The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-11-07
Printed BY Special arrangements Copyrighted lss6.l
THU FORTUNESOF PHILIPPAFAIRfAl
By Mrs. FRANCES HoDasoN BURNETT,
Author Of "a Fair Barbarian 'That Lass o. Lou
rie's, Through One Administration" Etc.. Etc.
CHAPTER yyr.


upon its pallor cut her to the heart. She gave
little cry and stood still.
"Phil. my dear" he said. 'Come here"
Her little cry broke into words.
'sWhat is itl" she said. "What have I donel
What have they been saying to youY"
He came to her and took both her hands. and
led her to seat making her sit down.
Darling" he said. "My dear, pretty Phil,
do not believe a word of it. / know it is a lie.
1t is only that, for your sake, wish you to tell
me that it is one with your own lips. 1t is that
scoundrel again, Phil, though he did not think
that his lies would come back to me, and that
would thrust them down his false, cowardly
throat, as will. But they have come back to
me-and a woman, who is good and true, be-
lieves them and thought that you were playing
me- false, my darling, and that it was her duty
to warn me against you. Don't tremble so,
sweet loye-I tell you that do not believe them
and never will How could II They say that
you do not love me, Phil-that you came here
with purpose-that if l had not been rich
man you would never have promised to be my
wife, They try to persuade me that you are as
treacherous and mercenary as / know you to be
only say so and let me face them with your
words"
He stood before her chair, with both hands
upon her shoulders, so that her face was turned
upward to him. She was shaking from head to
foot; her eyes were wide and piteous. She could
not utter a word It had all come back to her
all-all-she had thought it thing of the past;
it had seemed far away that it had lost all its
reality; and now here it was again, in shape
so terrible that it crushed her to the earth.
She could not deny the accusation and yet it
was false. The one grain of truth overwhelmed
her. Because, in the hour of weakness. she had
been tempted she must suffer as if she had sinned
the uttermost
'1Philippa," Wilfred said ''speak to me-"
She tried to free herself from his grasp and get
up. No words of hers could ever clear her in his
eyes if she confessed the truth. and she would
not tell him lie--she could not.
'Who said this to you9" she asked. ''Who
was it9"
''What is that to you?" he answered. sit is
not true!"
trembling hands
''Oh! Will" she said, forgive me-forgive
mel"
For the first time he halted. He drew back in
amazement to look at her.
Forgive youl" he repeated. "What is there
to forgive9 Phil"
'Oh' she cried, desparinglv, II cannot bear
it. Don't love me so, Will don't deserve it.
Tit is true and it is not true. Oh help me to
tell you-help me-"
He fell back another step, locking at her still,
but with kind of horror in his face
lone moment" ne said ''What is true9 Is it
true are you talking wildly9 Is it true that
you came here with such purpose in your mind
you, Philippa9 1t is true that your father
sent you, as speculation. and that, knowing
that, you came willinglys Is that trues Ii IL is
If it is-let the rest go.
She was blind with her tears. A sense of ter
rible helplessnese and desolation had come upon
her. IL he would only look at her he had
looked at her the hill-sde-if he would only
speak tenderly-if he would only take her in
his arms and bear with her, while she tried to
tell him all her pitiful weakness. But ne made
no other movement toward her. He waited in
unspeakable dread and terror.
"You will kill me" she said, ''if you look at
me SO. You will kill me-"
SIS it true?" he asked her. us it true, Phil
ippaW
YES" she burst forth, hopelessly "It is true
and yet it is false. 1t is lie. and yet-you do
not Oe1eVe me-yOu Will not llSten"
She could have almost shrieked aloud in her
anguish and pain. For q moment it seemed as
if he could not speak-a curious change fell upon
HMM instant he was an altered man.
mo-" he said. II do not believe you. If that
is true, / believe nothing"
He dropped into chair by the piano. and his
face fell upon his arm. She felt that he had
turned away from her, and that she had lost him
forever and ever.
''You are as cruel as DEATH" she said. "And
have no help We were so happy only few
hours ago-and now" she actually stamped her
foot and wrung her hands. 'It is you who have
done me wrong" she said. sit is who should
blame YOU"
'ls it9' he said and laughed miserable, sar
donic laugh.
humiliation to try to speak further; but she felt
that she could bear anything rather than leave
him in such mind.
"Will you listen to me9' she said "Will you
let me defend myselfP
Because he had loved her so truly and with
such whole-souled fervor; because she had
seemed so sweet an ideal to him; because his
dreams of her had been so fair and tender he
was not as lenient with her as he would have
been with another woman.
''No," ne answered her, rising as il to leave
her WHARF she stood. There is nothing more
to say you have said so much You have
nc defense to make-none. You have been act
ing lies so long, that" with something almost
Ih0 SUI, ludt COulO DOG Oell0V6 you. Livery
smile that you have given me, every sweet look
have seen on your face has been the means to
end. wished you had not smiled so often,
Phil-and looked so sweet. The very things for
which loved you have been the worst Your
girlishness and candor were the most PREACHER
Gus of them all. You played your part we'll
There were tears in your eyes last night and
this morning. Can you cry at willard blush
and look innocent to order? Did you try all
those pretty acts on Duval in his day2 Perhaps
he is not such bad fellow after ALL perhaps you
fooled him, too; perhaps what You say of him is,
false as the rest. Why notl If you lie to one
man you will lie to another-and of him-or for
him, if need be. My God! do you think it pos
sble that could trust you again9"
She shook with excitement still, but her tears
had dried themselves. Her eyes were fixed upon
him; she held fast to the back of a chair with
one hand.
$50 on" he said, breathlessly Don't stop
because you pity me-if you do pity me. Say all
you have to say. 1t will make the end easier
for me- When you have finished we can bid
each other good bye.n