Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-10-12


full eyes till she was gone, and then turned
his head upon the pillow and groaned
aloud. Yes, he loved her still She was
as dear to him as she had ever been, she
whom he believed to be the falsest and
vilest among women; she who had admit
ted lover beneath her husbands roof at
midnight-a desperate who, seeing his
mistress's good name at stake, had tried to
murder the husband in order to save the
wife.
Yes, he recalled in this bitter hour, as he
had recalled again, and again since the
awakening from the long agony of de-
hrium, he recalled once again the memory
OF that hideous night He remembered
how in his sleep, the heavy sleep OF
fatigue, he had vaguely heard the muir
muir of two voices in the adjoining room,
his wife's voice and another; how, even in
sleep, he had wondered at those voices,
wondered that his wife should be talking;
how, struggling half-consciously to rouse
himself, he had at last awakened to hear
his wife speaking and a mans voice reply
ing. Then came silence, and the sudden
shutting of a door. He had arisen hur-
riedly, put on his dressing jacket
and opened the door of the morn
VII tuc very tnlCoAOAu HO
stopped, seeing a nan standing by the
table-a man whose dark, handsome face
impressed itself upon him in that one in
slant.
He could recall those dark, flashing
eyes, the hectic flush upon hollow cheeks,
the naughty carriage of the head; but he
could remember no more. He could not
have told the mans age or the clothes he
wore. The figure stood before him for
moment only, dark, tall, defiant; then
there was a flash and all was dark.
The face had haunted him in his delir
ium-the figure, with pistol pointed at
him, had pursued him through the dark
mazes of fever-and now, as he lay weak
as child, helpless, hopeless, broken
hearted, the dark, evil face was with him
still, haunting presence.
And he believed that his wife was false
to him, an arch deceiver from the very be-
ginning of their acquaintance. He be-
lieved that she had put aside some dearer
love for the sake of the position he could
offer, and that all her subsequent life
with him had been one elaborate comedy,
so perfect in its discrimination that he had
lived in FOOLS paradise, deeming himself
the happiest of men. Then came the prep
Grafton for the Italian tour. The lover
had heard of this intended journey, had
grown desperate, perhaps at the idea of
prolonged separation, and had insisted on
an interview. Urged by an angry man,
irrevocably lost by her conduct in the
past, Glare Darnel had not stopped short
at this last infamy. She had admitted
her lover by midnight, beneath her hus-
bands roof. And she came to him to-day
in her calm, pale beauty, looking at him
with eyes softened by unshed tears: she
kissed him with her false lips; she acted
her part of shameless hypocrisy to the
lips, and did not shrink from the man
whose heart she had broken, whose life
might have been sacrificed to her infamy
"lf had died from that wound she
would have married her old lover-mar-
ried him with his hand red with my blood
married, as Mary married Boutwell," he
thought, "and the settlement which my
doting folly secured to her would have
made her future days easy. And this is
the woman l have trusted-this is the
woman whom l gave as a mother to my
innocent child"
The doctor came in the evening, and was
not altogether satisfied with his patients
appearance
"You look worried" he said II thought
Lady Darners visit would have cheered
you. expected to see marked improve
ment. How has he taken his nourish-
ment, nurse?"
"Not over well, answered prim little
person in gray "Sir Allan sent away the
partridge scarcely touched, and he only
took spoonful of his custard"
mo use trying to pamper you with
dainties," said the DOCTOR facetiously.
1--WE shall have to put you back on Brands
essence, if you don't take care. Sir Allan
must take "A plate of invalid turtle for his
supper, nurse, and you must give him
glass of dry sherry after it."
Sir Allan looked supremely Indifferent
to the supper question.
"If Lady Darnel has an idea of coming
to see me this evening, you might tell
her that she had better not. do not
think l am strong enough to see people
yet he said, presently, while the doctor
was feeling his pulse, watch in hand.
81 don't think you are You have quite
disappointed me-" replied Mr.. Danvers.
Clare was waiting in the corridor when
the doctor went out.
"May | see him again to-night?" she
asked eagerly
Not tonight. He is very low-out of
spirits-altogetherd depressed, natural re-
action after that violent fever He must
be left to himself for few days more.
"And am | not to see him again for a
few days." exclaimed Glare, dejectedly.
"Come dear Lady Darnel, have let YOU
have an hour with him. l have been very
indulgent, too indulgent, fear. for the
hoc NJ hnn Co. CT
tan's extreme weakness any excitement
is bad. The thread has been strained to
its thinnest point-an extra strain might
snap it."
al will not go near him for a week.
said Glare, bursting into tears. "He was
not himself to-day. If you had told me
that the delirium was over
"Oh, his mind is clear enough. That is
all right
as it' Are you sure that he is in his
right sensess'
"As sure as can be Of anything. He is
perfectly calm and reasonable this evening
There is weakness and there is a profound
depression We can only hope for the
return of strength. His spirits will revive
as he gets stronger. Goodnight, Lady
Darneln
Goodnight" she answered despond
emily, going back to her room
She still kept herself secluded from the
rest of the family. She could not bring
herself to return to the common routine Of
daily life its irksome forms and ceremon
les the hollow semblance of peace were
there was no peace. In the seclusion OF
her own apartments she could abandon
herself freely to the fever of her soul
could start up from her seat and walk uE
and down the room, could dull the agony
of her heart by quick movement, by rest
less wandering in and out from the room