The midland journal., 1886-10-15

The actress stood for q moment as
if the words had turned her to stone.
Any other name SO filled in would
have simply made her laugh carelessly
with her expressive foreign shrug.
No actress could hope to escape
scandal; but, then, this was so terribly
true. It fell so suddenly. it stabbed so
deeply, that all her power of stimulation
or acting failed her, and she put one
hand to her head diZZily.
When-who said it?" fell from her
lips at last; and Denham felt the table
shake under the hand she pressed upon
it. ...
"My dear girl, forgive my stupid,
laundering wayl I should not have
told you'll" said Denham, much dis
tressed, because he felt at once that
some wound had been touched sorely.
II only heard it in the public reading
room, and they had heard lady in the
theatre say it." ,..
Now her beautiful face changed; the
blood flushed over it as she placed her
hand on his arm.
"There is but one woman who could
have dared to say that; and if she is in
Loden-Mr. Denham, you believed
it?-you thought it very likely? Why
not?-you know nothing of me?"
"My poor child, as seven years car
ries you back to only sixteen, thought
it possible that Sir Austin Ravenswood
had been villain enough"
"No, nor she broke in, passionarely,
-"not that! Oh! never that! 1t is all
misery enough without that! Heaven
knows he never wronged mel He mar
ried me, believing that his wife was
dead; and then-then-"
The passion died out; the miserable
girl covered her face, shrinking from
his startled plying gaze.
1t was all a terrible mistake. She
had done it to revenge herself. She
came to me there, at-at Ravens Place,
while my-while Austin was away, and
claimed my place. 1 fed that night
before he came back"
"What?" exclaimed Denham, taking
both her trembling hands-"you had
the courage to do that-a girl of sixteen?
Well might man love one who could
guard her honor and his so we'll, so
nobly! I would to heaven more were
like you, Viola Valere!"
"Don't! oh, don't!-it was so fierce
battle!'
"But you conquered Child, thank
you for this confidence. My own story
had well-nigh destroyed my faith in
women; you have restored it!'
A gleam of light shone in her sorrow
full path; but, after pause, she said,
quietly, as she moved to go and dress,
"Thank you; Miss Courtnay knows all
from his own lips. Will-will they be
here to-night?"
"My dear, yes. Sir Austin himself
rode down this morning to take three
boxes for the hall. am sorry"
" 1t does not matter. / must learn to
face the worlds scorn now."
MAY ask one thing-two things ?"
"Yes."
She half turned again.
"Was he very young when he first
married?"
"Only one-and-twenty, eighteen years
ago."
Eighteen years ?" Denham repeated,
with a start. "I can guess-the old
story! My dear, if ever he is free, will
he marry you?"
yes; he made me promise"
A world of pathos in that quiet
answer-a whole story in those five
simple words; and with that she went
away to her dreSSing-room.
The rest of the company had arrived
I now.
L wonder" muttered Denham, set
ting his teeth, whether that woman
will dare to come into my theatre
tonight"
And at that very moment, amongst
the crowd filtering into the dress-circle,
came that fair-haired lady in the yellow
silk scarf, and this time took her place
in the third row back, quite at the left
by one of the gallery supports.
But how little the young actress
dreamed when she came on the stage
that that night would be the turning
point in her life!
She had never played better, though
Denham had feared that she would
either be languid or over-excited after
what had passed; but if the poor heart
was as if on fire, if the dark eyes had a
yet brighter CLEAN, and the rich voice
still deeper, more subtle ring of passion
and pathoS in it, only one being in all
that crowd knew it. felt it; only that
one man who loved her and watched her
every look and movement, and only