The morning call., 1890-08-17
FOR HER A LOVE STORY.
WRITTEN BY mar ANGELA DICKENS GRANDDAUGHTER OF THE NOVELIST


November day, not pleasant time Tor walking,
certainly In London or anywhere else or that
matter. Nor are those London streets which
consist Of good houses" particularly cheerful
spots TO walk after dark. since passers.by are
few and far between, and The lighting arrange
menIs of the most feeble description. On this
particular evening the pavements were muddy,
tbe air raw and disagreeable, and altogether The
TWO ladies who were walking along at brisk
pace would have seemed more in their proper
place in a hanson cab. They were both OF them
well and handsomely dressed, and had general
air about them of belonging 10 that class which
does go about in hausom cabs on the smallest
proyoeaton.
The lady who was addressed as Katherine,
who was walking with curious air OF sailsiae-
ton IN the sense Of movement and OF OBLIVION OF
her surroundings started as her companion
smoke. Nonsense. Eleanor" she said' you
can't he really tIled. We have not done so very
much.'
II was a strange voice, rather deep than most
women's. with ring about 1t that seemed TO IN
dictate an unusual strength Of character, accus-
toned, unconsciOusly perhaps, to dominate
wherever il touched. But ii WAS not hard
voice-very far from that II was wonderfully
musical and sympathetic, aud the impulsive way
in which she spoke deprived her words OF any
touch of harshness.
not done muchi My dear Katherine, are you
absolutely untira6le? We've only been out
since o'clock, and we've not sat Gown az an
except in shops. IneyeT knew any one SO resi-
They were curlously restless eyes into which
the speaker was looking, though the rest OF Inc
face was steady enough, and Miss GIahame's
voice as she answered was very gentle.
q am sorry Eleanor Have l really ~, used ca
you ups? Wen, here We are, and some tea VIII 90
you good, wont il d? Wen have it"
She stopped abruptly. They were just going
up the Steps OF well-kept house, ana as she
spoke the door was opened suddenly and man
came out-a tall man, With sensitive, haggafd
face and deep black eyes, which might have
been very me If ii had not been for certain
strange expression OF desperate craving which
seemed 10 lurk in them. As lie saw the Two IA
dies he, 200, started violently, and MS lips Witt
ened and contracted suddenly and very curious,
IT, He came quickly down tie steps toward
them. ---,.. .,.t.,,
was at once eager and restrained, was AFRAID
should miss you altogether l called about an
hour ago, and II Thought might wait How
lady, whose manner and e0untenanee had
changed, apparently at the sight oil MN, from It's
expression of plsintive lIniaDility to one OF IN
easy and indefinite dislike.
"HOW do you do, MT. Legh?" she said coldly,
ana he turned again 10 Miss Grahame.
MAY l may l come back later on" he said,
~ ont you come 10 now2" The deep voice
was low and very sweet, and MIS-. Auuerley
face as she heard it grew colder and colder stu
Mrs Adderley and l have been shopping to-
gelher and now she has come back with me 10
have some tea; wont you come in again and
Not now, thank you" ha said, always with
that strange undertOne in his voice. 81 have an
appointment, but If m ay come back"
II shall be very glad; She hesitaied second
aud then gave him her hand aud passed on into
the house. IL was not large house; as Miss
Grahame had no near relatives ana lfed thsfe
alone there was no reason why II should be- But
il was beautifully furnished. and the drawing
room In which lea was waiting for the two ladies'
presented a picture Of dainty comfort, al the
Sfrhf Il " AdQerleV a heavy sigh
OF relief II was delightfully."- lighted by several
softly shaded lamps, and sweet faint oil flowers
filed the warm air.
But strange shadow seemed to have fallen
between Miss Grahame aud her visitor. For
some minutes neither OF them spoke. MISS
Gralame had given her nat ana CLOAK 10 heF
maid and was Standing by lie iea-thbie pouring
out the tea, with a curiouSly pTeoecupied e&-
preston in those restless eyes of hers. Wonder
full eyes they were-largc and deep and changing,
not only Ia expression, but absolutely IN color,
almost with each thought that passed through
her mind. For the rest her face could hardly De
called beautiful, the FIXTURES were not sufncienty
r gular. But no one who looked al IL once
could fail 10 look again aud again. IL was always
very pale, not with the pallor OF il-health, put
with 4 natural wilderness, against when the
dark, 0elicdiely pencied eyebrows, ana long
curling eyelashes showed even darker man
they really were. The lips were full and hrm,
and about the whole face, even In repose, there
was a curious suggestion OF latent passion ana
power. She was a woman OF about TWO or three
and thirty She reused herself at last and Turn
ing suddenly 10 Mrs. Addery, almost as though
she had forgotten her presence, made some wv.
ial remark about their afternoons Work. But
Mrs. Adderiey did not answer her She was sip
ping her tea, with a serious and rather doubtful
expression u eOuntenauee.
katherine" she began tentatively" kath-
erine, want 10 say something To YOU"
Into Miss GIahame's eyes there flashed
quick look OF anticipation, but She dld not turn
away be- head as she answered apparently care
why not say it then, Eeanor?''
