The midland journal., 1886-10-08
Married." exclaimed Helen.


And l have wronged you, too: for
gossip has, 1 fear, more than once
coupled my name with yours, and all
my fault! You have been too good,
too kind in suffering me to seek so
much and enjoy the pleasure of your
society, sought because its charm
soothed my misery. Oh, Miss Court
nay!-Helen, can you forgive me if
if"-the words faltered now, he claspad
her hand, and bowed his face upon it
eff have caused you pain"
"Hush, hush! there is nothing to
forgive" she said gently. "And if un-
consciously 1 have ever soothed one
moment of your sorrow, then my SEEM
ing useless life has done some good, and
on the strength of that let me help
you if can; and if you deem it justice
to this young actress to explain all you
mean, all that has happened, tell me the
story"
Dear, generous friend, you tighten
the load! 1t is in its origin no very
new story. was only one-and-twenty
"a gay, light-hearted young fellow,
impressionable enough, too easily taken
by the lovely face and witchery of a
young widow met at seaside town.
in whom I could see no fault then
Well, in two months I married her
very quietly, and took her abroad.
That was her desire, remember. She
did not, she said, wish that the rel
atlves of her late husband, Mr.. For
tesque, should know of her second union
yet awhile. was then nobody. and
so my marriage was unknown, save.
perhaps, by some slight rumors that
may have travelled round. Well. well.
[ need not dwell on the miserable
awakening that was inevitable. 1 bore
with Camilla for year, and then sep
arated from her. 1 never wished to
see or hear of her again; and instead of
making her an allowance, gave her, by
deed, two houses of mine in London
worth five hundred year, on condition
that she dropped my name. Two wears
later she sold the houses, and for three
years lost sight of her.
Austin paused, but Helen did not
move or speak, and he presently re-
sumed:-
"Then there was fearful accident
one night to the Scotch train. and
amongst the dead-so crushed that
personal recognition was impossible
was lady, on whom was found an
ivory card-case with cards in it bearing
the name Mrs. Fortesque.' I saw this
in the papers and hurried down. On
the lll-fated lady they had also found
not worn, but in a small bag at her
waist-three costly rings, which. with
the card-case, I at once recognized as
those I had given Camilla. Also.
found in the purse an old card with
Mrs. Ravenswood on it, that had
escaped the search"
"It was your wife, then ?" said Helen.
breathlessly.
II thought so-believed it then."he
answered sadly; chow could I doubtp
l stated merely that the deceased was a
widow, a friend, and she was buried.
was free! I went abroad again: but
1t was not until over just seven years
ago that, in Paris, [ rendered trihing
service to an Old gentleman, an Eng
llshman, well-born, but poor. I took
MIR. Stanhope safe back to his lodgings.
and so first met his daughter Violet
girl barely sixteen then. You saw
her on the stage last night, Helen: can
you wonder that, beholding her for
some months almost daily in her
fathers heightened illness, learned to
love her with love that can never die?"
begin to see all now!" Aelen whis-
pered. "Ah, poor heartsws
we were married in the English
church and came back to her fathers
death-bed. My poor darling! it tried
her so cruelty that the physician or.
dered her a month or two of perfect
rest, and so l brought her home to
Ravens Place, and ''Vo happy months
passed in perfect retirement tll... re-
stored her health. Indeed, being au-
tumn, all the gentry living about who
would have called upon my wife, were
scattered to the seaside, and the Mount
faneS were in Germany"
"Did-did Violet know your story9"
said Helen, looking up.
GAIL, Helen. showed her, too, an
exquisite picture of Camilla, and told
her, remember, that particular little
curl on the temple was so worn to con-
ceal an ugly burn made in her child
hood; then I destroyed the picture.
Well, at the end OF that two n onths
I had to run up to London for few
days ON business. The very morning I
was to return was told that lady
wished to see me-"