Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1883-08-02

shall be spared all knowledge of it at
any cost
She turned away from him, faint with
a greater terror than any he realized,
troubled as he was for Dana's sake.
Mr.. ELEPHANTS letter was written and
sent, but Harmon Quest passed it on his
way to Shoreden. He arrived by a late
train that same night, took a room at
the hotel, dressed with scrupulous care
the next morning, and was lounging
about the corridors when the 0liphant
carriage was announced for Mr.. killuth.
MIR. killuth appeared, and was accosted
deferentialiy by the waiting lawyer.
Il hear, sir, that you are bound for
the cottage-my destination also. Allow
me to Introduce myself as Mr.. Oil
plants man of business. Quest, and if
you can accommodate me with a seat =
with the accent of Interrogation wind
ing up the sentence.
He was accommodated. and those
two arriving together gave shock to
Mrs. Oliphant. She was standing by Il
window looking through glass out
over the blue sea which lay dimpling
and sparkling under. the morning SUM
Tiny pleasure-boats, with sails all set,
were skimming over it: coasting-
schooner was crawling across the dis
tant horizon, but the yacht, which lad
been driven in by the rough weather,
still lay ut anchor within the cove.
There was stir on deck. wOrkmen
seemed t0., be repairing some damage
Sustained. and d young man in sailor
costume stood by overlooking their
movements. 1t was upon the young
man that Mrs. Oliphant concentrated
her wandering chances, and a little flush
of actual pleasure sprang into her pale
cheeks. 1870
"Surely it is-yes it is Gordon Mar
quis," she murmured. and was turning
to impart that news when the carriage
drew up on the drive, and the two men
whom She feared alighted together
Mr.. O!iphant. appro;1ching across the
lawn to welcome his guest, started a lit
tie at seeing the lawyer. Manlike, he
wanted to face the crisis and have it
over. 1t is onl y women who can endure
the torture of suspense, whose nerves
may be stretched upon the rack, but
who will cover .their agony and bear it
unfortunately rather than risk q final
blow.
."Bacl1 again. Harmon?' he greeted
him. rather stif1ly.s just in time; am
most anxious TO see you. Go to my
study and | will join you as soon as [
am at liberty. You can pay your re-
Spects to the ladies afterward, if you
like seeing Mr.. Quests chances wan
dering toward the group visible III the
open window.
Mrs 0liphant overheard the words.
Her welcome to Mr.. killuth was only
mechanical. She knew that in Il few
minutes more her husband would ex-
cuse himself and withdraw from the
room. His eyes rested upon her fond
ly, encoura"ingly. Would he ever look
at her like that again, she wondered.
1t seemed to her that she must scream,
must break the horrible quiet in some
way: but she sat perfectly, unnaturally
still, drawing one hard breath when
Power passed out.
But he did not 90 directly to the
study. The gardener had appeared for
instructions, and he went out with him
upon the lawn. He stood there bare
headed, the sun shining down upon him,
tall. vigorous and erect. q picture in her
eyes of a brave and kindly gentleman:
the noblest, the truest, the most dearly
beloved being the whole wide. earth
held. The look which Madame Far
| rington had detected in her eyes was
there now. Would she ever see him
like that again? She would give her
Very life if it would save him from the
blow which she felt was about to fall.
To save him Fob, if she could-if She
could!
Mr. KiIlulrwas in animated CONVEX
sation with Madame Harrington, the
young people weresstill grouped by. the
opposite window. Miss Power was no.
where to be seen. No one would miss
her for five minutes no one noticed
when she rose suddenly and GLUED from
the room ga y p =
Another moment and size was facing
Harmon Quest in the study.
:. Have You come TO bctray me?'
He started. he had not heard her
enter, and looked up to see her standing
before him. white, desperate. with SOM
Der. haunting eyes looking him through.
:. Mrs. Oliphant"'
.. | ask, have you come to betray me?
! There is no need of masking Your ptlr-
! pose if YOU have. | have known for
| two months that YOU held the secret
which ruins me. What inducemcEt can
l offer YOU to kecp~it from my husbands
| 1t would kill him to know it, kill him, l
believe. outright. ! don't expect that
consideration to weigh with you. Tell
! me what will. :. a
9. | failtotaderstaBd,n he was begin
ming. but she cut him short.
You do not. Shall l acknowledge
my seff'to be-" -, p
"Hush!" he interrupted her peremp-
torily. ''You are anxious to betray
yourself. L should say, by these open
Windows. Acknowledge nothing while
there is an opportunity for eavesdrop-
pers athand' He shut il out as he
spoke THE value of a secret is al
ways diminished by telling it. my dear
lady. and l am not ready at a mo-
ment's notice to put valuation on
| yours
Then you mean to betray me-"
! She said it quietly, but with unalter-
| BILE conviction. unutterable despair.
Mrs. Ohphant. Edo mealto betray
you. Not to-day. however. Not even
| tomorrow, perhaps or for many to-