Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1889-07-19
Philip RaynOr S Bride:
VILLARS FATAL MISTAKE.
BY RETT WILDWOOD.
CHAPTER XVI
FACE TO FACE.

sus Jense, then the knob turned slowly
and Philip entered the room.
Toinette had fallen back invo1untarily
at the first sound of his step. For a
moment he saw only his wife. A low cry
of alarm broke from him as his glance fell
upon her death-white face.
Darling what is the natter" he ex-
claimed. Are yoa ill?"-
No answer. She was incapable of
speech. But her glazing eyes were fixed
upon something or some one just beyond
where he had paused, as if frozen there.
He turned, and saw Toinette
His first feeling was one OF daZed be-
wilderment. He brushed his hand before
his eyes as If to get rid of a blur that af-
fected his vision But the figure was still
there-a lovely young girl, with the fair,
dimpled face, velvety eyes and falling yell
low hair of his wife-her perfect counter
part save in dress!
Then Philip decided his senses must
have played him false. He looked in
amazement at the figure, then turned
again to Dulcie Surprise, anguish, hor-
ror were written on every feature of her
face.
"Why-why--" he began, both hands
pressed to his forehead. Then he could
say no more. He half feared he was going
mad.
Toinette quickly advanced. She, too,
was very pale, and her great eyes shOne
purple black with excitement.
no wonder, she said, In the soft, per-
suasive tones she knew so well how to as
sumo. 1T rarely happens that one IS
confronted by two persons exactly alike
in form and feature. You have been made
the victim of a bold, daring impOsture.
Look at me, Philip, and surely glimmer
Of the truth Will dawn upon your mind.
Don't you know who I amp"
His hands still chung to his cold fore
head, where great drops Of sweat were
slowly gathering.
mo, no, he answered, shudderingly.
you are a stranger-a vision conjured up
by my disOrdered fancy, it may be. L
never saw you before.
oh, Philip! And you pretended to love
me once. I am Toinette."
1T is false. Toinette stands yonder.
She is my wife!"
This is the girl you married, true; but
she Won you by fraud. Her name is Dull
Gle Dane.
Il don't believe it.
1T is the truth, Philip. There have
been strange cases of counterparts In the
world, where persons were sol exactly
alike that their most intimate friends
were deceived. This is one of these. TAX
ing advantage Of her startling resemblance
to me, the wretched girl yOnder has stolen
my name, and for a few weeks succeeded
In palming herself upon the world as my
self. She is a vagrant creature picked
out of the city slums, befriended because
pitied her. Speak to her. She dare not
deny the truth of my story"
Philip looked like man IN dream.
His dazed eyes again swept the deathly
face of his wife. Why was she SO silent?
What did it all mean?
My darling" he said, taking a quick
step toward her, tell this lying woman
she must 60 elsewhere to have her i'm
probable tale credited"
Dulcie never moved-never spoke; only
met his gaze with a look of living an
guish.
conviction that was gaining ground in his
own mind. All in vain. He had been
struggling against it from the first mo-
ment, as the drowning man struggles for
life.
Speak, he cried, hoarsoly. Deny
this story"
Then her pale lips parted, and from
them fell slowly the words of doom:
Philip, I cannot: dare not. God
help and pity me. It is true-all truei"
For several moments no one spoke in
the room. Philip staggered against the
wall, his head giddy and his heart sick.
1t was Toinette's voice that finally broke
the oppressive silence:
THAT girl, Dulcie Dane, came to Bon
nyVieW Hall while lay Ill. almost unto
death. in New York, she said, glibly.
Il had gone there to escape bitter perse-
i
first to greet you, Philip, when you should
come home. But enough of that; Dulcie
easily succeeded in deceiving my guard
ian. But her position was an insecure
one. She might be lsted from 1t at any
moment. She could gain wealth and
position by becoming your wife. so she
kept up the deception with you also, and
gained her end. When I recovered it was
too late-yOu were married"
The wretched man groaned aloud Dull
Gle did not speak, even to correct the
cruel falsehOods that had been told.
When she could no longer endure the
silence that followed her own words,
TOinette drew near and laid her hand
lightly on Philips arm.
OF course, this affair can end in only
one way. You viii make haste to put
from you the unworthy creature who won
you by fraud. You owe her nothing
nothing. You would only feel anger and
contempt for one who would stOOp to such
a trick to gain her own selfish ends. For
tunately there is one redress for such
wrongs as yOurs-the law. 1t viii release
you from these CALLING chains. When
you are free man, Philip, yOu-yOu-can
come to me. You viii ind me unchanged. "
Her voice was very winning, her face
wreathed In smiles; but Philip shivered
under her touch, and gently put of her
jeweled hand.
Col" he said, in q low, hoaTse tone.
Go, TOinette, and leave me alone with
my wife"
~Go?" she repeated, startled look
creeping into her big blue eyes. you are
not serious, Philip? You won't send me
away now?"
His only answer was to pull the bell
rope Escort this lady to the door, he
SAID to the servant who appeared.
Toinette hesitated. glaTing furiously
from the husband to the wife. The re-
suit was so different from her expecta-
lions. She felt so sure Philip would
drive forth his wife with curses and re-
a. I.n---,s-.c- Tia H-.rtAL.