Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-05-02

| like stars; her manner was, perhaps,
little more animated than usual-a
little less composed, and when she
caught sight of Eberhard, she sudden
| ly grew pale, and moved away from,
not towards, him. But with quick
resolute step forward he arrested her.
Il want to speak to you, Elvira. l
have come for that purpose alone-to
speak TO you, possibly for the last
time.
She gave one quick, frightened, up
ward glance, then yelled her eyes be-
hind their long lashes; with an invol-
untary movement she pressed her
hand to her heart and tho color now
quilted her lips, as it had quilted her
face moment ago; she looked on the
point of fainting.
Leigh watched every change in her
| appearance with keen glittering eyes,
from which every sign OF tenderness
had vanished.
you appear very much affected by
my appearance, Elvira; yet it is not
unexpected, surely"
"You looll-you seem so strange!"
she faltered.
81 have a strange tale to tell. "
He had drawn her into the conser-
vatory, which at present was empty
save for themselves.
Elvira sank into a chair, for her
limbs seemed unable to support her,
and she attempted to hide her agitat-
ed face with her fan.
Eberhard calmly took it from her,
and kept his keen unfaltering glance
upon her changing countenanoo.
Il cast spare time for you now.
must go back to my guosts-to receive
them. You forget am hostess"
she stammered.
II forget nothing. You must hear
what | have to say before you return
to those people. Elvira, l have just
been arrested on n charge of forgery"
A shiver went through her frame;
her lips quivered; she made an effort
to recover herself.
ARRESTED! But you arc here" she
gasped.
81 am here pro tenn. have escaped
to be arrested again, no doubt, but
before then it was imperative that |
saw you. Elvira, who forged my
uncles name for two thousand
pounds?"
"Why-why on earth should you
ask me?'
~ will not ask you again if you can
look me straight in the face and tell
me on your honor that you know
nothing about it.
He took her two cold trembling
hands in his as he spoke, and holding
her thus, bent his face nearer to hers.
"Of course | know nothing" she
tried to stammer, but it was miser-
able attempt, and failure Her eyes
were lifted sTasmodically, then drop
ped. She trembled from head to foot.
"Merclful Heavens! / could have
borne anything rather than this" the
man groaned, AMI dropping the girls
hands, he leaned with dn attitude of
despair against the doorway; still he
blocked Elvira's road.
She could not escape, though she
looked around wildly for means Of do
ing SO.
silence, broken only by the heavy
irregular breathing OF the man Loan
ing against the doorway, fell upon the
faintly-lit, heavily scented conserva-
tory.
Upon the silence came the discord-
ant merriment of the music in the
room beyond. The band was playing
a mad, merry polka, and it's strains
Jared in horrible mocke"y upon the
suffering within few yards OF the
quickly moving feet, the bright voices
whose sound reached Leigh's ears.
Silence, seeming horribly long 20
E.Vira, whose every pulse was quiv-
ering with impatient dread, and last
ing until in despair she almost broke
it; then Eberhard moved his position,
and, turning, faced his companion.
Such dainty exquisite figure she
looked, Swallowed by the heavy grace
fvl palms, outlined by the roseatc
light, so fair and frail and lovely, and
capable of this!
deliberately, then"--his voice
rang stern, though low-"delibcrate-
ly, then, you planned this thing.
With it in your mind you smiled and
poured sweet looks and words upon
me yesterday. All cleverly you lured
me into the trap; by Inviting me to
drive with you you arranged-how, it
matters not; the facts are enough for
me-that / should be supposed to be
in your brougham and receive the
money while you were supposedly out
OF it. You told me you would accept
my love, remember. You took it,
and in return you gave me--thism
The stern anger faded out of his
voice with the last words. and an in
tensity OF pain-such pain as Elvira' >
shallow selfish nature could never un
derstand-made the tones CULVER and
brake.
She could not understand the pain,
but she was quick to take advantage
o! the softened tone.
"Eberhard, you will not betray
mop" she gasped, looking in his face
now, clinging with conclusive grasp TO
his hand at was in despair did 1t. |
| WINS threntpnCd with urisoo I fhOuo n :