Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-09-07

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 "rELL ME WHAT YOU KNOW"
 walls at Havana. And know that all the rest of them that haven't suffered violent deaths ill some shape, are in Cuban prisons, and will spend the bal ance of their lives working on ford- fcations there or ill Spain, each with ball and chain to his leg. So that if you have any lurking fondness for this vagrant who you say goes by the name of Crawford, you'd do we'll to hope that the Spaniards have finished him already. It's by far the more mer- ciful fate of the two."
 The strain that had wrought up her feelings to the point where the weak faint and the strong in heart suffer al- most lifetime of agony ill minute, was gone. She knew the worst; or rather, she knew all that she could know now. When could she know more? Would it be week-a month -a year-or would she ever know the truth? She bowed her head upon her hands; the great relief of tears was not denied her. Swiftly her thoughts went back to that last time he had held her to his heart-tbat night, but few weeks gone, and yet which seemed so far away in the past-when he bade her goodbye at the door of her aunt s house in Boston. Life with this girl had thus far been quiet, happy, une- ventful, without great shocks or calam- ities; its largest event had been the love that Henry Crawford brought her. It was to her, life, hope, every thing; she could not give it up!
 70. my darling" she thought, II will not believe you dead! You must come back; you will come back. !'
 As she sat thore in silence, thinking of him, she forgot for the time the very existence of the man who sat opposite her. It was out of no kindness to her that he had refrained from telling her outright that her lover was dead. He had been governed by the fear that such an announcement, coming from him, would increase Helcn's dislike of himself. and increase the obstacles to success with her. The exhibition of her intese affection for Crawford, which she tried not to conceal, struck thorns of anger to his heart, and it was with difficulty that he suppressed the feeling. He determined to make an- other effort to win her, and to make it then. She was one of tho objects for which hs terrible crimes had been commltted-the lesser object of the two in his eyes-yet he courted her with the eagerness with which a thor oughly bad man will court good woman.
 He had been talking while before the sound of his voice penetrated the abstraction of her thoughts, Gradu- ally she became aware that he was re newing his proffer of love. Frola her tender, devoted thought of Henry Crawford, she was suddenly brought back to earth by hearing Louis Hunter talk of affection and marriage. For a few minutes she sat silent, speeches. with indignation. She heard him say that fellow who could join the crowd of vagabonds that Lopez had with him. could not be much better than they were. He had not much doubt that he had been shot with Crittenden's s party; in any event, she would never see him again. So now that her thoughtless attachment for Ahis ad- venturer had come to naught, would she not consider the offer of the speaker again? He could tell her what he did not tell her before-what must be a secret for while longer-that he had become suddenly wealthy while in Cuba. After they were married he would tell her all about it; at present it was enough to assure her that he owned fifty thousand dollars. So now would she not marry him? She and her mother needed a protector, Captain Willis being away three-fourths of the time; and he had already got his con- sent. He believed it would give her father real pleasure to find him mar ried to his daughter when he ncxe re- turned home.
 Shocked, angry, trembling with emotion, Helen rose from her seat. "Mr. Hunter," she said, with quiet slstinctness that assured him that he was hearing his final sentence, "you have insulted me as we'll as the man love. Never presume to speak in this way to me again; you can please me best by never addressing me agam, on any subjeS."
 She went directly into her chamber and closed the doon Hunter still sat where she loft him, when Mrs. Willis returned.
 "Where is Helen?" she asked.
 He tossed his head angrily toward her door. The mother at once suspect ed the truth.
 "I did not think, MT. Hunter" she said, "that after what I just said to you, you would intrude your attentions on her again"
 "Wel!, madam," he said, assuming