Mrs. Adderley hesi.ated, clam rather
Katherine | don't know how II Is, when we're
such old friends, and am married ana you are
not, but-Pm afraic OF you. viii you promise
Miss GIahame laughed. Poor Eleanor" she
said, Il did not know was so alarming. Sup
pose We talk Of something that isn't likely 10
TOuse my evil passons2"
There was an undereurrent OF meaning In the
voice, aud Mrs. Adderlsy paused, Then she
went Oh with for her, quite unusual determine
Ion
Il must say It, Katherine; can't help lt-Pm
sure you know what mean. l cannot bear 10
see you encourage Cation Leigh"
There was a silence. One Of those beautiful
1.-The white hands OF Miss Grahames tighIeDed
roufd the carved arms OF her chair until the
pressure must have been absolute pain.
ADO accommodation Leigh"
katherine! You know you do! And can.
not bear 10 see 1t"
"Why not?''
MIS-. AddeIley apparently did not ind it par
liculary easy 10 answer this question. she
flushed family, and stole a glance at The face
ayeited now and very still-Of the woman beside
her. The low deep voice, strained il the ef
fOlt was painful one. rather went on:
g. DO you mean-because lie was the husband
of-my dearest fTiend?' There was little catch
in her voice as she uttered the last words and IL
seemed 10 encourage the other woman, for she
broke suddenly into rapid speech.
- Katherine" she SAID, Katherine, you loved
her 50. How has 1t come about that you of all
her friends should be lie one TO stand by him?
Nben-when-lt happened, when people began
TO say that-that he must have given her-cause
II was only because you remained bis friend that
people went on receiving him at all. Katherine,
II II Lad not been for you he would have haa to
60 away Pm sure"
Il wondered at you then and have wondered
more aud more as time has passed. There is
nothing against him now; you have tided him
over the worst, and now when that Is mentioned
he is piled aud Mile Is =, but can never
forget II. l never see the man without wonder
lug what-he did 10 her,"
Ms. Adderey paused abruptly. She had
spoken very quickly with flushed, agltated face
aud nervous manner-a strange contrast to tie
mOt0nless 1gure near her. Alter a moment she
went on again, and there was a curious ring of
excitement in her voice, as II difficult and ap-
parently painful as the subject was, it not
altogether unpleasant TO discuss IT,
There must have been some reason for it.
Katherine. How can you believe she would have
done that dreadful thing II she had not been
driven 10 IL? / didn't know her as you did,
didn't love her as you did, but even I-eveu l
can't bear the sight OF the man who must have
brought Ler 10 such misery. lille. little Mile,
commit suicide? Katherine, Katherine. can't
you see what IL means? Can't you feel how bad
man he must be? You who were her friend %
come through the clenched teeth, almost With
out Miss Grahame's consciousness There was
something stiff and rigid about her figure as she
sat there, still with her grip Tightening on the
arms OF her chair.
"And-and-iFs so soon, Katherine" went on
Mrs Adderley, weakly. Rs-it's not much
more than year since IL happened. IL there
were nothing else against II. II poor Mille bad
Just-died-l dou't see bow you could, don't,
Indeed. And IL is-Oh, Katherine think how he
must have made her suffer before II came 10
,Inal" No answer for a moment. The rigid Gg.
ure seemed 10 grow more rigid yet, and there was
a strange gray look Of unHtierable agony on Miss
Gfahalne's lace. At last she said In low boarse
Voice with long pauses between the words:
. -sald-she-Was-madi"
" DO you believe thai, Katherine 2"
&" know Ii was not truel"
Then
Bul Miss Grahame stopped her. Moving very
slowly, as If with great effort, she turned her
white face slowly toward her and spoke in
voice which Mrs. Adderley felt at once must be
obeyrd though II was so very quiet
" Eleanor" she said, don't say any more. It
Is quite useless. know you have felt for some
time that ought 10 say this TO me. Ii was very
soOd oil you, for know 1t has been unpleasant,
built Is useless. IL know Cation Leigh"
there was a short silence, and then Miss Gra-
name, with seli-eOnlfOl at which Mrs Adder
icy eouiu only secretly marvel began TO talk
quietly OF other Mrs Adderley