Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-06-15
SCENE II.

JILL IAON dIt 14diuD DIOugub 10 us ClOS6
letter, sitting in the reading-roOm of q
hotel in the city at the western seagate
Sundry influences had delayed its compile.
ton; he had but just come to the end OF
his trans-continental trip; certain sense
of freedom and citation was still new
enough to intoXicate him, heart and brain
he could not put out of his mind his sen.
satiOn, when, crossing the bay from the
train, he first caught sight of the city
looming ahead like some mighty monster
in bronze. And an acquaintance he had
made had restrained him for a time.
He was but just putting pen to paper
when he was greeted by a fellow journal
ist, who presently introduced Mr.. Lamb
to man sitting near; man whose name
stands historic in the records of the State,
whose position and great wealth might
have commanded the younger mans at
tention. Beyond these his interest had
been won by the mellow wisdom and gen.
tie shrewdness of this quiet, kindly po-
tentate, who, as per the Pacific journal
lists dictum, "owned half a county"
Even now, despite the vital interest OF
the lines he was writing, Mr.. Lamb found
his mind and his eyes straying toward his
neighbor. The fine, small head, venerable
with its scant, white hair and flowing
gray beard, was in relief against the wall
that threw up all its wholesome freshness
and calm benevolence. Mr.. Lamb found
a sort of fascination in this contempla-
ton, and divided his attention pretty
equally between the gentleman and the
letter.
AS he folded the sheet he lifted his ewes
toward the general staircase; coming
down from the floor above was the woman
he was addressing.
Self-possessed and easily poised, she
came toward him with the old free step
and the old impenetrable challenge on
brow and lip-a little warmer of tint, a
little brighter of eye than when they part
ed. 1t was only when she had come very
close to him that he noted the exceeding
richness of her attire, worn with the same
careless grace as the old-time flannel.
"She does become fine raimentr his
thought exulted, land yet she would not
seem eRdinldnchee in cloth of gold"
She paused beside his chair and looked
straight into his kindling, deep blue eyes
with her own unwayerlng gaze.
"To think | meet you here" he said; 81
was sending you a letter to FL Paraiso-
see! Take tread it now! Incoherent
as it is, it will speak as my lips cannot"
He put the paper into her reluctant
hand.
81 would better not read it, l think, ?
she said, gently; ''let me explain first
W
she read slowly down the page:
1t was year since l have heard one
word of you the letter ran, with that alb
rupt beginning which signifies absolute
absorption when Ledyard, writing, men,
toned casually that in passing through
Ell Paradise he had met you there. The
next day | started West again. | am
here, but dare not go farther until l send
in advance my eXplanatiOn-nOt an eX-
cuse, mind-for what seemed a cruel and
cowardly retreat when we parted out yon-
der-you remember the bleak and hopeless
day. The fight l fought that afternoon
has disabled me ever since, but also it has
strengthened me. Can you understand
that? No; no woman can understand
what it meant to have you there before
my eyes, within reach of my arms. and to
leave you. To know your sOrdid surround
ings, to hear of your priYations, to see YOU
beating your wings against your prison
bars and to know that the pleasures and
luxuries l would have heaped upon you
/ must render in unwilling tribute to a
woman / abhorred. You do not know
no one on this side knew-that had a
wife. l married her in London when
l was just of age. She was an hon
est wo-I would have divorced her else,
but her coarse ana vulgar nature made
my life a hell. l gave up everything to
her and came over to New York. She was
nestled in luxury and you were in actual
wantl Now you understand the tempta-
ton battled with out yonder. had a
wild dream of carrying you away with
me. How you would have reigned little
queen in the bright and careless set j
knew just as that wonderful adapta-
bility will make you now the most finished
and gracious of grGRdes danes. had a
letter from her in my hand that day and
burned it in your cedar fire when thought
to do you that wrong. But then the look
on your face drove back my words, thank
God! and l can offer you now guIltless
future, for the woman who was my wife
is dead. l am following this letter to-
morrow. Faithfully yours,
EDWARD LAMB.
She had grown very pale. She looked
up with gasp, one hand on her heart.
Before Mr.. Lamb could speak, could touch
her, the gray-haired man he had been
watching had come TO her side.
''W hat is it, MadelOn? %
No voice of youth ever had half the ten
derness Of that old mans tone.
She made brave attempt to smile in
reinsurance.
cit was foolish-I am a little nervous
to-day perhaps -and-Mr. Lamb has given
me, in this letter, i'll news of an old friend.
will go away and rest little from the
shock. But first let me ntroduce-What,
Mr.. Lamb? Have you already met-my
husbandY'-Sd francisco ATgORdut,
Apru 26.