The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-02-09

CT OfCA dUONC ali IhlS SGhSi-
tive dread of possible scandal he felt a
! strong sympathy which longed to lift
/ this burden from her life, or at least
to share it. She seemed to be rcced-
| ing-gliding away from him. Was he
to lose her?
He reached out his hands instinct
lively. He brought her before him as
she had appeared in the evening in
her dress of dark garnet and black
lace, that harmonised SO well with her
dark, flushed, brilliant face. He felt
new realisation of her beauty. He
started to go to her. He would plead,
urge, insist upon her confidence. But
pride put in its plea. 1t was for her
to come to him.
His mind wandered back over the
past year regretfully.
at was fawless," he whispered.
''It was too perfect to last. My turn
has come to suffer"
1t was two o'clock when he went to
their chamber. The gas burned low.
Evelyn was sleeping. There were
traces of tears, and something So pit
eous in the unconscious face, that he
was constrained to kiss her lips. She
stirred and murmured Warren" in
| her dreams.
The next morning he told her he
should be detained late that evening,
and kissed her good-by with outward
cheerfulness but heavy heart.
All through the day some prescience
kept urging him to cancel the i'm
| portant engagement of the evening
! and return home early. The impress
SION was so singular that he was coll
strained to obey it.
There seemed to be some reason for
it when nearing home he saw man
lowering under the front parlor win
dows. He turned into a narrow pass
age between two dwellings, nearly
! opposite and waited.
In few moments he heard Il low
peculiar whistle that seemed to be Il
signal. His heart beat faster than
usual when he saw the front-doOr
opened by Evelyn herself. the man
walk up the steps, enter and close the
door after him, and saw, also, that it
was the same inditferently-dressed
dark-faced, suspicious-loOking indivi-
dual with whom he had known her
| to be in secret communication.
He waited short time then crossed
the street and let himself into the hail
with his latch-key. The gas was
burning brightly. He opened the
door of the parlor. 1t was vacant.
| Tnere was no sound below stairs. The
servants had gone out.
He walked upstairs with firm step.
There was no anger, no desperation
in his thought, only concentrated
energy of purpose. The elements of
the disturbance were beneath his roof.
He would deal with them summarily.
His clear professional instinct was at
once active and under control.
He looked into their private sitting
room; that, too, was empty. He eu-
tered their chamber. 1t was in dark
ness, but beyond the heavy plush
drapery that separated it from Evelyn's
| little dressing-room he saw gleam
of light and heard voices. His wife
had received this man in private
room where only few intimate lady
| friends were admitted. 1t was a rather
! peculiar situation for husband to
contemplate, but he was equal to it.
Il tell you, Evelyn" the man was
saying familiarly, you'll have to do
better than this. You must shell out
two hundred pounds now, within
few days, if you want to live in peace.
No need for me to tell you what Seth
Arnold is. You see what he says in
his letter. God help you if you let
him come over here. I'm sorry enough
he wasn't popped off in that railroad
accident. 1t seemed as if the devil
helped his own. The officers were
after him for that forgery, and would
have had him within few hours
if it hadn't seemed so certain he was
killed. He's been skulking around
two years eluding the law. You
might have knocked me down with a
feather when he made himself known
to me in London that night and asked
about you. It's too bad; but if your
husband is as generous as you say,
surely you can wheedle him out of a
good round sum without his feeling
the wiser where it goes.
Warren Hamilton heard every word
distinctly.
"Wheedle him out of it" Evelyn re-
peated. ASK him to pay this price
for his peace! 1t is a wretched mat
ter to patch up-to compromise! What
ought to dop That is the question.
How can meet my husband with this
lie in my heart, when he is so noble
and ger erous, and trusts q 50 COM
pletely? Husbandw she repeated.
''Have / a husband?".
sThere, Eve, don't go into heroics. "
said the other impatiently. ''It isn't
your fault that you are in this posi-
ton. Make the best of it now. It's
worth while making some sacrifice to
keep your husband in the dark. What
he don't know he can't be sorry for"
81 shall have to tell him sOon," she
returned. 81 know / cannot live this
double life with him much longer"
your husband is not so young as
he was once" pursued the other. at
would not pc safe to tell him. The
shock miget kill him. You ought to
be glad that your black sheep of a
brother is standing in the gap, instead
of Seth making himself known round
here. and kicking up devil of a
: scandal"
Brother! Ah!' thought Warren.
"Oh, Oscar" she said wearily.
"You don't see-you don't under
, stand how feel about it."
You'll get used to it, he said short
ly. Cant you bear anything better
t than separation from your husband?
= It'll come to that or worse, if you
: don't help me hush up the matter"
: The plush drapery trembled little
) Just then, the brass rings slipped over
the rods with emphatic little clinks
; and the imposing figure of Warner
t Hamilton appeared, introducing s
l startling addition to the tableau, as h'
l stood against the background O
e bronze and crimson folds, his eye
f glowing, his whole presence so mas
terful and self-possesed, that EvelyI
t gained more courage from it somehow
d the moment she was over her first star
! of surprise.
; "a little cross-questioning is in or
a der now," he said quietly, as if pur
S suing the subject in the most natura
!, manner possible. keeping his eyes oil
h the fellows face.
s He weakened visibly. He was no
prepared for this encounter. His eye
Il fell before the keen glance that ha'
e confused and confounded so man,
witnesses in the court room.
n You are my wife's brother'-her
h Evelyn winced-"eharged with a mes