The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-06-23

had cared for no other woman, and liked
her well enough to wish to make her my
wife,
But why tell me all thisp
Have little patience. my dear fellow.
L assure you am not telling it to you from
any sentimental pleasure in relating my
own folly. Well. / was in love then; and one
night had been dining out in the neighbor-
hood-at the Fords, at Whitham-and
was walking back to the fort, by the cliff
walk, in one of the most tremendous thun-
derstorms ever saw in England"
Il remember the Storm interrupted
Sir Arthur.
81 daresay The lighting was so vivid that
; it litup the whole scene like daylight; and,
/ Just reached as l the steep path cut through
the cliffs to the sands, which daresay you
! also rememberl
Beaton nodded.
well, just as reached this spot, there
came flash that showed me very plainly
| everything before and around me- Aud
what do you think it also showed mes The
face of Ruth Forth, who was hurrying up
the cliff walk, in torrent of rain, close ol
midnight! distinctly saw her face, and
| followed her home She went into Col.
Forth's house. and !, being in love, was
very curious to know what had taken her
out in the storm; IN fact, was jealous
thought she had gone down TO the bay to
| find out if this were true.
"Beaton." continued Audley, his voice
! growing passionate and Impressive" / did
| love that girl as mucl as | hate her now !
L went down the steep and slippery path
cut in the rocks, with the storm
at its hight, and when I reached the
sands walked aound the bay, aud as did
this | stumbled over something lying ia my
way, and STOPPED down and picked it up,
and found IL ~ ma small SnoAa
spade l had seen before-belonging to
Ruth Forth. Seaforth had cut her name
on it one Sunday afternoon, and | knew
| there was no mistake; and knew also that
Ruth must have taken it there for some
purpose, and determined to find out what
that purpose was"
"But what have to do with thisr' asked
Beaton with some impatience.
wait a minute and you shall see.
marked the spot with stick where found
the spade, and carried the spade away with
me to the fort, and there | got lantern,
aud carried il and the spade back to the
shore. Iput tho lantern down, and plainly
| saw that the sand where | had
found the spade had recently beer
disturbed; and then / began to dig,
and dug up what Miss Ruth Forth h~d.
buried tnerep
"Well, what was it!"
you may well ask. A new born babe
small atom of humanity-lay there in its
grave by the SEAL 1t was placed in a box.
and rolled and swathed, | suppose, for the
purpose of concealment, in a woman's black
gown. Beaton, in moment | understood
it all. This child was the child of Frances
Forth, born in secret, and in sin; and Ruth
was the puppet in her sisters hands. whom
she had employed to conceal her shamen
Sir Arthur Beaton sprang to his feet with
vehement exclamation of anger and dis
belief.
II do not believe it," he cried. "What
proofs have you of such hideous storgg'
"Damnng proofs, my dear fellow" an
swered Audley, with bitter emphasis. "You
would think, would you not, that such a
sight as that would have cured a mans
love for a fair face, but it did not cure
mine. asked Ruth to meet me after that
day at Sudley, when poor Kenyon gave his
garden party. and you, if you, remember,
lay at your charmer's feet"
Beaton turned his head away with pas.
sionate gesture
"Well, l met Ruth and told her what had
seen, and she admitted the truth; and my
price for keeping the secret--for allowing
Kenyon to marry this woman, was that
Ruth should marry me-"
you did thisl" said Beaton with strong
Indignation.
Il am not going to deny it; all is fair in
love and war, you know, and was in love
with Ruth, more fool Il But, though [
let Kenyon marry Madam Jezsbe, as al
ways call her, and come 20 grief tor his fol-
ly, AN not going to let you do SCAT
least unwarned."
Beaton began to pace backward aud for
ward on the terrace in violent agitation.
IF | could believe this,n he said,
stopping suddenly before Audley, WAC was
watching him with his cold aud cynical gaze.
Il VIII swear to the truth OF it; every
word of it is true; Mrs. Kenyon dare not
deny it, for if they do darker charge even
than shame may be brought home to them,
and murder is an ugly word"
"Murderl" repeated Beaton, in horror.
eyes. How do we know that this frail
breath was not stopped before it had time
to make any noise in the world? These
sisters were alone in that little house when
the child was born, except one maid in the
kitchen, whom thsy could easily send out.
And, at all events, concealment of birth
and secret burial bring them within the
clutches of the law"
but did your wife-did Mrs. Audey.
confess all this." asked Beaton in q hoarse
and broken voice. "Audley, are you sure
you are not deceiving me? Remember
this is life or death to me-honor or gross
dshonor"
"It is true"
"But why have you broken your promises
Ruth Forth married you--you say for her
sisters sake. Why have you not kept your
word to her2"
why Shall tell your answered Aud
ley, with vindictive CLEAN in his light
prominent eyes. "After Frances fed with
you, Ruth, whom it seems was once engaged
to Saaforth, before she married me, sent
for her old lover and confided in his ears why
she did not keep her promise to him. Don't
ately. II heard her tell him the shameful
tale IN my own house; and then | turned
her out of it, and it is six months sidce |
have seen or heard of her,
1T seems impossible-utterlyi mpos sible!'
exclaimed Beaton who wasagitated beyond
control.
He was pale, and his face scanned to have
grown haggard and worn in tho brief mo-
ments in which he hal listened to words
which upset the whole plans of his life. Again
he began pacing backward and forward, re-
calling things to his mind which confirmed
Audley's story. He remembered how Ruth
Forth and Seaforth were supposed to be
lovers, and with what surprise ne had heard
of her marriage to Audley, and how Sea-
forth had always warned bin against
Frances. Then he remembered his passion
ate love for the beautiful woman who had
him when he came into wealth and hon.
ors; and he thought too Of the struggles in
his own conscience, when the gray haired
master of Sudley had treated him as an
honored guest