Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1885-09-04

beauties Of the south; and I was glad to be.
iieve that the thought Of visiting what
iaight almost be called her native land was
beginning to awaken her interest. Only. let
me be able to show her that life could still
promise o pleasant future, and the moody
memories Of the past months might he ban
ished forever.
l am SURE that no one who could have seen
US that morning would have dreamed that
out OF that party Of three, consisting Of q
comfortable, pleasant-looking English ma
tron, a strangely beautiful girl. and myself,
tho we're flying from the hands Of justice.
Our appearance was certainly such as to
disaFm all suspicion
But where are we goingF' asked my
mother. II object to 60 wandering about
without knowing where our pilgrimage is to
end"
I'VE are going to Paris first, then to Spain
tic wherever we can find the warmth and
sunshine which Is necessary to my existence.
II we can't find them in Spain, we will cross
over to Africa, and, ii needful 90 down to
the Equator"
Then you young people will have to go
alone. draw the line of my good nature
at Europe"
glanced at Philippa. Her long curved
lasles hid her eyes, but a telltale blush was
on her cheek. knew that the day was not
SO very distant when she would answer my
appeal as / wished. / knew that, could l
but sweep away the record OF that one night,
all might yet be well with her. Oh, that
she may never recall what l alone knewl
As We were nearing FolkestJne l remem,
bered the letter which had been given me al
the bank. l drew it from my breast, ir-
tending to read it; but the sight Of tae
Roding postmark on the outside made Inc
change my intention. l remembered Mrs.
Wilson's half promise to send me some COM
munication. / longed and yet l dreaded to
break the seal. / felt it would be better for
me to read that letter alone. Whatever
might be the emo Of its contents, l was sure
it had soma bearing on Philippa's relations
with Sir Mervyn Ferrand.
We were soon on board the steamer and
under way. Although the Arctic rigors of
the last three weeks had departed, the air on
the sea was too keen to make the channel
passage an enjoyable one. l persuaded my
mother and Philippa to take refuge in the
saloon, and then l found a quiet spot where
] was able to read my letter without fear OF
interruption or Of betraying myself by the
emotion its contents might cause. 1t was
well | did so, for the first words blanched
my check. The letter began abruptly, so:
II know or guess all. / know why Sir
Mervyn Ferrand did not reach my house
that night. | know the reason for her
strange excited state. know why she left
my house before you came to seek her. l
know how he met with the death he de-
served.
"Ahl she Is drawer thar l am. She has
done what years ago l swore l would do;
and yet | had not the courage. I was base
enough to forego revenge for the sake of the
beggarly maintenance he offered me for
the sake, perhaps, Of my children. l sank
low enough to become his tool-to do - hu
babe me, even to taking under my roof tho
woman who thought herself his wife. Yes,
she has been drawer than l. But her wrongs
were greater than mine; for / had but my
self to blame for being in such a degraded
position that he could throw me aside like
an old glove. He never married me.
"Fear nothing for your sister, If she be
your sister. Tell her my lips are sealed to
tuo uodVuS duu AOE OAO otthO VI uoE DIhV0 dcl
tell her this:
"Sir Mervyn Ferrand's first wife died On
the 18th Of June, 1856, three months before
the day on which he married your sister.
She died at Liverpool, at No. 3 Silver street.
She was buried in the cemetery, under the
name Of Lucy Ferrand. She has friends
alive. 1t will be easy to prove that she was
the woman whom he married. Her maiden
name was King. He hated her. They
parted. He gave her a sum Of money on
condition that she never called herself his
wife. He lost sight of her; never did.
For years I hoped she would die, and that
lie would marry me. She died too late for
the hope to be realized. / told him Of her
death: but / changed the date. would not
tell him where she died. Part Of his object
in coming to Roding that night was to en-
deavor to wiring the information from me.
He would neySc have had it No other
woman should have been his wife so long as
l could stop it.
Snow that he is dead. you can tell your
brave sister that she may, If she likes, take
the name. title, and what wealth she can
claim. Fear nothing from me; l will be
silent as DEATH"