her head.
Quest knew her and meant to betray
her He discovered the secret ~
Dana's parcntage, but greater than
that was the secret of her guilt and
crime.
Those last few days at the cottage
seemed to her now like horrible, dis
tempered dream. Every hour she ex-
pectcd the blow to fall, and through all
the long agony Of suspense which wore
upon every nerve, one idea prevailed
which kept her from absolute madness.
1t was this: That she would fiv when
the actual time came; she never could
look into the face of husband or child
again after the truth was told them.
"And it killed him." she broke out
wildly there. Heaven knows, l had
feared that have been fatal to every.
one who ever loved me; a curse to hin
as was to your father, as am tC
you,
Mamma, mamma" cried Dana
inexpressibly grieyed, "Thank Heaver
it is not so bad as that. Thank Heavier
that death came to him before he wa,
told as he would have been in few
hours more. Quest had not seen him
had not spoken with him after he part
sa from you. There was nothing tc
disturb his love for you. his trust il
YOU 1t IS the one thing for which har,
Aways been glad"
- 'Aa' assurance brought more peas'