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

you 60 and leave me whenI--oh' Cod
what am / saying P"
Maud Armitage placed her other
! hand ia his and stopped forward, 2az-
ing with her beautiful eyes upon his
strained, passion-heated face.
"You love me, Carl?'' she breathed.
lie raised both hands to his lips ram
ing kisses upon them till they were as
flushed as her cheeks.
"Love you! Great Heavens, i
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 a lively air. Carl arose and
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 a whirl; he could not
think clear, and he sank into a 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 neal 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 l told him that I was
going away tomorrow, but / shall
stay a few days longer now"
SIS 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, l do not love him." returned
the syren. her voice as s;!C"sy p ever
::But / 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
1lhC IL hJOChGlN W ulA hONs
"Wickedl What of it? 1t will only
serve him right for being false to so
fair a wifeH'
He heard no more, and for a mo-
ment he was like one striken 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 OFF 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 IS a corpse, and there is
not a breath in her body
Carl did not stop to ask any Ques-
tons. The blanched 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 he
sped up stairs to his wife's room.
.'Lillias! Lillias!n 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
re~storatives.
.'She had a shock. Something has
been wearing on her brain and nerves. :
said the grave, gray-haired physician.
.'She 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 go tomorrow, Mr.
Leigh" said Miss Armitage. 81 viii
stay with Ellice and nurse poor Lillias
back to health
He made a fierce, passionate ges
ture, which, with the black ~sternnes!
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 tn,
morning, and never let me sec til,
~treacherous face again,
He closed the door in their faces
Neither had words with which TO an
swer him. With the morning they lef
the mansion.