The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1883-11-07

for the purchase of the villa at Richmond,
for the horses and carriages, and for the
jewels worn by Sylvia not detail did he
soften, and it was wonderful how he could
have learned so mnch.
Annie listened with a smile of credulity
which exasperated the old man.
"Ah! You don't believe me- you want
proofs: Very well then; go to Hancock's,
the ieweler. A fortnight ago George
bought there a necklace for which he paid
a thousand pounds--a Thousand pounds
on the eve of failurem
He might have gone on talking for
the whole day without any interruption
from Annie. She dared not speak lest her
trembling voice should betray her emotion.
and the brave woman wished to smile on
to the end. At last he stopped. She bowed,
and turned to the door again.
"Are You going2 Why are you in such
hurryl' asked Mr.. Gray, following her
out. ''wait for the carriage to take you
to the station"
Annie shook her head and walked on
with her grandfather following her.
Erect and apparently composed, she
crossed the lawn so well-known TO her
from childhood. Her favorite seat nnder
the tree still stood there, but she had not
thought nor n look for them, nor even
for the old dog who ran to greet her.
She had entered the house as if she had
some claim to kindness and protection;
she left it like stranger, wrapped in her
own cares and sorrows
"Good-bye, grandfather"
''Good-bye; and the gate was violently
closed behind her.
She stood for moment and turned to
look back at spot once so dear to her.
As she did so she caught sight of the little
post-box Mt the lodge, and was instantly
overwhelmed by one of those sudden
CLEANS of memory which sometimes bring
back trivial act bearing on our present
joys or sorrows. 1t was here, three short
years before, that she had placed in the
box that fatal letter inviting Sylvia to
visit her for month. Why had not some
thing warned her?
Had | but known she said; ..had
but KNOWN And she could almost have
faneied that she held the envelope in her
hand Then, as she thought of her child,
she felt momeutaiy Indignation against
the injustice of life. But suddenly she
exclaimed. mo, it is not triew and as she
hurried towards the station the unhappy
woman continued to do battle with her
own doubts and fears. She comprehended
now her husbands constant absence, his
preoccupied air, and evident anxieties.
As Annie reached the deserted station,
she felt touch ON her hand. 1t was the
old dog, who had followed. The sight of
this one faithful friend, his humble, low
ing caresses, broke down her fortitude.
She knelt upon the frozen ground, and
laying her head on his rough coat, wept
convulsiyely. Suddenly, ashamed of her.
self, she rose, and sent him home again
with an mir SO imperative that the poor
creature obeyed IN All instant.
Annie's first thought on reaching Lon
don, was to go to the jeweller who, her
had said, had sold George the
necklace. If that story were true, the
others would be also. But her fears lest
these details should he confirmed was SO
great that she hardly dared enter the
shop. At first she looked at some orna-
ments in their velvet cases, and as she
bent over them in her elegant dress, by
would have imagined her happy
woman, only anxious to make n becoming
selection, instead of n miserable wife about
to learn truth that would darken her
whole future life. For five minutes she
suffered pangs worse than the sgonies Of
death.
AT last she spoke.
"Ah, yes, madam, perfectly-Mr. Speed.
We can make you one precisely similar for
Il thousand pounds"
..ihanlx YOU" said Annie; II will think
about IT."
A mirror opposite reflected the fIightful
pallor of her face, and she hurried away,
lest she should faint.
She had but one idea-to be alone. Sud-
denly, without knowing how she had
i. 4 IL, I.ol. n. -
tho factory before her. By what read had
she GOMEZ Had she walked3 She never
knew. But the stern reality of her life and
her solrows returned to her as she ascend
ed the broad stone steps of her home.
Florence himself was there, superin-
tending the arrangement of the ornamen-
tai plants in the hall. II was the night
of Sylvia's ball,
This atmosphere of luxury and amuse-
ment pursued her. then, to her own home.
ii was too much, and she lost her temper;
so, when Florence bowed to her with his
usual Difference, she looked him full in the
face, and with an expression Of supreme
contempt passed OH.
From that moment the course she would
take appeared clear to her.
She hastily kissed her child, and then
ran to her mothers room.
MAKE haste, mamma" she cried "hur-
ny, for we are going away"
The old lady rose slowly from her arm
chair, where she had been rubbing her
watch-cham with infinite care Her
daughter restrained her impotence, and
looked round the apartment. and all at
once realized the full extent Of her own
loneliness. Her mothers mind was near
~ gone, her husband faithless, and her
child too young to sympathizc with her.
In moment the whole household was
busy in preparations fm this abrupt de-
parture. Annie. perfectly self-possessed,
directed all their movements. She deter
mined to depart before Georges return. so
that when he came he should be greeted
by vacant home and an empty cradle.
Where should she goi She had not decid-
ed. Perhaps to an aunt at Bris-
little; her first care must simply be to
leave this atmosphere of deceit and
treachery.
As she bent over trunk, each article
that she placed in it seemed to be full of
memories. There is SO much of ourselves
in all the trifies which we see constantly.
Sometimes the perfume of sachet, or the
design on a bit of lace, will bring the tears
to our eyes.
Suddenly heavy step was heard in
the next room, the door of which was
open; then slight cough. She supposed
it was Florence, for he alone had the right
to enter thus unannounced. The idea OF
seeing that hypocritical smile, that lying
face, disturbed her hardly won equanilni-
ty, and she sprang to the door to close it;
but job Denman appeared.
II have come" he said mysteriously,
s'for the money"
"What money!" asked Annie, who had
utterly forgotten why she had gone to
Oaklands.
"Why. the money for to-morrow's pay
ments. Mr.. George told me to come to
you for it,"
"True, true; but have not got It."
"rhen," said the cashier. in low voice,
as If speaking to himself, .'there is nothing
for us but absolute bankruptcy" #
Annie started at this fatal word, and
staggered, half fainting, into chair.
For the last few hours her mind had
been so absorbed in the ruin of her happi-
ness and hopes that she had paid little
heed to the ruin of the firm.
But this bitter recollection overwhelmed
her now. George would return to find his