The morning news., 1889-05-19
CHAPTER XXXIII.

bh.s woman for life! But he would
cot out Of lt-yes, IL it cost him every pen
nv .tlat he had in tie world, he savagely re-
fected,
was he 10 d. it, he presently began aFking
.himself as he strobe heavily up and down
his narrow rooms. He did not go near Mrs.
Dixon the whole day afterward, and he
could not sleep at night for thinking Of the
dilep1ma ia which he found himself. He
could not forget, though he should have
liked to do, how ofteI lie had protested to
Mrs. Dixon that it was for herself alone
he wished to marry her. He had said
this when he proposed to her and he had said
n M st3v times since. Mrs. Dixon remained,
If her fortune were gone; and how was he
10 tell her now that he did not mean to full
f. his words
He got up the next morning with head
ache and in a furious temper. and kept
finging about mis- boots, cutting his cnin as
he tried to shave himself with his shaking
hand. and swearing SO audlbly that his one
servant thought the colonel had gone mad.
But something must be done, and at last
a brilliant idea. he considered, darted iuto
his exasperated brain. lie would pretesd
that he had suddeuly met with a monetary
loss. though there was no truth in this, ex-
cent that the day before he had paid his gas
account.
RiYr be must make soma excuse, and he
thought this a feasible one. Sea cely had
he swallowed his breakfast, therefore,
when he sat down W address an epistle to
Mrs. Dixon, but even to know how to cont
memo it he found far from easy. Hitherto
heIlaI begun bis letters I'D ar Sarah but
row be felt such familiarity must be
6ropDed. No, a woman who had deceived
him, os she had done, must be dear
SarahN No more. Poor Mrs Dixon had not
in auth deceived him, for she had never
mentioned money t. him, but thea the col
-onel was determined to blame her, and be-
ing in truth ashamed Of himself took refuge
in abusing he"
Dear Mrs. D xon, he accordingly COM
lnenced, II regret very much to tell you
that l have Il letter from my lawyer this
morning informing me Of a serious none
tary loss | have sustained, which VIII 50 re-
duce my present small income that fear,
after what you told me Yesterday of your
atIai S, THAT marriage between US viii now
be impossible. ! need net tell you l regret
this but there is no help for it, and l re-
man yours sincerely,
''WILLIAM FORTH
he dispatched this by a private lnesse9-
ger to Mrs. Dixon's lodgings, aud then he
telt more at ease in his mind. He liz
cgar, and he began to think he would feel
ail the better for a brandy aud soda; but
before he thus INDUCED himself, he went
oat fer a smoke in the little garden in front
of his house, and walked backward and for
ward among tae lilac bushes and ever
greens, and finally sat down in the little
rustic summer house, whore poor Ruth ard
Seathorth had dreamed their brief dream Of
love.
Suddenly his cigar fell from his lips, while
a muUtered curse broke from them. There,
in the act of opening the gate into the gar
den, was Mrs. Dixon herself.
The colonel started to MS feet, and then
sat down again, hoping the shrubs would
hide him and as Mrs. Dixon passed down
the walk 10 the door, It struck nim in mo
meut that a. she rang at the bell he
might escape round the back Of The sum
III T-house, and get into the house BY the
kitchen door.
Narily watching her. he saw her look
round, actually look at the summer-house,
and lie ducked his head lower beneath the
bushes as she did So. Then he heard the
maId-servant open the door; heard the-tO
him-amost terrible words uttered by the
maid IN reply to Mrs. DlXou'S inquiry If
Co. Forth were at home.
He is in the garden somewhere, ma'am,
a-sMoking; likely in the summer house
there
Again Mrs. Dixon looked round, and then
sat shaking. In another moment her sharp
eyes perceived him, aud there was nothing
left for him but to rise. Ho rose, and as he
did so Mrs. Dixon caught one Of his hands in
both Of hers.
%! my POOR William; what news! But
it can wake no change with us"
She &tGred these words in the tenderest
aud most sympathetic tone. She looked up
into his face, and Col. Forth felt that he
VS. powerless before her.
II ran up at once to tell you-to tell you
with my own lips" continued Mrs. Dixon,
breathessly, THAT it was not your money
thought of, William; let that 20 as mine
weat-we have still each otherp
William did not commit himself in words,
but he gasped.
1T was like you; so generous; so noble
always TO offer TO release me at once; but
90 ydu think l would accept your sacrifice?
40, William, in veal or woe, | still am
yours
William felt as il the ground were slip.
ping away beneath his feet, but he made
faint effort.
II is very good of you to say So but
? 1t Is not good, u interrupted Mrs. Dixon,
eagerly; in love we DO not count the cost;
~e only feel; y and she looked up into Will
lann's face as if she meant to kiss him, or
expected him to kiss her.
But William was going to do nothing OF
tho sort. The summer- house was in sight
OF The roadway, ard even amid his misery
he remembered this.
Come into the house." he said, people
can see US here.n
And 50 they went into the house together,
ana Mrs. Dixon went into it with deter
miaed heart
?. LET us talk it all over" she said; "if
between US We can raise three or four hun
oFed year, what more do we wantW
"ltis very little" faltered the colonel.
"a. Yes, but il we are poor in purse we are
Teh In something else continued Mrs.
rl444n, evidently meditating precipitating
EefttH into his arms; but he backed sud
AenlY, and put the table between them
IL Ldo not like to drag you into poverty"
ue suid, from the vantage ground he had Sc
cured you have not been used TO it, and
don't know what it is /, Of course, have
been accustomed to rough it."
But II will not be such great poverty"
urged Mrs. Dixon. my fve thousand
poands brings me in certain income"
Cok Forth thought OF where her five
thousand pounds were invested, but he said
nothing; he tomporized.
Let uE take a few days TO think 1t over,n
ne remarked, "and see how this business of
lnlne urns out; it may not be so bad as we
Think
But my anxiety
~ may all come right nfter all. I'll run up
TO town aud see after his lawyer fellow OF
mine, aud I'll write 20 you from there
But how can ! bear tho suspensel Prom
$50 me one thing, William, that, whatever
hafifens, we shall not part.n