Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1884-05-17


ing man, with one,of those mysteriously
handsome faces which inspire all school
girls with the idea that there must be
some secret chapter in his life. But he
made himself very agreeable, and Miss
Endocia began to relent in her opinion
! OF him.
The next day she was beginning an
elaborate piece of worsted work in the
pink-and. silver drawing-room, when the
maid knocked at the deor.
"Pleasc, ma'am," said Phebe, in a
pcrturbed manner, 'she will come in !
And she won't send up her cardl And
she won't wait in the little green rccep-
tion room for [me to go up to my mis-.
,rcss! And please, ma'am, here she is
OH the stairs now!'
"phebe," said Miss Eamcs, "what on
earth do you mean 2"
AT the same minute Ethel North came
softly in from an opposite door, and
found herself faced by tall apparition
III black, with dusty Grape veil, hag-
gard eyes, and hair originally black as
ravens wing, but now thickly streaked
with silver.
"Ah y said she, as Ethel looked at
her with surprised blue eyes, $50 it's
you, is it, that have married my hus-
band?"
'Married your husbands"
Ethel could only gasp out the words
after her in breathlcss amazement.
Yes = uttered the other woman,
with a chuckle of malicious satisfaction.
"But don't think that you are to keep
him, in spite of your blue eyes, and
yellow hair. and pretty pink cheeks. 1
was pretty once, in the days that are
past. / have the first right to him, and
l mean to have him. I've followed him
half over the world, and I've traced him
ont at last. Where is he? I say, where
is he?"
Ethel looked at Miss Eudocia, and
shrank behind her like a frightened
deer.
'He is in the city," said Miss Eudo-
cia, bewildered and hesitating. "Hc
has not returned yet"
"'Then here / wait until he does re-
turn, said the woman, seating herself
upon one of the pink damask chairs.
eyes, you may we'll stare at my rags;
but it is his fault. He can dress you,
you pitiful doll-faced thing" with jerk
of her bead toward Ethel, Gin silks and
jewels, while I am shabby and neglected.
But never mind; we shall see what the
law says to this. A man can't have
two wives. I'll wait-yes, I'll wait"
She laughed derisively as she spoke.
Ethel caught at Miss Eudocia's hand
ooh, come away y she faltered, with
trembling voice and changing color. 81
i am afraid of that woman"
And together they took refuge in the
library beyond, locking the door to bal
themselves efTectually from all intru-
sion.
Miss Eudocia," whispered Ethel, as
pale as ghost, "what does it mean?"
'It means, my poor child, that you
havo been che ated and deceived !!
groancd Miss Eudocia. Didn't / tell
YOU so? Didn't l say you would live
to regret your rash precipitancy? Oh,
Ethel, never liked that mans face!
always know that there was a dark mys-
terry in his life
What shall 4 do? Oh, dear ! what
can 1 do?" gasped Ethel; and Miss
Eudocia could feel that her hands were
as cold rs ice.
"Get your things + said the old maid.
Come homo with me ! Leave him for
ever Y
"But love him = walled Ethel.
"More fool, you = cried Miss Eudocia,
fairly losing patience. "What ! after
he has trifed with you-deceived you
l,lighted your whole life? Come home
with me, l say Don't let him gloai
over the ruin he has wrought !"
But even as Miss Eudocia pleaded
with the young wife, who sat there pale
and dropping as broken lily, the blinds
Of the open window back Of them were
cautiously raised and rubicund face
looked IL.
Ladies', said the owner Of the rubi
,und face, in a whisper, don't b
alarmed. There amt no occasion. BuI
Is she here p
"Who 2" exclaimed Miss Eudccia, wht
was The first to recover her self-posses
sion.
Mrs. Nokes! Escaped from tn.
Private Lunatic Asylum, three mile!
down the river. this evening" Tall lady
in black. Talks about her husband, Al
she thinks is married to another wo
rlaa.'
Yes" cried Ethel, sprinsing TO he