Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1889-08-02

as she glanced up at the stately walls Ct
the mansion where she had SO srdentIy
lcnged to reign as undisputed mistress.
During ali that long journey. she had
done little but revOiYe the problem that
so sOrely peFplexed her. How was she TO
persuade Philip to make her mis- wife with
ont telling him the truth2 And to tell
all would, she knew, be to lose him for
ever.
Alas, in what a fatal web Of her own
weaving had she recklessly involved her
self!
AS she leaned back upon the carriage
cushions, sick and giddy with the burden
Of her own misery, Philips tender, ban
tering tones sounded duh and far-Off, as
If heard In a dream.
Look, Dulcie, Mrs. Rusk stands In the
open door. The good woman is very fond
OF you, my darling. But for her I should
never have dreamed of going to Madame
Keeler's to search for you. She viii well
come you with open arms.
TOinette drew quick breath and chung
to him, shuddering with nervous horror.
Just at that moment she had not the couE-
age to meet the hOusekeeper's penetrating
glances.
-Oh, Philip, send her away, she pant
ed I cant see her or any one tonight
he laid his hand caressingly upon her
tired little head with its tumbled golden
curls.
excitement and fatigue. Not soul shall
come near you against your wishes.
And taking the limp little figure in his
arms he strobe through the open hall door
and up the Yelvet-coYered stairs. Mrs.
Rusk stepped forward a step as he passed
her, cry that was half-jOy, hai-terror
/ breaking from her lips.
ooh, it is my dear lady. AiiYei"
She fell back at Philips imperiOus
| gesture, and stared up the dim staircase
with startled eyes. 1t was more than she
/ dared hope, that Mr.. RaynOr would find
! his living wife and bring her back.
On reaching the landing above, Toll
nette struggled out of the strong arms
that had held her so firmly.
Let me go, she pleaded. you are so
/ gooss so noble and generous. Good
| night, Philip; and may heaven bless you.
1t was fortunate for the beautiful i'm
| pOstOr that she knew the way to Dulcie's
/ bOudoir. The next instant she had darted
/ down the unighted corridor and locked
] herself in the pretty, fragrant room.
At last she had time for connected
] thought She knelt by the open window
| where the cool evening air stole softly in,
/ and pressed her hands to her burning
forehead.
Thus far she had accomplished nearly
4 all she had planned She was at High
/ lands, filing Duicie's place, and no one
/ suspected the fraud. There was but one
/ drawback to her happiness-she was not
! Philips wife.
At length footsteps approached, a soft
! rap sounded upon the door, and Mrs. Rusk
/ called, eagerly:
! Please LET me in, dear. Heaven be
| praised that you did not destroy yourself
/ as we feared you had been tempted to do. :"
| Il Will see you in the morning, Mrs
/ Rusk, Toinette forced herself to say
! calmly. Il have passed through bitter ex-
| periences since leaving here. am worn
out, and in need of rest"
You poor lamb, said the unsuspiciOus
| woman. is there nothing can do for
| your"
Nothing, thanks, except to see that I
am not disturbed"
For a long while Toinette was left to her
own reflections. At last a heavier tread
than the hoUsekeeper's echoed in the cor
IidOr. 1t passed and repassed her door
several times, then drew nearer, and a
/ hand pressed the knob. A burning blush
Ieaped into the girls cheeks.
! will you not come down to the draw
ing-room for an hour, Dulcie?" said Phil
ip's musical voice from without.
She made no response, only crOuched
closer to the window, and strained her
eyes into the darkness. After repeating
/ the question, Philip turned, signing heay-
lily, and retreated to the rooms below.
They met at the breakfast table the
next morning. Ioinette fancied the young
| mans greeting seemed constrained So il
was. He was vaguely conscious of some
thing that made this beautiful woman IN
like his gentle wife, and almost led him to
shrink from her at times.
Breakfast over, he proposed ramble
in the grounds.
@The fresh air may restore your color,
he said, noting her palIid cheeks and Ius-
terless eyes. The whole household is
rejoicing over your return, darling. Show
the servants that you are glad and happy
too"
i Forcing a smile, she threw a light
scarf over her head and followed hin
out Mrs. Rusk stock near the hall door
As Toinette was gliding past, she sud.
denly caught her hand and kissed it.
"The sight of your sweet face does me
good" murmured the woman. "High.
lands Will be a different place now YOU
are back again. could not look at the
river without shuddering-"
HeryOice faltered suddenly, she stared
curiously at TOinette, and dropped he
| hand as if it had been red-hOt iron.
What did it mean? Had her wOmanl,
instincts penetrated the secret Philip
love had failed fully to fathOm?
The guilty impOstOr dared not trus
/ herself to speak. Trembling with IN
utterable terror, she hurried out into tn
brilliant sunshine. Her secret must b
Kept! She could not bear TO nave E1ll1l
suspect her yet.
He led her to q rustic bench under tn
trees. why is it feel so like shrink
ing from the beautiful woman who is m
wife?" he had asked himself again an
again. cam I unlike other men-inca
: pabIe Of loving deeply and sincerely"
He fancied the old glamour wouI
come back there in the cool shade
among the flowers of which his Lowell
companion was queen, Outshining theI
/ all in her winsome, girlish beauty. Blu
it did not.
. She was more silent and seIf-absorbe
! than Of old. Her very expression ha
changed-gathered hardness and worldli
I ness, so to speak And if he spoke to be
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