The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-03-13
tween you and me, and the housekeeper,i if you

docs not mistress know that ="
81 am supposed to be in South America"
interrupted, so this will be an agreeable sur
prise for her. l rely ON your confidence. Don't
forget. shall reward you presently and
handsomely"
The man chuckled at my little plan. He
was dull fellow, without grain of intell-
genoe. On that night was n better actor than
DanGno.
'Whero shall 1 go?" I said, half thought
fully.
"Hourown study will be best, sir, suggested
the man.
"Ges, capital
"Mistress never goes into IT, lie explained.
81 don't think the room has been opened for
three months, sir. | had better light a fire"
NO, Bring me lamp, and leave it as it is.
And take no further thought of me under any
circumstances. You understand? ~
YES, sir; | understand"
! passed up stairs into my old study. 1t was
thick with dust. No one had thought of it or
attended to it of late days. 1t was like dead
ROOM Well. was dead to her, and not ex-
pectcd back any more. And the servants had
neglected IL i'll the mistress absence, and like
Che mistress On the mantei piece was the
stone bouquet. 1t was a fitting emblem after
all. tool; il up and poised it in my hand, How
heavy it seemed to have grown, or had | be-
come weaker? 1t was like an ugly iron orna-
ment rustinG away, and felt like iron to my
touch. When the servant had brought the
lamp locked myself in. | would not be sur
prsed.
Presently--two hours afterward, II might be
there was knocking and ringing at the
outer door, | unlocked my study and listened
There was voices talking in the hall down
STATESMEN voices.
"She has not reached home yet?" heard
some one inquire.
''No, sir, not yet"
knew the voice, and ! came out on the
landing place and craned my face over the
balusters to look at him. Had he glanced up
face grinnng out of q coffin would have dis
mayed him less
II will wait"
"But-"
mol will write note. Please sec that
madam has il Immediately upon her arrival"
| hoard money clink in the servants palm as
Monsieur Danano was shown intoa little room
on the right of the door. | went back TO the
study and waited very patiently. | could be
very patient when / chose "Everything
comes to him who waits" The line runs in
that fashion somewhat.
Presently heard the street door close after
Monsieur Danano, and the servant stood in the
hall as If he were thinking, and with his finger
nails pressed to his lips. When he went away
| stole down stairs into the room wherein Da-
nano had been shown. 1t was favorite little
room of my wife's, looking on the square. The
gas was burning there. On the desk in the
corner was a sealed lotter. dashed at 1t, tore
it open, and read amid many wild words of af-
uuu lOul IiupSuuy buebo WDfUS OF
warning:
''You must hesitate no longer. will come
at 12,for you, my beloved 1t is too late for
further de'ibgration. We .must fly. Your hus-
band is in London, and dangerous
Dangerous! How did he know that was
dangerous?
put the envelope in another envelope.
sealed it and left it on the davenport whence
had picked it up. 1t might be rs well to see
the end OF this, the very. very end. went up
to my study again, and sat there with the stone
bouquet clutched in my hands, as If some need
of comfort, or of self-restraint, might come
from ts'oold touch.
There came another knocking and ringing at
the door. 1t was she. She had come home at
last. God! j could hear her voice in the hall.
stole out on to tho landing again. | had
the stone bouquet still in my hand, and that
was very strange. The servant was speaking
to her, telling her of the last visitor who had
called.
where is his letter." heard her ask,
"ln the morningro room, madam"
She passed in, and the servant fingered in
the hall. Once he looked MP the well-star-
case, but did not see me watching. | had low
cred the gas outside the study door, and was
standing somewhat back, wondering myself
what was going to do next.
Her voice in the hall once more recalled mo
from my half-stupor
Don't remove the boxes from the cab /" she
Was saying hurriedly leave all as 1t Is. Rob
ert tell the man to wait. IL am called away
again at once
She was coming up stairs towards me. On
The second stair she paused and looked back at
the servant.
81 have written letter give IL to Monsieur
Danano when he returns. He will under
stand"
No-hc will never understand in this world,
neither will Cicely Hayland, nor her mad
husband. 1t is all left for the next As she
came ~ stairs, sprang forward and struck at
her from the darkness OF my lair, and she fell
back, with one little cry, a dead woman, on
the marble pavement OF the hall.
had killed her with the stoue bouquet
They do not know at the asylum that | am
writing this. They will see it presently, and
it may amuse them-or it may hang me; it
matters not which, ! suppose ! am mad now
very mad. But IL was not Cicelys death
that turned my BRAIN or wholly wrecked it,
That seemed inst enough till ! read the letter
she had left for Danano, and which | had
thought was her instructions where 10 meet
him. II was that letter which drove me raw
ing mad. only ten lines, and yet to bring mo
TO this. They are scared into my soul till the
judgment day.
II will not see you. Have | been hiding
from you all this while and for so poor q Sc
quel? 20 away again TO escape you to wait
learcssly for my husband and TO confess the
truth to him. 10 confess that | was weak
vain woman, yes one who loved you, yes but
guilty, never. And so God viii forgive us both
in his good time, perhaps, and as my husband
will. l will pray for il very hard. Farewell
Louis, and forever begin my new liie--my
better life from this night"
She was right. Before the Ink was hardly
dry She had begun life anew.
Whitehall Times Whisky lowers the man