Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1885-12-12
ago with a tall gentleman.
(which wavfi

q Know, sir. 1SaW them bail q cab
and drive of. Ididn't notice in which d.
lection they VENT
Why In the world should they have taken
q cab when tho brougham was aTEthe door!
was very cross at the thought of Vlola's
driving about London in a cab with Eustace
Grant; but, as the %brougham was still wait.
ing at No SO, it was clear that they meant
to return. After all, tho hest thing l could
do was to wait. As vet, not a thought OF
the truth had ventured to invade my brain.
So I waited on tbs pavement outside Mr..
Monks Office for at least an hour longer.
Sull no sign, of my wife. grew nervous
and anxious Surely some accid ,nt must
have MISUNDERSTANDING that obliged her
to go straight to the hotel. But even then
Grant would nave coma to let me know 1t,
s Ill not a thought Of the dreadful TRUTH
But where could she bsf
Jumped into the b%rougham, and drove to
the hotel. No; Mrs. Lorraine was not there,
/ drove to Miss Rossiter's. Viola had
Leen there in the morning, but had left
about 1880 o'clock. Ibid not ses Miss Ros-
sitter, who, I was sorry to hear, was Ill in
bed. As a last resource, I drove to Grants
house and asked for HIM. He was out.
Had not been home since the morning.
Quite uncertain when he would return.
It was nov past 8 o'clock. Anxious and
annoyed, could do nothing but go back ia
the ho.el and wait my wife's return. Still
not a thought OF the truth.
ing passing from the hotel to Miss Rossitsr's
from there to Cranes lodgings, and from
Grants lodgings back to the motel. Only
at one OF the three places could I hone ia
find tidings of Viola. Repeatedly as I had
called, it was not until nearly II o'clock
that I found Eustace Gre ut at home,
But b., now l was in q different mood.
Shall ] b blamed for Saying that this long
and unexplained absel CO Of Violass in ccm.
PAN, 1t seemed, with Grant, brought a hor
riblu dread which y scarcely darea ia
breathe to MYSELF The news chat GRAFT
was at last at home lifted a weight from my
heart. He would b., able to tell me when
and where he parted with Viola. No doubt
no bad a message for me which would clear
up everything.
But alth nugh Mr.. Grant was at home,
the servant informed me that he would $50
no one tonight. l made no comment on
this denial Isimply forced the door open,
and, putting the frightened servant aside,
strobe through the hall and entered tina
sitting room in which Grant had, on the
light when I first met him, interro,atei
lie. 1t was empty. l threw myself into
a chair, and waited until some one made
Inv presence known to ths man whom I was
bent upon seeing.
No doubt he heard the noise of my forcible
entrance. In a minute the folding door,
which, as is often the case in lodgings,
divided the sitting-room from thu bedroom,
opened, and Eustace Grant appeared. As
lie did so caught a glimpse Of the bed
room from which he emerged. An open
Portmanteau, apparently hall PACKED, was
lying on the bed, and there ware other evi
dences of preparation for a journey.
Grant advanced toward me, but he male
no pretense Of greeting me. lie neither
offered his larl nor baie me good evening.
1rose and faced him.
be was pale, almost CHASTITY pale. His
brows were bent, and a slight twitch of the
nostrll told me he was suffering from some
great, though suppressed, emotion. Hs
looked at me hauShtily and angrily; but
whatsoever he had whore with to reproach
himself, there was neither fear nor triumph
IN his gaze. lluokel at him and wondered
but l felt certain that ho knew all about
Viola's absence.
Still, as that absence mi yht even now bo
satisfactorily explained, I resolved that I
would not, by evincing premature distrust
or suspicion, let this man triumph over me
30 l spoke with forced composure:
"Mr. Grant, l have missed my vito
somewhere. Can you give mo tidings Of
herr"
~ cannot" he replied, col1ly.
Where did YOU part with her2 You left
Mr.. Monks with her in a cab. Where did
You leave hsrl'
II cannot tell you, Mr.. Lorraine"
DO you mean that you are ignorant OF
her whereabouts N
"You have had my answer
My blood boilel. you mean YOU will
not dare not tell me, you utter villainl"
cried. II will know, or I will kill your
Thu table was between us, Or I should
have sprung at his throat.
Il care nothing for your threats, Mr.. 10
ralne,' he said, with. calling contempt.
wherever Mrs.. Lorraine may be, she is
there Of her WI freq choice."
She is herein this house with your
exclaimed.
"LooS for her-search every cupboard
and Granny. | will ring; YOU shall be con,
ductei over the whole building. Make 1t
public property that you ara a Jealous hu,.
band looking for a faithles wife. No; thai
b not he done, for her sake. Wherever
she is. she Is not here"
He spoke as if expecting me to believe
him. Strange to say, I did believe him, Th:
thought that bis house would BE- the las,
place in which he would hide Viola from
nv search, nc doubt conduced to thus BE-
LEI. But now ! could no longer doubt the
horrible truth This man. by some develist
craft, had torn my wife from me-had
taken away the woman who, a few hours
age. pressed a Judas kiss on my lips, ever
us she was going to ms.t her lover.
STAY! perhaps he had killed her, Suct
things have been done before now by NOR
who fail to win the woman they love. Per
maps he had decoyed her away, and was de
tanning her against her will. Even nov
she might he longing for me to come and
free her.
All these thou hts whirlei through my
brain, and for a moment unnamed me-. /
SANG upon a chait, cold and trembling III
every limb. Grant stool like a statue ,nuiI
recovered myself.
You vilain!' 1 gaspel. 81 will know
l will see her! Tell lii, where she isl"
He leaned forward. He looked at m,
sternly.
"L,stenr' be said. in a fierce voice. sIl
this room l said to you, Take her, aud
make her happy Have you done soY'
l laughed wildly. ''If being willing to
she'd ones blool for her eau make a false
woman happ7, she should have been happy.
Does she expect to find bliss in a lie Of
shame with youT
His eyes blazei. you had better eol'
he said. Go at oncer'
I laughed mockiugly. Now that I had
lost all hope; now that my one desire wa:
vengeance l could speak calmly.
u shall stay here" | said, until you
leave to iOiu her shall follow and Nv