Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-12-28
where you belong. Speak, Minnie, for l

where you belong. Speak, Minnie, for ]
love you"
My brain became confused, for it was
/ very hard for me 10 know how to clear
Eugene. A little wOvd from my lips care
lesslY dropped might but add fuel to the
| fires Of scandal that were burning upon
human tongues. While praying inward
/ Iy for wisdom to speak l felt the hot blood
mounting to my face, and my companion
| took the glow for shameful blushing.
Deeper and deeper rose the waves about
me. l trusted him, that was all the proof
l could give, and never was it stronger
| than at the moment when looked bravely
| into her face and said:
My husband told me in this room be-
| fore we were married, before yielded to
his offer of marriage, that there was a
! mystery connected with his family that
he could not explain; he never deceived
me, and trust him. No vile SANDER shall
separate us while know him to be good
and NOBLE"
How do you know this, poor girl?
Have not others as fond and blind as you
been made the tool OF a designing
wretchT'
1t made my blood boil to hear her sug-
gestions.
''How cruel in you to try to weaken my
confidence in the only heart that beats
true for me on earth"
l rose and stood before her with my
hands wrung together. L was suffering
terrible fear.
The poisonous breath from wicked,
slanderous lips swept across my young
heart ard was scOrching into it cruelty.
What if it were true that Eugene was
monster of iniquity? 1t might be.
might be a poor, blind dupe. Not one
single proof of his innocence could ] find
to bring out in triumph to the light.
my face, for Mrs. Sears seemed to seize
atresh upon the hope of rescuing me from
some unknown and terrible fate.
There are many true and noble hearts
| that love you and long to receive you.
! All you have to do is to return to your
fathers house which your flight has left
| desolate. Do hear me, and come back to
! us once more. The same society that
shuns you now will approve your return
| to your father and to righteous lite."
'Righteousw L cried, Indignantly.
"Who dares accuse me of living I'M
righteously? Who dares to lure me into
breaking my marriage vOwsW
''Alasp' echoed Mrs. So"~. ssoo,, Won
prove that yours weIs a marriage? win
you declare nat the person whom you
I@% uP-h the turrets was not his wife
! e ever saw yOu~
+ My unwary tongue had played me false
at last, and made me expose the scene
which had been overheard and told to our
| ruin.
"How did you know of my seeing any
one there?" l asked, in utter amaze
! ment.
| - servant heard your scream, and was
in the ba1' while your own words con-
irmed what you LAD seen: The story has
spread like wildfre, a" no lnere are Tui E1
Of party being formed to 70 anu loIc c
| this impOstor to leave and resto4 you "
! your friends"
They shall nOt-nO! by my life they
shall never divide usv' l cried out, while
| tremOrs shook my whole frame.
My one thought was to return to the
loved shelter of my husbands arms. To
be with him in the darkest hours; to shield
him with my poor love, even in Danish
ment if need be. l tried to calm myself
so as to walk, and started towards the
door tottering at every step.
''Stay! stay!" entreated Mrs. Sears,
holding me back.
turned and looked at her, saying:
''Why did l come? Obi twas to get
you to accompany me on a shopping tour.
Perhaps you will not like to go now"
L could be scOrnful even then to her who
was my Eugene's enemy.
500 not go about the city, ! entreat
YOU" she cried. There is a person here
now who comes from Louisiana who says
he knows your-Mr. Williams family. Mr..
Sears met him ansl says he looks like d
dangerous man. He was begging Mr..
Sears to contrive plan for him to aseet
you. He VIII stop you perhaps upon She
street. If you do not wish to hear bis
sSOry and will cling to that suspicious
character whom you call husband, do go
quietly back and let no one stop yOa.
OIL - 4
yOEr living to bear this shame! l feel as
if it were my own, for you were once
ours"
She sank back upon the sofa and was
sO5bing bitterly.
NY heart did not soften, nor did l want
for any more of her words. My steps
grew irmer as l passed'ou and entered
the carriage.
'DriYe me back to Strassmere, . 1 order
ed, in low tones, and drew a heavy veil
over my face lest the driver once called
faithful should turn ana sean my agitated
face.
All! was all the world turning against
US. Eugene and /. who would SO gladly
have been at peace with all the world?
My agony increased every moment of the
way. and NY agitation grew so uncOntrOl-
able that when we passed through the
lawn gate leading to our nome called to
the driver to stop. | dared not meet
Eugene thus-it seemed to me, that in
the cool woods l might hide for awhile
and regain some degree of calmness.
Eugene was to have spent the morning
in one of the far-Of vineyards and would
not return for some hours yet. No one
else had any right to question my move
ments, so l babe the driver go on, telling
him l would walk. He had often known
me to do the same thing and showed no
astonisament on this occasion. plunged
at once into the heart Of the murmuring
pine woods. Nowhere else could / find
the same sweet soothing influences that
were SO powerful to me fer good. The
glistening dry straw was in thick beds
here and there where my own hands had
heaped it, and where it was my custom to
come when happy. Now, when almost
wild with cOntending fears, it was to me
a haven, With my hat thrown by and
my face dOwnwards and buried IN my
hands | lay PROSTATE, my low means los
ing themselves among the wind voices in
the tree-tOps. What passed within my
inmost soul during those moments is sa-
cred. The veil shall never be lifted that
hid me and my grief from mortal eyes.
All! what did say? Was it not indeed
cruelty false that no mortal was near?
There in the peace of the pure forest
wicked man had found me. Something
indefinable warned me of a dread pres
ence anu lOOk6u ups n lOW SCIcdlu
burst from me, for there, only few feet
off, was young man leaning upon rifle
with eyes fixed upon me. The fierce de-
termination expressed in those pale-blue,
blcodshot eyes would have made strong
er heart than mine quake. | started off
with a step fleet as the deer's, but he fol-
lowed as fleetly and caught me, not fierce
", but with a grasp upon my arm that it
would have been in vain to resist with my
frail strength. My terror was too in
tense for me to struggle or even cry out,
but surely even his ear must have been
alive to the wild thrObs of my heart.
Il will not hurt you, Mrs. Williams;
only do me favor and l Will serve yOu;'
here with a desperate oath he told me
that my husband and family were in dan
germ danger of being in the hands Of
men who deal justly with crimes hidden
from the law.
"RegulatOrsl madame, they know how
how to settle such men as live up
there" His finger pointed to the white
walls Of Strassmere-lOVely, pure Strass-
mere!
l would not stain my lips by replying
to such a wretch's calumnies, but grew
holder and caImer, too, for an inward up
lifting of the heart gave me. strength to
bear bravely.
s'Now," said he, as if pleased to see me
Quieter, Il see that you will not be mad
enough to deny the truth. You know
there is guilt up yonder. VIII you save
your husband and his mother from the
public? No answerl Well, 1 can tell