The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-04-08
DARK DAYS
H UGH
Author Of " Called Back"
CHAPTER YIII.-FLIGHT.


1 read the woman's letter again ant
again-read 1t with feelings in which
joy and disgust wero strangely min
gled; but the former was the FREEDOM
inant sensation. In the first place, il
Mrs. Wilson kept her promise of secre
cy, it seemed to me that all danger o1
suspicion falling upon Philippe wa
removed. There would be no one
else to make known the fact, that up.
on the night of Sir Mervyn's death a
distracted woman left her hOme-a
woman whose life's happiness had
been clouded blythe villains PREACHER
Gus act-a woman Of strong passions,
who in her temporary delirium might
easily be turned to take such ven
geance for which I, at least, held, has
been quite unaccountable. i'll could
but feel sure of the silence of the one
person whom l dreaded. we might even
return to London, and fear nothing.
1 wavered. After all there is some
thing contemplate in fight. Should
TRUST to Mrs. Wilson's promise, and
return with my companions by the next
boat from Boulogne?
No, a thousand times no! Pnilippa's
welfare is far too precious to me to
be trusted in the hands of n excite
able woman. Tomorrow her mind
may change, anu, instead of further
ing our safety, she may DO urging on
the pursuit. Let me trust no M save
myself.
For my loves sake, I was over
joyed to hear that, %supposing the wo-
mans statement and date were correct,
Philippe was the dead mans lawful
wife. Not that this fact for n mo-
ment palliated the guilt of his inten-
ton, or lessened the contempt. and ha-
tired l bore toward him; not that it
changed In my eyes by one iota my
loves position.
Yet for her sake the news gladdened
me. I knew that if ever the time
should come when I could place proofs
in her hands that she could if she
chose, bear her worthless husbands
name and face the world without
fear Of scorn, the restoration of her
self.respect would bring with it a joy
which only a woman can rightly COM
prehend. And Philippa, with all her
pride and passion, was a true woman,
full of the softness and delicate dread
Of disgrace which %characterizes the
best of her sex
Yet when should I be able to tell
her? Whenever + did so I must also
reveal the fact Of her husbands being
dead, and my doing so must bring the
whole story Of his death to her know
ledge. I trembled as 1 thought what
this might mean. Surely its drama
tic surroundings must suggest some
thing to her mind-must bring back
the night and its horrors, must, in fact
tell her what she had done in her mad
nessl Rather than risk this, 1 must
let her continue to bear the cruel
weight of what she thought her shame.
My aim must be to make her believe
that Sir Mervyn Ferrand is still alive
and troubling nothing rs to what has
become of the woman whom he once
falsely swore to love and cherish until
death. ! cursed the wretch's memo
~ as I thought of him.
All researches. with a view to OBJ
tanning evidence of the Lady Ferrand's
death. I postponed indefinitely. Some
day. II all went we'll, l would return
to England and procure the docu-
ments necessary to provo the validity
of Philippians marriage. There was
no pressing hurry. AS to any money
which should be hers, lever with my
consent should she touch a penny
which had belonged to the dead man.
Protracted as my meditations seem
on paper, they were in reality much
longer; indeed, they were not at an
end when tho boat steamed in Bout
logne harbor. l went in search of my
companions, who I was glad to find,
had borne the voyage well. We were
soon in the train, and, without any
event occurring worth recording, at
eight o'clock stood on the Gaze du
Nord, Paris.
We drove through the brightly lit
streets to the Hotel duLouvre. The
stains Of travel washed away, my
mother gave sigh Of satisfaction rs
she seated herself ut the dinner-table.
Like a sensible woman, she was no
despiser of the good things of this life.
There were other late diners in the
great coffe-room, and many a head was
turned to look at the beautiful girl who
sat on my right hand; for every day
which brought her new health and
strength, brought also to my love an
installment of her former rich beauty.
In very short time she would lie to all
appearances the Fhilippa of old.
"How long shall we stay in Paris,
Bssil?" asked my mother. lit is now
half-past nine: our train starts at S.45
in the morning. Calculate the time"
"Oh nonsense! 1t is years since
have been in Paris. 1 want to look
at the shops. So does Phillippa 1 an
sure"
"My dear mother. the man, much
more the woman, who fingers in Paris
is lost. If you are going elsewhe-o
the only way IS to 60 straight through
or else you get no further. l have
proved this, and meanto run no risk"
"But remember we are only weak
women. This poor child Is far from
strong
She smiled at Philippe, whose eyes
thanked her for the affectionate appel
lation.
"Dont be merciless, BASIL" she
continued ; "give us at least one day"
"Not one. am .ust going to LOOK
after a courier, so that you may travel
in all possible comfort"
My mother seemed almost annoyed,
and again said l was merciless. What
would she have said had she known
that, unless l had received that letter,
instead of going to II present com
Portable quarters, we should nave
driven to the Orleans Railway, and ia
ken the first train to the south? How
little she knew-how little, I trusted,
Philippa knew-from what we were
flying!
1 felt I must give my mother some
reason for my haste; so, before going
in quest of my courier, l took her
aside.
1t is not we'll for Philippa to stay in
Paris" I said. Some n whom she
ought not to meet was hero a short
time ago."
1 blamed myself for the deception.
but what could I do? Alas it seemed
to nae that my life. which once was
fearlessly open to the inspection OF all
was now f, II of little else ave decep
lions. Should I ever again DO my
true self?
My mother raised no further obJec
ton. I found a courier-a bearded
gentleman Of commanding presence
Who spoke every European lansuag'
with impartial imperrection. l CAV
him instructions to see to everything