The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1885-02-12
RK DAYS
HUGH CoNwA


Iglanosd at PhIippa Hor long curved
lAahss hid her eyes, but q telltale blush was
an her cheek. knsw that the day was not
10 very distant when she would answer my
appeal an I wished. l knew that, could
hut sweep away the record OF that one night,
all might yet DO well with her. oh. that
she may never recall what l alone knewi
An we woro nearing FolkeatJns ! remsm.
bsrsd tho letter which had boon given me at
khe bank. l drew IL from my breast, In
tending 10 read IL; but the sight OF the
q Roding poatmark on the outside made mo
change my intention. | remembered Mrs.
Wilson's half promise to send me some com.
nunicatlon. longsd and yot / dreaded 10
4. break the seal. felt Ii would DO batter for
me 10 read that letter alone, Whatever
might be tho tsnor OF It's contents, | was sure
Il had some bearing on Philippas relations
with Sir Morvyn Ferrand.
We we're soon on board the steamer and
under way. Although the Arctic rigora OF
tho last three weeks had departed, the air on
the Bsa was too keen 10 make the channel
passage an enjoyable one. persuaded my
mother and PhillppA 10 take refuge In the
saloon, and then | found a quiet spot where
I was able 10 read my letter without fear OF
interruption or OF ~botraying myself by the
emotion its contents might cause. II was
we'll | did 30, for the first words blanchsd
my Oh, ek. The letter began abruptly, so;
al know or guess all ! know why Dir
hervyn Farrand did not reach my house
that night know the reason for hsr
strange excited state. know why she left
my house before you came 10 seek her. !
know hew he met with tho death no do
served.
"Ahi she IL brayer than I am. She has
done what years ago ] awors I would do;
and yet I had not the courage. was base
enough " forego revenge for the sake OF the
ksggayly maintenance no offered ms--for
the sake, perhaps, Of my children. sank
low enough W become his tool-to do ~ he
babe me, even 10 taking under my Yosf the
Woman who thought herself his wife Yes,
ahs has boon drawer than ]. But her uronKa
we're greater than mins; for ] had but my
nslf 10 blame fer being In such a degraded
P%ssition that he could throw me aside like
an old glove He never married mo.
"Fsar nothing for your sister, II she be
your siptsr. Tell her my lips arc sealed 10
Tho death; and for the sake OF her brave act
tell her this;
"Blr Mervyn Fsrrand'a first wifo died On
he 18th of June, 1885,, three months before
the day on which he married your sister.
She died At Liverpool, Al No, 8 Silver street
She was buried In the cemetery, under tho
aame OF Lucy FsrrAnd. She has friends
alive. II will be easy " prove that she was
ths woman whom he married. Her maiden
namo was King. He hated her, They
parted. He gave hor a sum Of money on
condition that she never called herself his
wife. Ho lost sight Of her; never did.
For ysnra | hoped she would die, and that
he would marry me. Bhe died too late for
Shs hope 10 be realized. / told him OF her
death; but I changed the date. would not
tall him where she died. Part Of his object
IN ooming to Roding that night was 10 on
doavor 10 wiring the information from me.
He would never have had II. No other
woman should have been his wife 80 long a.
I could stop Ii,
SNOW that he II dead. you can tell your
bravo sister shat she may, II she likes, take
she name. title, and what wealth she can
claim. Fear nothing from me; | will DO
silent az death"
CHAPTER VIII.
FLIGHT.
Tread tho woman's letter again and again
road II with feelings In which Joy and dis
Kuat were strangely mingled but tho fsrmcr
was tho predominant sensation. In the first
place, II Mrs, Wilson kept her promise Of
sscrocy, II sOomSd TO mo that all danger of
suspicion falling upon Philippa was re-
moved. There would DO no one else 10 make
known tho fact that upon the night OF Sir
Morvyn's death n wrongsd, distracted wo-
man loft hor home-a woman whose life's
happiness had boon cloudsd by tho villains
troAoherous aot-a woman OF strong pas
nlons, who In hor temporary delirium might
EASILY 10 turnsd TO taks such vengeance for
which ], AT least, hold hor quito unaccount-
Ablo. II could but feel sure OF tho silence
of the ono person whom | dreaded, wO might
eyon return 10 London, and fear nothing.
vnyered. After all there IL something con.
tsmptihlo In flight, Should | trust TO Mrs.
Wilson's promise, and return with my COM
panlons by tho next boat from BouloEnoi
No, n thousand timos mol Philippa'a vol.
faro Ia far too precious TO mo 10 DO trusted
IN the hands OF one oxcitablo womnn-a wo-
man, moreover, who has wrongs OF hOr own
calling for vengeance, Tomorrow hor
mind may change, and instead OF further.
ing our snroty she may DO urging on tho
pursuit Lot me trust no ono save myself.
For my loves sake, | was ovorjoyod 10
boar that, surprising tho woman's statement
and dato were correct, philippa was tho
dead mans | awful wife, Not that this fact
for ono moment palliatod tho guilt OF his In.
tentlon, or lossenod tho contempt and hatred
-. l.u,..1a him, not Tint a. ehnnuaJ la
nv eyes by one iota my loves position.
Married or unmarried, 10 me she was all
thnt a could DO, Though n black.
guards craft had wrought what would DO
her shame In tho eyes OF tho world; though
nor hands wore unoonsciously red with a
mans blood, 10 me sho was au pure "a n vos.
tai, innocent M q child.
Yet for her sake the nowa gladdonod me.
know that " over tho time should oomo
whom l could place proofs In her hands that
abe was n wifo-that bho could, II she chose,
Aoer her worthless husbands nnmo, and face
che world without fear OF scorn, tho rcstora-
zion OF hor sclf.rospoct would bring with II
10Y which only a woman can rightly COM
pvohond. And Philippa, with all her pride
and passion, was u true woman, full OF tho
softncss aud delicate dread OF shame which
eharacterizos tho beat OF hor sox.
Yet when should I DO ablo 10 toll hort
whonevor ! did 80 l must nlso reveal tho
fact OF her husbands being dead, and my
doing 90 must bring tho whole story Of his
Death 10 her knowledge. trembled AZ !
Thought what this might mean, Surely lie
dramatic surrounding mnr' ~r'ocsst some
Fhing 10 ber mlnd-must bring bach the
hight and its horrors, must, In fact. tell hcr
what sho had done In her madnossl Rather
han risk this I must lot her continue 10
bear the cruel weight Of what she thought
hsr shame. My aim must DO " mako her
Aelisve that Cir Morvyn Ferrand In still
alive, and troubling nothing al TO what has
become Of tho woman whom bo once falsely
swsro 10 love and cherish until death. !
sprsed tho wrotoh's memory as thought OF
him IN
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