Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-07-14

| exclaimed Lemuel. cit is all 1 have
been working for. 1 tell you love this
| girl, and l am going TO have her, and
he flung himself with defiant air into
his chair.
''Loyel Listen to the man. a wretch
like you to talk OF love-
tsWhy should not love? DO you think
l am not like other men? Besides, If
there were no other reason, would mar
~ her just to spite young Houston.
''Why should you wish to spite HIM?
Because I hate him. have hated
him from the time was a boy, though
he was not aware that I even knew
him. -
''That sounds as queer as most of the
statements you have made TO me, - OBJ
served the elder man, who had seated
himself on table and was swinging his
long legs as he pulled black looking
cigar.
"'It's Gods truth, though, - returned
Lemuel, who did not seem to mind the
slur cast on his veracity, s'and I may as
well tell you why, and he wheeled
around in his chair so that he faced the
other. ''My mother was poor woman,
Mr.. Smith, for my father died when
was quite young, leaving her in poverty.
She had TO make her own living, there
fore, and, much against her will, for she
was proud woman in her way, she ac-
cepted q situation as houSekeeper with
young married couple in New York.
Her mistress was young and beautiful,
but, belonging as she did, to one of the
old New York families, she was cold and
naughty to all save her husband, whom
she idoliZed. She treated my mother as
though she were being of different
and lower orderya and time after time in
suited her and made me feel the degra-
dalton of her position, Young as l was
then, l can remember her pacing the
floor of the room where she and slept,
for she was allowed to retain me with her
until after midnight, muttering threats
against the rich and happy young wife
who was all that my mother was not.
When she heard the wheels of the car
riage which was bringing her mistress
home from some ball or reception stop
at the door of the old-fashioned mansion
she would steal to the window and peep
down at the dainty creature wrapped in
her turs being lifted out by her proud
young husband. Then my mother IS rage
would burst out and she would shake her
fist at the unconscious beauty and curse
her.
''One day, however, her mood al
tered, and instead of cursing or raving,
she used to smile and laugh softly to her
self as she watched the couple. To me
all this was mystery. only knew that
my mother hated her mistress and that l
hated her too. because she must have
hurt my mother, thought 1. But 1 could
not help seeing that change had come
over the young master and mistress Of
the household, as well as over my
no h11c1 md mn IN nd
taciturn, the wife spent her days IN her
own room, emerging with pale cheeks
and reddish eyes to rattle along with
what, child as / was, could see was
only forced gayety, and all the time my
mother smiled and laughed to herself.
Then one day the husband went away.
He was going to travel for many months,
we were told, curious course for d
young married man to take, when he
knew that in very few weeks there
would be a child TO call him father,
but he went Notwithstanding and
from the day he left the house his wife
never smiled. She seemed to droop
away, and she who was once so arrogant
and proud, became as meek as the hum
blest maid in her employ. Her child
was born and she lived but week after
its birth.
''Then my mother sought other en-
ployment, anu years after she told me
the story. 1t was she who parted the
husband and wife Skillfully forged |
letters and an intimate acquaintance
with the habits of her enemy enabled !
her to convince the husband that his |
wife was false to him. To avoid scan
DIAL, and after a distressing scene with |
his wife, he went away and never |
returned. -
During Strangers story, which was |
delivered in a low, hesitating fashion, |
the elder man remained perfectly i'm |
passive, but close observer might have |
observed that he had let his cigar go |
out though he still held it between his |
teeth. AS Strange ended the teeth |
closed with a nervous snap and the upper
rortion of the cigar bitten clean through, |
1ell to the floor. HWhat has this to do |
with young Houston?' said he.
"Simply this: That is the son of the |
woman who, for two years, tortured my
mother until she was driven to commit a
crime. His father, imagine, is the in
dividual whose death is accountable for
Mr.. Nugent's present uncomfortable
state of mind.
CHAPTER XIII.
MR.. SMITH EXPLAINS.
Much TO Strange's surprise, this dis
covery of the names of the leading fig
ures in his story which he had prided
himself on as having been made in real
" dramatic fashion, produced no effect
on his companion. The tall, gaunt man
merely walked over to the window and
stood, with his hands in his pockets,
peering out into the darkness Then he
turned ana walked up and down the
rooms several times, and suddenly said:
'eBut the housekeeper' name was
Dawson.
''That,'' said Lemue1, in astonlsh-
ment, 'swas my mother IS maiden name
She was known as Dawson until was
nearly fifteen years old. But how on
earth do you know anything about the
Houston familv?''
"Because, - said the other slowly,
"my name is John Houston, and I am
the man whom your mother--if you are
not lying, and for once believe you are
not-drove into exile and whose wife she
murdered. -
But-but-John Houston is dead
killed by Nugent, as you yourself have
told me-
''No; it suited my purpose to let you