The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1886-06-20

THE last cause OF dissension Is his health.
! think he is growing delicate aud wants
change, and papa doesn't agree. Does he.
my beautyY"
The Roy laughed as she held him yet more
closely to her and, looking at his rosy
cheeks and bright eyes, II seemed TO me that
there could not be healthier youngster.
~ am afraid must take papa's side"
said. "You must not alarm yourself unneces-
sarily, dear Mrs. Crawford, for think"
stopped abruptly, alarmed by the expression
other face. | was new at my work, be II re-
membered but think that older men than
would have been frightened. Berthe had
rebelled against the OBTAINING arm, and
sliding on TO the floor had run to his father
and climbed into his arms.
A fine game Of romps now ensued, and
the mother sat and watched them. Sitting
there facing her, l TOO was watching. In
my student days had kept tanned lizard,
and by whistling to II had been able TO d.
rect lis movements at will, and now was
reminded Of my whilom pet by watching
Beatrice Crawford's eyes. Every motion of
her husbands, as he ran round the room toss
ing the laughing boy in his arms, appeared
to have a fascination for her, and her gaze
never left him but once. That once was
when she walked swiftly to a farther table
and possessed herselfof paper-knife, which
she handed to ma, commenting on Its curious
make. IL was Of steel and sharply pointed,
and handed It back again, with the remark
that It would make nasty weapon II needed.
She took II without glanoing at me again |;
but her husband had caught her words, and
now came up to rs breathless and laughing,
with BERTHE oliuging round his neck.
"Don't hold that thing, my darling" he
said tenderly. 81 hate to see such an ugly
knife in your dear little hands,"
"Give It to Berthe, mamma" cried the
child, stretching dimpled hands for the COW
eted treasure aud his father, with an in.
TO give to him, when, with mu fled cry abe
snatched the knife back and dashed II
through the open window into the garden
beyond.
'You shsn't have I'll You shsn't have
iti' she cried excitedly. while a bright red
spot burned either cheek. "You would"
With marvellous self control shs stopped
dead short, and after an almost impercepti.
ble pause she added in her usual quiet tones:
"Pray, forgive me, Arthur; am SO afraid OF
BERTHE hurting himself Go mp TO the nur.
sery, dear mamma will come TO you."
Awestruck at her late passion, the child
went gently out ofths room, and. his mother
following him, was left alone with Craw ford.
| IL went 10 my ntbTt W Sob tuo phtuous uIuWh
look on his face; but the scene had at all
events put one thing beyond doubt Mrs.
Crawford was not merely failing in brain
powsr-shs was mad.
A coupl. Of days went by, aud became
fairly puzzled. All the ordinary verbal tests
when applied TO my patient proved complete
failures. Her memory was excellent, and In
deed in this respect she was far better than
her husband, who was constantly forgetting
things. As to her Judgment, II struck me
above the average, for she was widely read
woman, and We had a stiff argument ont
night as to the merits of our favOrite authors
She managed her own housekeeping, ant
capitally she did II too and, in fact--not Il
exhaust tho readers patience by entering
into dstails-the only visible outcome of he
which she lived, and for which could fnt
no reason. Il may remark parenthetically tina
the mad undoubtedly have rules Of their owl
by which they are influenced. Experienc
thus teaching me that Mrs. Crawford hat
some reason for this, to US, ineXplicabl
dread--even though IL might be but a fear o
her own shadow-it became my business l.
solve this reason.) What baffed me mos
was the fact that while it was Crawford him
self who primarily excited this terror, sh
was undeniahly fond Of him. Indeed, tn
word fond" is hardly suitable, for she sim
ply adored him. never heard him expires
he slightest wish rs to the household al
rangements bnt II was instantly fulfilled
willie every whim-and lie was the mos
whimsical Of men-was implicitly obeyed
In fact, at the end of a week was precisel
in the same atats as when | entered tn
house. But that my amour propre was piqne
and felt angry al my non success, shoul
have been paying very enjoyable visi
Arthur Crawford made a capital host, an,
although, as have already said, he was
whimsical man, aud was subject to una
countabls d 8 of depression, he and got o
/ excellsntly together.
At the end Of the week something hal
pened which had the double effect Of lower
: ing me several inches In my own estimation
and of placing matters In totally differei
light. 1t was an exceedingly hot night, an
after We had all gone to bed was temple
to leave my room, and, seating myself by Il
, open window in the corridor, to indulge
an extra cigar. The fact that II was fin
moonlight night, and that while the corridt
window boosted lovely view. that of m
own room looked into the stables, ampl
justified my choice OF a seat. had bes
there for perhaps an hour when heard Il
a Crawfords talking in their room, which W,
on a level with my own. The tones wei
excited aud eager, aud fearing that Mr.
Crawford might be lasAing herself into
fury, and that her husband might be ign
rantly increasing it, stole down to the
door and stood listening.
"Arthur, dear, give It to me. You don
want 1t to night. Why not wait until NOR
, ing"
These we're the frat words that caugl
spoken in Mrs. Crswford's usually gent
tones.
"Givs il to your No, not II know
trick worth two of that. All, you think
r don't know that you and that confounds
, mealy -mouthed doctor are in league again
a me-"
/ Crawforl's voice, shrill and hooking, b
undoubtedly his. Good hsaveusl was Il
1 man drpnkf Thsrs was moments pans
aud then he began again, this time mo
/ gently,
"Come, cone, beatrice. Drop this stup
a Joking. | only want to have little cut
a BERTHE, just little outI and look, the kni
Ia 80 bright and sharp 1t cannot hurt hi
I much"
The wall seemed to reel around me as
? leaned against It for support. In flash
q revelation that nearly blinded me as rea
n dprst0od for the first time how matters act
/. ally stood. Crawford himself was the ma
!. man, and the devoted wife, whom had be,
q taught to look upon as insane, had know
"a the truth all this time and, knowing
/. from some inscrutabls wOman's reason, b.
shielded him, perhaps at the cost Of her We
!. life. In moment the meaning OF his ma
is wAims, his loss Of memory, his ats Of dePrt
sion, were made clear to mel aud al
& thought of the martyrdom through viii
a his girl.wifs had passed cursed myself
p. the readiness with which had b.sn dupe
a When these thoughts were rushi
1t through my brain had noisslsssly open
Is the outer door, and now stood in the DIRE
Ut ing-ro pssring into ths bedroom beyor
10 The door between the two was standing opt
10 but a heavy curtain hung in the spsrtn
Id and by making little slit In II by means
81 my psnknifs | was enabled to command
!, view Of the interior. A. the further end
d the apartment lay Berthe asleep in his O
AZ Standing before him. clad in a long VIII
to wrapper, aud with her auburn hair fowl
IN over her shoulders, was the young mott
n herself, while at some PAGES from her ste
Of Crawl ford, still in evening dress and bala
to ing in his fingers long, glittering dag