The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1889-02-06

he was eager to encounter him. But
he was too late. BY the time he had
descended the stairs and had crossed
the lawn Deering had become alarmed
and had fled. Audrey Thorndyke stood
there alone, and in the bitterness of his
soul he denounced her.
II saw the meeting between you and
your lover" he said. 81 am thankful
that you refused to 60 with me. could
not long have tolerated a woman so un-
principled.
"You are c0ndemning me without
hearing my defense. Come into the
house and hear what have to say"
IF you wish to speak, you can do 20
here he said; "but if you mean to de-
fend your lover, you may spare your
self the trouble. Ihave seen you meet
him at midnight, and l have that ac-
count to settle with him alone"
81 do not want to plead for DR.. Deer
ing, but for myself Were l an entire
stranger to you, and accused of evil
doing and brought to your court, you
would give me patient hearing, al
though appeared to be guilty. Would
you be much less merciful to your
wife?"
"You have forfeited the right to call
yourself my wife,
She was shivering with cold, and she
made final effort to have him enter
the house.
Il am cold, Eric, and some one may
hear us if we talk out here. You are
standing by Julian's window. Would
it not be better to avoid the probability
of being overheard?"
"Yes,n he answered, sit would.
am surprised that you ran that risk
with Deering."
She led the way to her sitting-room,
and this time he threw himself into a
chair. She seated herself on an otto.
man at little distance from him.
While she talked she kept her eyes
fixed upon the dying embers in the fire.
place.
Il am not going to ask for mercy,
nor to think of you as my husband.
You are to be my judge tonight, and
to hear my story without prejudice
just as you would listen to any unhap-
py woman in your court. am &C.
cused by my husband of abandoning
him to be near my lover, and of meet
ing that lover at disgracefully late
hour of the night.
when I was twenty years old, I
was engaged to DR.. Deering. l adj
mired him greatly, because | was
young and sentimental enough to
idealize him, and because his manners
were really engaging. But, after a
time, | suspected that his character
was weak. I thought he was vain.
and that he had an inordinate desire
to possess my property. So, when l
was twenty-one, told him wonld not
marry him. Afterward 1 did not see
him for a year or two.
"About eighteen months ago he &C.
CURED powerful influence over my
brother Julian. He was miserably I'm.
happy if he did not see the doctor
daily, and | submitted to his visits fol
Julian's sake. The boy was so de-
pendent on others for his amusement
that | could not deny him the pleasure
of DR.. behring's company. just be.
fore my marriage, | suspected Julian
of being addicted to the use of NOR
phine, and told the doctor of my sus
picions. lie said that he had discov
cred this habit, and believed he coulG
cure my brother of it if I would helE
him. | entered readily into this part
nership. l was anxious that Julian
should be cured of his degrading prac
. tice before took him to my husbands
home.
"Wh en- I told Julian that l knew his
secret, he begged me never to tell it.
Like all persons who abuse the use O.
opium, he had guarded his secret cum
, ningly, and exaggerated the effect O
, its disclosure. He said that if l ever
betrayed it to my husband, he would
/ kill himself before he would live under
our roof. He cried, and moaned, anG
wrung his hands, until l pitied him
He said he was a helpless wreck whom
stronger men despised. He said, too
that he would rather face death thar
, the scorn that Eric Thorndyke woult
, feel for him if he knew his failing.
, comforted him. | said | would never
/ tell any human being of his habit if ne
/ would submit to DR.. behring's treat
ment and be cured.
II tried to make it impossible fo1
Julian to procure morphine without
t his physicians knowledge. Of course
, l knew that Dr. Dee.ing would no
take it away from him at once-only
} gradually diminish his supply. TOLD
| him to tell the druggists in this town
not to sell Julian any drug. l instruct
ed the servants to purchase nothing
} for him without first consulting me.
, am his legal guardian, and this rela
tionship aided me. l would not ALLOW
! him to drive alone, lest he should q
, far enough from home to purchase thu
, drug from strangers. He was cunning
) enough to write prescription ant
) sign it by fictitious doctors name.
Tonight Julian chose to drive a
, an hour when he knew | expected m,
husband tn arriva 7 ha}iaye6 IL wa.