The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1885-08-21

NON Ad . AANhN NN@~
Won go and leave me whenI-oh, God,
what am l saying
Maud Armitage placed her other
hand in his and stopped forward, gaz-
ing with her beautiful eyes upon his
strained, passion-heated face.
s.You love mt, Carl?" she breathed.
He raised both hands to his lips Ri
ing kisses upon them till they were as
flushed as her cheeks.
"Love you! Great Heavens, /"
The merry laugh of Ellice and the
voices of their friends on the piazza at
this instant startle them both. Maud
turned suddenly to the piano and
struck up d lively air. Carl arose n
lighted the lamps.
Two hours later he lighted a cigar
and wandered mechanically out among
the garden paths. He came to a lit
tie summer-house, and with a sigh en-
tered and sat down on q rustic seat.
His brain was in q whirl; he could not
think clear, and he sank into 4 stupid
reverie.
He was aroused by the sound of a
voice-her voice; it thrilled him all
over like a draught of wine. The
soft rustic of feminine garments paus-
ed near HIM and he heard Maud say:
"Ellice, l shall conquer. If you had
not interrupted us l should have won
his confession tonight. But l know
that he loves me. | told him that l was
going away tomorrow, but l shall
STAY a few DAYS longer now"
lis it worth the while, MaudP"
asked her companion, half %reproach-
fully. You do not love him, and
think how much sorrow you may
cause
mo, I do not love him" returned
the syren. her voice as silvery as ever.
But l have sworn that Lillias Gates
husband shall bow at my feet. When
L haye disgraced him and wounded
her my work is done, and not till
then"
II had hoped you would change
your mind, Maud. 1t is a wicked
thing. You will not prosper"
Maud Armitage laughed one of
those light silvery laughs which had
been so captivating heretofore to
Carleton Leigh, but which sounded
like q mockery TO him now.
''Wicked! What of it? 1t will only
serve him right for being false to 10
fair a wife,"
He heard no more, and for q mo-
ment he was like one striker dead.
Could she be so treacherous and had
he been so vile! Thank Heaven that
he was warned in time. The syren
should not triumph over him; and his
wife, his deeply-injured, dearly-be-
loved wife, should yet be proud of a
husbands devoted love. How would
he not atone for his late infatuation-
the sin of the last few weeks. He felt
as though he could crawl in the dust
to that injured wife's feet and crave
her forgiveness. What had he been
thinking Of? He must have been in
sane.
There was a sudden noise and out
cry at the mansion, the flashing of
lights and the hurrying of feet. Won.
dering what the matter could be,
Carleton Leigh arose and walked
slowly up the path. On the piazza he
came face to face with Janet, the
chambermaid.
"Oh, Master Leigh, poor mistress
is dead entirely. She is lying on the
carpet white as a corpse, and there is
not q breath in ner body"
Carl did not stop to ask any ques-
tons. The btlnched face and wild
eyes of the girl told that she spoke
what she thought the truth; and with
a strange look on his marble face be
sped up stairs to his wife's room.
..Lilliasl Lilliasr' he cried, bending
over the stricken figure that lay so
white and helpless on the floor. "Oh,
Lillias, speak to me-
But the wife answered not, and
though he chafed the chilled hands
and addressed her by a hundred en-
dearing names there was no motion,
no response, till the old family doctor
arrived and tried the potency of his
~restoratives.
.sShe had a shock. Something has
been wearing on her brain and nerves.
said the grave, gray-haired physician.
ssShe IS very i'll, but by the grace of
God she may recover
Save her life, and my fortune is
yours. Only save her.
81 cannot promise. 1t rests with
God. but | shall do my best
After the doctor had gone Ellicc and
Maud came to the door of the dim
chamber and knocked. Carl looked
out.
81 shall not 90 tomorrow, Mr..
Leigh" said Miss Armitage. III will
stay with Ellice and nurse poor Lillias
back to health
He made a fierce, passionate ges.
ture, which, with the black sternness
Of his face, made his visitors recoil.
"Traitress and viper he Kissed,
ssyou are the cause Of this. This house
no longer needs you. Depart with the
morning, and never let me SEQ thy
treacherous face again"
He closed the door In their faces.
Neither had words witk which TO an,
swer him. With the morning they lei