The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-11-16

me, and that this must stand like barrier
between you and me-
Il am glad that YOU have guessed the
secret, Constance" Philip said, taking her
hand almost reverently and raising it to his
lips, land thank God that this terrible
wrong was not her act. But, dear, owe 1t
TO you and myself TO tell You all, 20 tell YOU
why | am suspected my mother-a horrible
thing for son TO have to do. She did not
commit that crime, but 1t was because
she was forestalled. | went down to Folke-
stone ana learned that she had been there,
that she had even contrived to be alone for
minute with the registers. Icannot doubt
what she went there for. She went there
20 destroy the evidence Of the marriage.
Thaok God she was spared the crime-it had
already been committed
II have thought IL all over, Constance.
She must have known of tho marriage.
Since made that discovery have thought
over every circumstance. She went over TO
see my uncle on the afternoon before his
death and they had a long talk together. On
my return l noticed how i'll she looked, and
begged her to put off some friends who were
coming to dinner Your father, when he
was killed the next morning was on his
way to France. HIS servant said at the iu-
quest that his master had told him he was
going for a week to France | cannot but
think that he told my mother at that meet
over TO fetch you home"
when he was killed, the temptation
came suddenly upon her. No one else knew
OF the marriage. Why should il over be
known She knew from him where it had
taken place, she even knew who accompa-
MED him. How else could she possibly
have known that they we're married at
Fclkstone, when you only learned it acci-
dentally from postmark on your mothers
letter. How else could she have been able
TO send to find ont where Morson was,
within fortnight Of my uncle's death
How else could she have known OF your ex-
istence, and have set detectives to watch
you almost from the firsti"
1T may be as you say. Philip; toe temp
tatlon was great one, and she loved you,
and she thought that You had been
wronged, and in her love she may have de-
termined even to commit wrong to right
you. But people are not judged by their
Intentions, but 10y their deeds Your
mother has committed no crime, her inten-
tions are known only to yon and me aud
God, and you and | are not her judges.
Remember, dear. her words"--and she put
her hands on his shoulders in her earnest
ness-"Her sins are forgiven, for she loved
much.n
Philip could not reply. He took tho girl
| to his heart and held her there.
DO you know Philip" Constance said.
quarter of an hour later, "that that story
| you told me just now has made me very
happy|
at has, Constaucel' Philip said in sur
prise. "Ahl you mean In ITS consequences ,
mo, don't, sir, )" she said, saucily, and
then went on more seriously, "No, Philip, il
| has always been grief TO me that | have
| had TO think i'll OF my father. have tried
| so hard to believe that he did not mean &c
wrong me and that he meant to have
acknowledged me some day but could soc
| nothing TO justify the belief, hard as olune
| 10 1t. But IL your theory Is true, he in
tended all along to acknowledge me, anC
/ only waited till he thought was old enough
TO take my place at Corbyn Court, anC
when he was killed he was coming over te
fetch mo home. You see can think of hin
now as having loved me, although ne aid
not care to have me with him as long as
was a child.
II feared so much that it was not so. |
have even feared, Philip, that It might
have been he who mutilated the register in
| order that their might be no proof left OF
the marriage. 1 think even Mr.. Harhut
thought this at one time, though he never
| said so. That burden was lifted from my
mind when this man produced the leaf, and
now your story has removed the doubt
| whether he ever meant to acknowledge me.
| IL ia strange, dear, we both should have
| suspected our parents of the same fault and
that it should turn out that it was the work
| of another.
snow, Philip, | must go up and see An
nette and tell her that all our troubles are
over, and that we are going to be happy,
and that tho division OF the Corbyn estates
no longer offers any difficulty. am afraid
she won't DO very surprised, for | think she
had quite made up her mind as TO what
would come Of it. You must love her too.
| Philip, for she has been as a mother to me. "
There is no need to tell me that, Con
stance; / know how much owe her. Now
l will go round to the post and ask for let
| tiers for you. You know you said you ex-
| pected some here"
II had forgotten all al rot it," Constance
said almost in consternation There " i'll be
letters from Hilda AID Miss Peyton and Mr..
| Harbut"
"Well. we have been here little over
| twenty-four hours Philip said, smiling,
indeed had not forgotten but thought
it better that you should not get them until
bad told you of my secret. / wanted you
to be unbiased"
''As Ii anything they could contain won Id
bias me against you. Philip" Constance
said indignantly, ''and please will you see
about dinner. It is O'Clock and we have
had nothing to eat since breakfast. We
| have been accustomed to starvation, but il
is rather hard to starve in the land OF
plenty"
81 had forgotten all about dinner, but
now you remind me of it do feel hungry.
| / will tell them to send up anything they
may have at once. | will bs back in quar-
ter Of an hour.
TO BE CONCLUDED.