Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1886-07-24

W age, uAuuo Clo OIu lHuH stare at her Will
unaffected surprise. Then, with an elaborate
old-fashioned bow, he saluted her, and com
ing round the table, placed q chair. She adj
dressed him at once in q sweet, plaintiye
voice, fixing her sad eyes on him.
II have to beg your pardon for calling on
you, but l am seeking my husband, whose
home is here. They tell mo he is gone; but 1
cannot believe that he would have left me
without sending ME a message; and, in nv
sorrow, whom should l come to but my hus-
bands father?-though indeed, indeed, moth
ing but my misery woull have made no in
trude upon you"
aNo intrusion, Miss - Miss Strangfeld-
at least, ahem! l am so much taken by sur
prise, madam, so little qualified at this mo
ment toto"
The old gentleman smothered his incoher-
ence with another bow, and, pulling out his
snuffbox, looked shyly and %frowningly upon
the floor.
ut should nave been Cuthbcrt's duty to
tell you we are married. I knew he had not
done so, for last night he was to have seen
father and broken the news to him; but he
did not come, and this morning they say he
is gone. Oh, DR.. Shaw! can you tell me
where he isl Do you know2 Have pity on
me, sir! Without him I am very, very
lonely; and if he does not bear witness to
what I say H."
The poor girl broke down, biting her lip to
subdue her tears, lest the sight of them should
anger the old gentleman.
II positively assure you that I am as ignor-
ant of bis whereabouts as yourself" he re-
piled hastily, that she might not labor under
a wrong impression one moment longer than
he could help. 'His ungrateful conduct has
wounded me to the heart. All last night 1
sat up waiting for him, not doubling that he
would return. But-may I ask you if you
are aware that your father has just left me?"
She shook her head.
H and / nave been discussing the subject.
and l can only trust" continued the doctor.
"that, to my sons unnatural conduct to his
father, he has not added a deeper, a more
u~npardonable, an INCAPABLE offense."
II am truly his wife, sir"
"Truly! Pray forgive me; 1 may Law
rough fingers on a wound my heart would
choose they should touch tenderly. But let
me ask you. when were you married to nv
son?" said the doctor, forcing his voice into a
tone of suave composure; for emotion could
not be permitted to qualify his dear delight in
asserting his elegance and breeding.
"Three weeks ago." replied Jenny anxious
ly, with her heart beating painfully, for she
feared the next question.
H was in London three weeks ago. He
went for a little holiday, as at that time l
suspected his depression, or absent fits were
owing to the monotony of our scholastic dis
cipline. Were you in London them"
mo, sir; was at Sydenham stopping with
my aunt Rachel. I met Cuthbert, by ap.
pointment, on a Wednesday morning at the
bottom Of the hill on the road to Dulwich,
and there We took the coach that passed and
afterward, when we reached London, he put
mo into a hackney coach and we drove to a
church, where we were married"
Tho doctor applied a pocket handkerchief
to his forehead.
"a strange ~rascal~ he muttered to himself.
" had never given him credit for SO much
duplicity." And then he sighed and looked
through the window and, recollecting HIM
self. forced his voice into suavity once more
md said:
II represented to your father that nothing
could be easier than to prove your marriage.
If, Us I do not doubt" with a bland wave
of the hand "you are my sons wife, IL
scarcely know whether there be cause to
offer you my congratulations. Since he has
played his father a vile trick there is nothing
to hinder him from deceiving you. But each
to his kind; you to your father, to whom YOU
are accountable, and my son to me-when he
chooses to return"
His whole manner had changed with these
words, and he addressed her with IN lev
hauteur of gaze.
Jenny looked at him fxedly for some mo-
ments, with a wonderful gaze of mingled
CONSERVATION and disdain, and rose.
II did not come here in expectation of find
ing sympathy or Kindness" she exclaimed,
with a bitterness that took a keener acidula-
ton from the very beauty that should have
failed to warrant it. "You know whose
daughter I am; and what you think of my
father Cuthbert has often told me. have
called to know if you can give me tidings of
my husband. Doubt my honor as you please,
sir; but in Gods name, answer me nv uues-
tion."
II have swered that question:" lie re-
piled.
"Many of the elder boys of the school and
several of the men We're dispatched by me
this morning to search the shore and the
neighborhood, and likewise are inquiries still!
being made in places beyond Greystone. II
| obtain information, bs sure that l shall
cause 1t speedily to be conveyed to You.
Should he ever return" he continued, in
slightly depressed tones, "this trouble he has
brought upon you is an account to be settled
between him and NIB, with an adjusting he
will not relish"
She was standing near the door, and he
was raising his hand to pull the bell; but she
had not done with him yet. The change in
his manner from the b!andness to hautcur,
from a kind of tenderness, at least, to u de-
meanor Of blank Indifference to her sorrow,
deepened her doubt of his sincerity, and, fail
ing to find in this old maj any such SORROW
ing altar his sOn as shout: prove him honest
to her own mourning heart, a feverish sus-
picion hat he was holding back the truth
seized her.
"You can tell me, sir, that he has not left
me for good! Say some little word to give
me hope! For his sake, DR.. Shaw-he loves
me truly" she cried, with her hands clasped.
The doctor was affronted by her doubt
of him, for it was plain in her recurrcnt
appeal.
a answered that I am as ignorant as
you-perhaps more ignorant, he said, frown-
ing at her.
LAST night" she continued, too bitterly
yearning after hope to be abashed by his
manner, or even to heed the cruel suggestive
ness of his words, "he was to have seen
father. This he promised, and I was to
watch for him at my window. Oh, sir, he
would not have bid me wait for him had he
meant to deceive me-; for, indeed, he loves
me fondly. A gentleman from this school,
who called on mother this morning, said that
he had seen him leave your house in the
evening; and to father he was coming-oh,
be sure! Who stopped him, then? Was hs
followed and set upona II he had died, or by
an accident been killed. his body would have
been found. Do you know where he isl
Tell me. sir! The Lord God, who hears me
declare it, judgesme; and before Him l swear
thy son was my husband!"