New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-09-23

Everything looked Dlack, tbTedtouiuS anu insooh~
able to Claire as she began to attire herself for the
great lunch Her maid had just finished dressing
her hair, when note was handed to her,
1t was from Mrs. Van Horn Very brief and en-.
tireIy courteous il expressed regret that sudden
sick headache would prevent her from numbering
herself among Caire's favored guests that morning.
The first token of altered fortunes she thoueht'
with pang that was like stab. This woman,
was tie last to come under my ensign she Is the
FIRST to desert it,
She recalled Thurston's words to her at the opera
ON the previous night. Surely there was some grave
discrepancy between these and the acts OF MS SIS
ter As for the headache. that was OF course trans
parent sham. If this lofty lady bad wanted to de-
ceiye. she might have done so moro plaus.biy. But
perhaps she did not care whether or no her excuse
looked genuine Rats leave a falling house. That
was all tie letter meant. Claire could have thrown
If down upon the floor and stamped Oh 1t. la real
ity she tossed it with seeming unconcern INTO the
Gre and gave a quiet order to Marie WHICH sue
wished taken directly to the butler, regarding the
reduced number of her coming guests
When Marie re-entered the apartment she bore
card 1t was tie card Of Thursion. On 1t were
written in pencil these words: >.
~ beg that you will see me Tor 10" "oihcn'S' Il
you can possibly manage"
She at went down aud received MN. no
looked fxedIy into her face for slight while. after
they had seated themselves. He Knew all that mad
happened and he understood just how savage ana
calamitous must seem to her the blows from when
she was now suffering lie read excitement ana
even DESPAIR in every line Of her features though
| be clearly perceived thai both were held uEder
She means not 10 let herself go mch, be de-
| cided , If She did she would break down alto
gether She has wou1d hsrseu up 20 eei ,a n,
| pItch she will keep just this way for hours yer.
| She will keep so-if nothing strange ana unforeseen
deem aud vital pity pierced him while he watch
ed her He loved her, and his love made nm unreal
sonably lenient. sacred sadness invested her Ior
his eyes. in this the boar ., ncf lug had
| been and could remember only that Destiny
wonId soon nurl in the dust the crown that sne had
| worn with so much grace and grandeur. az
| Did Won come to speak or my-ot our trouoieE
| she said her lip quIveriEg Tor an instant ana no
more :, .,,;oa "P,t since vou sneak of
IT, is all chance OF recovery gonef May not matters
| right themselves somehow or Iii,
| She shook her head in quick negative. L thi!R
not. He has lost eyerythng--or nearly that.
She broke into smile, which bad Tor per companrr
ion only he brightness one mgn,; zee ~ ,e rotr
| burioup Her gaze dwet on him win mourn.
full kind of pleasantly. 1t was IKE the spirit OIL
| Comedy slipping her gay mask n LITTLE down anu
showing beneath it limpse OF pallor aud fatigue.
But dc not let us talk OF that. You wanted to
talk of something else. What was it your SISTERS
refusal at the eleventh hour TO come TO my iunch'
| "Has she TefusedT . -, -. III,
.she has n sick headache" returned Clare, with
| n hit of ioyess laughter-the saddest he had ever
heard leave her lips don't doubt cur 0isreputa-
BILE dow nj fall has gwen 1t 10 her Don't make e1-
cuses for her; she is qslte Fght 10 nave neo nea"
| ache. It's fastdious preTogatye, y0n Know;
| sban't require physican's certificate. lohIy nope
that all the others will be cruel IN Just as CIVIL
| manner" s, -, 49, Oh .ho,,
| were oulely enough uttered 9tung lhurston 10 the
quick. When a man loves a re loved compahssion
| wants the ready yassal of tenderness lie haua
| monetary ferhng of hostility against an eiusye'
| dIsembodied toe-aganst Circumstance itself so 10
speak for having wrought diseord IN hlc 'iia'
| was meant to hold nothing out melody.
He swiftly decided not to tell the real truth re.
tsr of much more import, must be brought to your
| notice 1t is then settled that COrneiia remains
| away. did not know that she woui.l up 81. one e
made no mention of 1t during our interview iass
Her headache had not arrived. Neither had tho
morning papers, which said sacn haru 'hngs Oh my
As Won will Let all that pass l wish to speak
of lady VINO wall almost certainty " ; Nv
| Don't ask NE why wara you against her. LOT
can't give you any lucid reasons. she Intends soae
| mischief | suspected IL last night from something
NV sister let fall. and visited Mrs. Les this thorn
ing with a most detective purpose. L gained no
| claw and vet my SuspciOns were oy no means
inIied have never liked Sylvia, we are related.
but she mas always struck me a. an aonofIehl hins
of creature. brIstllng with arthcs destitute Oh
| nearly all morale, capable of the worst cun.
| ming equipped with the most subtle resources OF
treachery BE your guard against Der To-Day.
This sounds IL You WIZ;
hnt she mas some laid for you. some petty put
perhaps ugly revenge. You know why use tnae
last word She has wanted TO marry 1oiu" st ~.
scrunu lous hatred She told me that sue didnt De-
beye in your husbands rum. aud that a few more
| DAVIS gond sea hun on his feet again.. ms makes
ma ali the more convinced that she VIII not put ner
little sharpened dagger back into its sheath. sne
has Matched some sort OF h.rrld plot tnwag' II
Won can. | wish could be here To bep bou.
Care had grown very pale. bat her eyes sparkisd
wildly ara your debtor for these 'iaings s9
sbat pnder the soft curve of her joined dips she had
for a brief moment set her teeth Closely toeetner.
II thought the lunch would be bard ordeal, even
need my best nerve and courage 10 gel liiousp 70
all right with proper e9oiness ana S Sigi' sbans
tinch. wish you tere to be here but that Is not
possible" ,. -,,aI ,,ov. ana
Iitte SILVER note that tcld it half-past twelve
Claire rose as she heard the sound. :" must leave
YOU now she pursued haze n eaiy an a n1"r She
threw back her head, ard drea:y smno
cleaned and fed along her lips a mean can
Sion of dsteat / shan't wear mv heart on my
! sleeve THIS lunch was to have been my croMnlns
triumph Il proves m s Intend
shudder dropping her eyes. IL will De as though y,
about me at any moment-as il codd hea, tn1
crack of plaster and the creak OF beams. Du.
shant run away; shall sc s.sq S,te ay end When
the crash comes nobody Will be buried Ia the runs
! but myself--that is certain, is !, notr ora
| W" uarSs her iovless laugh again sounded, auu
neIo no. yed by an irresistible mood, caught
Of hands pressing ha,d w 1aIns s S Swa
You shall moi DC Dal rS t tn ire i YOU shall not!
II vii all only be the beginning Of new anu better
Q life. You sba have learned a hard YET sanitary
lessop-that, and nothing more" ..
She shook her head, meeting his earnest eyes;
"You are my good genius she said; III Is TOO oad
yo.who ia vonr evil geniusr he asked, with slower
. tones. while she drew her hand from his
r "Mysslfn she answered. am quite wllng 70
60 vrioh,ed 1858 ty Edgar Fa~es@ Az rdhts rssssssd