, 1886-04-24

party. And the girls declared that it was
a shameK Kenneth, who rallied against mar
rage, should come and steal her away
from HIS brother.
A few women there wore who disllked
Mrs Vernayf My wife was one OF them,
ind well enough we all knew the reason.
FOR when, with maternal pride. she one
dar showed of the children to the pretty
WIDOW, Mrs. Vernay turned from them
With a cold look of disgust, saying; Il de
test children" An insult no mother could
forgive. THAT unnatural woman" my
wife from henceforth called her.
How lovely she looked at the Christmas
ball when, radiant with delight, she
crossed the room 10 say to me, "Look at
the progress of my conversion: Here Is
hermit Kennel in this frivolous scene"
Il wish | was Mt the chapel" Kenne
himself remarked; and certainly no man
looked so unsuited to a ballroom. He had
grown pale and thin during his solitary
life, and wore a thoughtful air l never be-
fore had noticed in him.
why on earth don't you go backsp said
|. Nothing has surprised me more than
your appearance here
Il knew II would be so,p he answered.
Il had 10 come
Then in that incongruous place he be
gan telling me his experiences in that wild
solitude.
II began to think my life there useless.
n mere indulgence Of my own tastes. l
read and thought, but the mysteries Of life
seemed as unbelievable AS ever. One
evening | felt myself no longer alone. L
saw nothing, / heard nothing, yet | alb
sorbed this command in my being: Go
into the world, for there is a life you must
save, a demon you must yanquish, and
the life you have led has given you the
power to fight and conquer. The world
will mock, n your friends m~isunder-
stand you, but heed them not. BY this
token know both destroyer and destroyed.
Then across the floor OF my room glided 9
glittering snake, unlike anything We see
upon English moors. And /, obeying the
command, came here to find the de
stroyer.n
At that moment he trembled, touched
my arm, and bid me look across the room.
There stood Frank and Mrs. Vernay--she
with the jeweled snake twisted in her
hair, he with another, a bracelet OF hers,
clasp around his wrists; some joke had
passed between them, and she had slipped
1t on.
"My dear Kenneth, these are f~ancies,
nothing but %fancies,' / said, for his man
ner alarmed me. you can't think thai
anything more dangerous than a boyish
love affair can result from Franks friend
ship with Mrs. Vernay.r
"Lilithl7 was all he said.
"Tell me, how did you guess her Manner
at came to me as that command came,
when / saw her write" he replied. Then
crossing the room, he asked the beauty to
dance, taking her away from Frank
l believe bets passed between the men at
the T%orremouth clubs as to which Of the
brothers would marry beautiful Mrs. Yer
nay. / confess | wandered myself
whether Kenneth woul relinquish his
noble schemes and marry like any other
ordinary mortal l rarely saw him with
ont Mrs. Verney. He rode with her, drove
with her, spent long hours In her pretty
d-rawing-room, and walked with her on
the esplanade. | asked him what was
coming from all this. and had for reply,
AT l don marry her, Frank william
answer which at the time struck life as
strange.
And one day Frank came to my wife to
pour into her sympathetic ears wild, fierce
rawlings against his brother. Why had
Kenneth talked all that nonsense about
celibacy and seclusion when he came and
Toe away the only woman Frank ever
would, ever could, Lover"
And thus we heard OF Kenneth's engage
ment to the beautiful Mrs. Vernay.
All the men in the place envied him, but
never in my life have / seen so grave and
gloomy Il lover. Yet, like all the other
men who met her, he seemed to adore her.
| never heard any one question his devo-
ton. Perhaps their eyes were blinded.
/ know we all pitied Frank. And the
time passed merrily by TO the wedding
day, Mrs. Vernay growing daily more
beautiful
Once she passed me as l walked with a
friend on the ~esplanade.
Good heavensl" he exclaimed. what
a likeness
ITO whomyr 1 asked.
"To a peasant girl in the Black Forest
who a few years ago created a great stir
in the village. All the young fellows were
in love with her; she married one of them,
and a few days later he was found dead in
his bed, the bride having vanished, no one
knew whittier.
AN unpleasant story" l said, little
pleased to notice Kenneth near me, who
must have heard every word.
"Of course il is only a chance likeness
said my friend.
"Lilithin murmured Kenneth ms he
passed me.
A week or two Inter and there was a
fashionable wedding in Torremouth, dis
NAL as are ali such festivities, Kenneth
had begged his might be quiet, but Mrs.
Vernay laughed in his face.
~You ridiculous boyl7 she said; people
will think you are ashamed OF me"
"rhe only member of the family not
present was Frank. He had rejoined his
regiment.
1t was over~-breakfast, speeches. and
all-and l was refreshing myself by a
walk near the sea.
a. 81
me, inquiring about that mornings we'd
ding. He appeared to have been a specea-
tor ia the church. Among other things,
he asked the brides name.
-She was a Mrs. Vernay, / replied.
-Ah," he said, Il thought | knew her
again
May I ask where you met her'H
"In CeSlon- She came out AS a bride
after three weeks He paused. but /
begged him to go on
at is an unpleasant story he said "Her
husband was ound strangled ia his bed.
They said one Of the Syces had done 1t, but
some thought Mrs. Vernay could have ex-
planned the matter
l asked no further qu~estions-a voice
seemed To whisper in my ear, -Llithlp aud
the stranger went on his way.
But | forgot my forebodings as the days
passed bringing nothing but good news Of
Kenneth and his wife as they Travelled in
the lake district. We talked OF them, OF
the weather they must be enjoying, and
speculated as 10 their future home, as yet
undetermined.
One night after my wife had gone to bed
l was lingering over the fire. Carclcssly /
raised my eyes toward a mirror hung
above the mantelpiece, aud then my at
tention was riveted by the reflection that
met my eyes II was no repetition OF the
room ! was In, but a faithful picture OF
Kenneth's retreat at the chapel.