The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1883-07-13
HER LIES SECRET.
BY JENNIE DAVIS BURTON,
author Of strangely We'd "The Thornhmrs,
Mystery" " The Adddest Marriage Er,r
Was,"" Cecirs Secret" "a MGR
ciless Foc," etc., etc.

Mystery" "7he Adddest Marriage Er,s
Was," Cecirs Secret" A Nor
eslsss Foc." etc., etc.
CHAPTER XIII-CoNTINuED.
"And what of our duty to herP'
asked Rose, bitterly. '.He would leav,
her, l know. 1t may come to that vet
but we will never be the ones to strik,
her that blow. And oh, Power! l an
weak, weak and selfish to the core! 1t i.
not for her alone Ifear, but for myselfr
1t was said with gasp, whitening
of the white face, a woeful deepening o.
the. great black, haggard eyes thai
looked up at him, passionately, yet pitt.
fully. That look. could he have read il
Alright, would have told him that the
fear she spoke of was not for herself
alone, but also for him. He did moi
read it so. He only thought, with q
sudden shock, that her nervous system
was completely undermined. Inwardly
resolving to remove the strain which he
believed was wearing upon her, by
speeding Launts cause, he drew her
head down upon his shoulder
'.What is there to fear? Surely, moth
ing, Rose, with me beside YOU"
Suppose | were to tell You that you
did not know all of that horrible past
that one part of my life had not been so
clear a page as you believe-that have
a secret hanging over me now which
would bring ruin upon us all to have
disclosed. You love me, Power, but
could your love for me survive that?
Oh, don't answer! If it could it would
be the worse for YOU"
She started up. wildly wringing her
hands, then seeing his astonished look,
grew quiet suddenly, wan smile flick
ering upon her lips.
g am nervous she said. Power,
/ believe Dana's love for Launt Earring
ton is like my love for you-the one true
love of her life. can see nothing for
her but sorrow-sorrow. | go wild to
know that nothing we can do will spare
her."
Mr.. Oliphant was more than ever
convinced that he was right in his
theory. This violent emotion, this con-
slant brooding upon the one theme were
most injurious to his wife; he was more
than ever convinced that this state of
affairs must be broken up at once. Fol-
lowing close upon the resolve came two
letters in that days mail, one from
Madame Harrington to her grandson,
the other addressed to Mrs. Oliphant,
both having the same announcement to
make-the expected arrival of the re-
sspective writers at Shoreden The latter
misSive-began: MY Dear Cousin Rose, :"
and ended: Most Affectionately Yours,
Alicia Power and one passage
of the six elosely-written pages ran:
ITO be sure, 1 am Powers cousin, not
yours. but took you into my heart when you
married him. quite fellin love with You, my
dear, when was present at your wedding,
and L long to be with you now that your
weary exile Is ov.r-though triN you two
should have buried yourselves in exile for
long, long years is more than l can say.
will not quarrel with you about it now that
you have come back; am too much enchant-
ed at the prospect of being with you again for
that
Mrs. Oliphant read the letter in the
sseclusion of her own chamber, and the
-waxen pallor of her always pale face
seemed to deepen.
another danger" she said to her
self. but what does it matter? Let
her come and do her worst; it will make
no difference in the end
There was an utter WEAKNESS in her
look and her tone, as if she had gone
through some terrible struggle, and re-
signed herself to some inevitable fate.
But if Mrs, Olphant regarded the
coming of Miss Alicia Power with in
difference. there was one who did not,
and that one WIS Lex
''She is a horrid. prying old maid
Why, Dana, she will know every love
affair You have on your hands before
she has been in the house six hours.
Aunt Rose, she viii be certainly telling
that You dye your hair and quarrel with
your husband before she has been here
week. Uncle Power. she will not let
you OF short of having another wife,
and for me, if don't have all the sins
of the decalogue laid to nv charge, I'll
be wonderfully disappointed. She is a
mishief-maker, if there ever was one.
You'll regret it if you ever let her in the
house"
Launt was dining that day at the cot
ztage. A8
How my grandmother would hate
her." said he. ''She is very uplifted
sort of old lady, is the madame, and she
is coming, too. Did 1 tell you. Dana,
that expect her within the week?'
$50 soon?'' from. Mrs. 0liphant
-' Well, harrington, we have kept you
at distance, but that is to be all ended
when Madame Harrington comes. She
us to De our guest, and you can give up
your stuffy room at the hotel and come
over to the cottage. Let our family
party be complete
An eager flush rose into Launt's
cheeks.
Do you mean to say. sir, that my
probation is really oyerpn
Provided your relative makes no OBJ
lection on her sid" =
las if she eouldr' Launt's eyes
rested fondly upon the object of his
choice One look into that dusk, bright
face. he thought. would conquer the
most obdurate heart. Madame Earring
ton had her pride, which might recoil a