The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1883-07-21
HER LIES SECRET.
BY JENNIE DAVIS BURTON.
Author Of Strangely We'd" "Ths Thornhurst
Mystcr1L'' /" The Mddiest Marriage Eu,r
Was." /" Cecas Secret" "a Mer-
ciless Foe" etc., etc.
CHAPTER xIII.-CoSrSuED. -

'And what of our duty, to Vherp'
asked Rose, bitterly. ''He would leave
her, know. 1t may come to that yet,
but we will never be the ones to strike
her that blow And oh, Power! / am
weak, weak and selfish to the core! 1t is
not for her alone | fear, but for myselfm
1t was said with gasp, whitening
of the white face, woeful deepening Of
the great, black, haggard eyes that
looked up at him, passionately, yet pitt
fully. That look, could he have read it
Alright, would have told him that the
fear she spoke. of was not for herself
alone, but also for him. He did not
read it so. He only thought, with a
sudden shock, that her nervous system
was completely undermined. Inwardly
resolving to remove the strain which he
believed. was wearing upon her., by
speeding Launt's cause, he drew her
head down upon his shoulder.
What is there tofearp 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 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" m ft3 TrI1 6
She started up, wildly wringing her
hands, then seeing his astonished look,
grew quiet: suddenly, wan smile flick
cring upon her lips. 'tt3s Jiit
IF am nervous" she said. Power,
| believe Dana's love for Launt Earring
ton is likemy love for youAthe 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" <.r.If.- .u
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-
spectiVe Writers at Shoreden. The latter
missive began: my Dear Cousin Rose, ~
and ended: Most Affectionately Yours,
Alicia Power" and one passage
of the six closeH-wri,ten pages ran;
ITO be sure, l am Powers cousin, not
yours, but Ltook you into my heart when you
married him. quite fell in love with you, my
dear, when was present at your wedding,
and l long TO be with you now that your
weary exile Is oyer-though Uhy 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" f..EsAFft RI I'D
Mrs. Oliphant read the letter in the
seclusion of her own chamber, and the
waXen pallor of her always pale face
seemed to deepen. -~N'1 'e+fAft
Another danger, y she said to her.
self. "But what does il matter? Let
her come and do her worst; it will make
no difference in the end" ~ a
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. Oliphant regarded the
coming of Miss Alicia Power with in
difference, there was one who did not,
and that one was Lex.
"She is a horrid, pIying 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 will be certainly telling
that you dye your hair and quarrel with
your husband before she has been here a