The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-08-13
with you-but 70. 1t is beyond be-

lief
..Papa!' she said. quietly enough.
'.What Is It? There is nothing to be
alarmed at in this brief delay. Some
thing has prevented him from writing.
| | shall hear tomorrow.
Il am not eager to suspect him, .
said the actor, walking up and down
the room with disordered step. ''But
if he has played you false, it were bet
ter for him that his mother had not
borne him.
You know something's she began
mo. You know nothing against Jack.
l am not at all alarmed about him. l
shall hear tomorrow.
ut would be false mercy to shield
you from the truth, my child" said her
father, pausing in his walk, and regard
| ing her with terrOr-stricken face. Il
have ,ried TO doubt it, but it is beyond
doubt"
Mr.. Montgomery Bassett was IN
/ doubleday, unless all his critical con-
temporaries lied or were mistaken, a fine
actor; but neither he nor any actor that
ever trod the boards could have acted
, the face and voice with which he spoke.
He knew that well enough, and he
trembled lest his child should read him.
What Is it?' she asked, dehantly.
Tell me-
What is it?' he cried. turning his
miserable white face upon her. He is
hound, a scoundrel He has abused
YOUR faith He is here in Southamp-
ton nowhere in the town-visiting the
woman to whom he will be married in
a fortnight-if he lives so longr'
The girls face was as white as his,
but she answered quietly:
"You have been deceived. l don't
believe it, papa. l refuse to think
about it. l won't dishonor him, and
won't dishOnor myself, by thinking of
it seriously for a second" Her own
denial gave her conference.-the very
sound of her own voice Guieted and for
titled her. Poor, dear papa" she
said, standing on tpIoe to embrace
him, and speaking with half-gay pity
now that she was so sure at heart
again. Il can see how much you have
been troubled by this silly tale"
MY poor child" he answered.
ghastlier than ever now. My poor
child"
He sank into a chair and shed real
tears. What with whisky and that
stale, fiogged passion of his business,
and her tenderness. and his remorSeS
and pretenses, he was all unstrung.
and as he wept he did half feel a rising
rage against Jack Cameron, and a pity
for his own child, as if the lie had all
been gospel truth. a mere common
liar could not have risen to this height
of mendacity. Poets reach such a
stage in the pursuance of their craft
sometimes. and Mr.. Bassett had spent
his life in the stimulation and the prac-
tice of the emotions.
His tears shook her faith, and she be-
gan to cling to him, half in pity and
half in terror lest the dreadful story
should be true. He took her head to
his breast so that she might not
see his face, and she felt the sobS
that shook him. 1t broke upon her
then that it vast must be beyond a
doubt in his mind, or he would not be
so moved. But then the loyalty of her
own heart rose in rebellion at the shame
full story. She recalled her lovers
kisses; she saw the laughing, tender
light in his honest eyes-surely his eyes
were honest-she felt his strong, manly
arm about her waist; her head lay again
upon his shoulder Girls remember
these things when lovers prove false,
and for some moments they can find
no belief in falschOod, and the past is
back again, and the vows are true.
mo, no, no." her heart cried ont to
her: she can not be false" And then,
with sickening revulsion: lit must
be true, and no faith or hope of mine
can cure it." And the poor thing, with
her head lying over that Judas heart,
began to cry passionately and terribly,
while the hands that had opened her
letter caressed her and the lying voice
tried 10 soothe her.
When at last she lifted her piteous
face and looked at him, pang went
through him. But there was no going
back. and he had his part to play.
You won't think about him, my
darling" he said, with real tenderness
and pity. His remorse began TO burn
him like a fire, and yet he had laid it
upon himself to lie, and to break his
child's heart for greed. and there was
no way ont of it. You won fret about
him.
IF this is true" she said, standing
erect before him, and wrnging her dis
ordered hair backward with both hands,
Don't have any fear of me, papa. l
shall not break my heart for any male
flirt of them all. Goodnight, dear"
She kissed him vehemently, with no
doubt of him. Il have YOU left, papa, ="
she said, sobbing. Goodnight. dear. "
The tragedian sat alone an hour later,
and the decanter was empty before he
left it.
she bears it pluckily," he muir
INJURED, somewhat thickly. And it is
all for her good, and she will marry
young WeaiherIey now to show the other
fellow that she doesn't care for his de-
sertion. He will make her very good
husband, and she will have everything
that heart can wish for.
Mr.. Bassett arose with a headache
next day, but his daughter did not rise.
He had no great appetite for breakfast,
and he waited her coming for u long
time. At last he sent the landiady to
arouse her, and the woman, after few
minutes absence, came down with
frightened looks and ran into the Sit
ting-room. with no preliminary knock.
''AIiss Bassett is i'll, sill" she said.
"Come and look at her " The tragedan
pushed past her. and ran upstairs to his
daughters room.
Mary was sitting upright in bed, with
her brown hair about her shoulders.
Her eyes were amazingly bright and
restless, her face was flushed, and she
was talking nonsense volubly.
whats the natter" cried the ter
rOr-Sfr.ioEa father