Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-08-03

| CIVIL, punctuaI air, as II he habitually met
a good many gentlemen in the course Of
business, and though naturally ibis was
not ei1sss s SCI CT occasion ne was not man
to waste time in preliminaries. Benyon
had Immediately the impression Of having
seen him-or his equiYalent-a thousand
| times before. He was middle-aged, fresh
colored, whiskered, prosperous, indef
mite. Georgina introduced them to each
bother. She spoke of Benyon as an old
friend whom she had known long before
she had known Mr.. Roy, who had been
very kind to her years ago, when she was
a girl.
back from a long cruise"
Mr.. Roy shook hands-Benyon gave him
his before he knew it-said he was very
| happy, smiled, looked at BenyOn from head
to foot, then at Georgina, then round the
room, then back at Benyon again-at Ben
yon, who stood there, without sound or
| movement, with a dilated eye, and a
| pulse quickened to a degree OF which Mr..
Roy could have little idea. Georgina
/ made some remark about their sitting
down, but William Roy replied that he
hadn't time for that-if Capt. Benyon
would excuse him. He should have to 90
straight into the library, and write note
to send back to his office, where. as he
just remembered, he had neglected to give,
in leaving the place, an important direc-
ton.
You can wait a moment, surelY,'
Georgina said, "Capt. Benyon wants so
| much to see you.1
sob, yes, my dear; can wait minute,
| and | can come back"
/ Benyon saw, accordingly, that he was
| waiting, and that GeOrgina was waiting,
too. Each was waiting for him to say
something, though they were waiting for
different things. Mr.. Roy put his hands
| behind him, balanced himself on his toes
hoped that Capt. Benyon had enjoyed his
| cruise-thOugh he shouldn't care much
for the navy himself-and evidently won
dered at the stolidity of his wife's visitor.
BenyOn knew he was speaking, for he in
| dulged in two or three more observations,
| after which he stopped. But his meaning
/ was not present to our hero. This person.
/ age was conscious of only one thing, of
/ his own momentary power-Of everything
! that hung on his lips; all the rest swan
| before him; there was yagueness in his |
! ears and eyes. Mr.. Roy stopped, as say, I
and there was pause, which seemed to |
! Benyon of tremendous length. He knew, /
while 1t lasted, that GeOrgina was as con- /
sciOus as himself that he felt his opportu- /
nifty, that he held it there in his hand, |
weighing it n0iselessly in the palm, |
and that she braved and scorned or, /
rather, that she enjoyed the dan I
ger. He asked himself whether he should I
be able to speak if he were to try; and
then he knew that he should nOt-that the
words would stick in his throat, that he
should make sounds that would dishonor
his cause. There was no real choice or
decision, then, on BenyOn's part: his
silence was after all the same old silence
the fruit Of other hours and places, the
stiffness to which GeorgIna listened,
While he felt ner eager eyes fairly eat into
his face, so that his cheeks burned with
the touch Of them. The moments stood be-
favsfa Al,FaSs- Ev4,r IL.
tinct "Ah, WELL" said Mr.. Roy. "perhaps |
| interrupt-Pl just dash off my note"
BenYOn knew that he was rather bewiId-
cred, that he was making a protest, that
he was leaving the room; knew presently
that Georgina again stood before him
alone.
''You are exactly the man l thought
YOU" she announced, as joyously as if
she had won a bet.
"YOu are the most horrible woman |
can imagine. Good God if l had had to
live with yOu" That is what he said to
her in answer.
Even at this she never flushed; she con-
tinued to smile in triumph. ''He adOres
me-but what's that to you. OF course
you. have all the future" she went on:
'but know you as if l had made yoU -
Benyon reflected a moment. ST he
adores you, you are all right. If our di-
Y0rce is pronounced, you will be free, and
properly.
he would like ever so much better.''
cts too touching to hear you reason
about it. Fancy me telling such hide
GUS stOry-abOut myself-me-lReW And
she touched her breasts with her white
fingers.
Benyon gave her a look that was
charged with all the sickness Of his help
less rage. ''You-y0ah7 he repeated, as
he turned away from her and passed !
through the door which Mr.. Roy had left
open.
She followed him into the hall, she was
close behind him; he moved before her as
she pressed. "There was one more rea-
son." she said. 81 wouldn't be forbid
den. 1t was my hideous pride. That's
what prevents me now"
Il don't care what it is" Kenyon an
swered YEARLY, with his hand on the
knob of the door.
She laid hers on his shoulder; he stood
there an instant feeling it, wishing that
her lOathsome touch gave him the right
to strike her to the earth-to strike her
so that she should never rise again.
Chow clever you are, and Intelligent
always-as you used to be; to feel so per- =
fectly and know so well-withOut more
scenes-that it's hOpeless-Iny ever con-
senting! If have-wIth you-the shame
of having made you promise, let me at
least have the proft!''
His back had been turned to her, but at !
this he glanced round. ''To hear you talk
of shame"
ssYou don't know what I have gone
through; but, of course, | don't ask any
pity from you. Only | should like to say
something kind to you before we part. |
admire you. Who Will ever tell her, if
you don't? How will she ever know,
then? She will be as safe as | am. You
know what that IS" said Georgina,
smiling.
He had opened the door while she spoke,
apparently not needing her, thinking only
of getting away from her forever. In
reality he heard every word she said, and
felt to bis marrow the lowered suggestive
tone in which she made him that lastrec-
ommendatiOn. Outside, on the steps
she stood there in the dOorway-he gave
her his last look. 81 only hope you will
die. l shall pray for thatW And he de-
seconded into the street and took his way.
1t was after this that his real tempta-
ton came. Not the temptation to return
betrayal for betrayal; that passed away
even in a few days, for he simply knew
that he couldn't break his promise, that
it imposed itself on him as stubbOrnly as
the color of his eyes or the stammer of
his life; it had gone forth into the world
to live for itself, and was far beyond his
reach or his authority. But the tempta
tiOn to 20 through the form Of a marriage !
with Kate Theory, to let her suppose that
he was as free as herself and that their
children, if they should have any, would,
before the law, have right to eXist-this
attractive idea held him fast for many
weeks, and caused him to pass some bag
gard nights and days. 1t was perfectly
possible she might learn his secret, and
that, as no one could either suspect it or
have an interest in bringing it to light,
they both might live and die III security
and honor. This vision fascinated him;
it was, l say, real temptation. He
thought of other solutIons-Of telling her
that he was married without telling her I
to whom) and inducing her to overlook
such an accident, and content herself
with ceremony in which the world
would see 10 flaw. But after all the con-
tortions of his spirit it remained as clear
to him as before that dishonor was in I
everything but remuneration. So, at last,
he renowned. He took two steps which
attested this act to himself. He addressed
an urgent request to the Secretary Of the
Navy that he might, with as little delay
as possible, be dispatched on another
long voyage; and he returned to Boston
to tell Kate Theory that they must wait.