The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-11-16
A HIDDEN FOE.
A STORY OF LOVE AND MYSTERY.
By G.. A. HENTY.
lALL RIGHTS RESERVED
AUTHOR Of 1.-THE CURSE OF CARNE's HOLD" ''cAB

JOu pcg IOT bl6 trouble YOU
Will have in giving your evidence. Wecan
do without that evidence, but it will be
more satisfactory to have it, and we are
ready 60 give you Thousand pounds if you
Will come TO Epgiand to testify. that you
were present at tee marriage"
Thomas Morson rubbed his chin thought
Iuiiy: he had no doubt OF Philips identity,
ana reit that the game he had waited FOR SO
long and patiently was lost.
ell, he said, suddenly, "I have only
your word on the matter vet. Who may
you be, ma'amF and he turned suddenly
upon Annette
am Madame Duport, Of St. Malo, the
woman at whose house Mr.. and Mrs. Corbyn
LOGGED. think l can remember you when
you came up with their luggage the first day
they came. The coach1nan let one of the
boxes fall as he carried it in from the gate TO
tne house, and remember you cursed both
In French and English"
The incident came back to Morson's mem
DRY as she mentioned It,
Il nat is right he said, land are you
reaay TO take the oath that this young lady
10 the child who was born in your house, and
tnat she is Constance Corbynln
u am ready to take oath to that" Annette
replied.
And that this il Philip Clitheroe?n
II can take oath to that also" Annette
SAID, mot of my own knowledge, but be-
cause Miss Corbyn told me SO. She had met
him in England"
rs this so. Miss Corbynr'
1T is" Constance replied, az saw him
IN England, and am ready to take oath that
he is Philip Clitheroe"
We'll, will let you have my answer this
afternoon" the man said, after standing for
minute in thought. "Where are you stop
ping in Brisbanes"
Philip gave him the name Of the hotel.
well, IL you drive back, shall be over
there pretty near as soon as you will.
have horse that will take me over an hour
and think it over as drive l won't ask
you to take anything, for the place is NOS
tit for ladies. besides want to think this
over, 1t has come upon me too suddenly to
take it all in"
"He will agree" Philip Clitheroe said, as
they drove away from Ash Farm. "He
may hold out for a little more money,
Constance, but you can afford to pay him
that"
Constance gave him quick, reproachful
glance.
1--WE will talk about that afterward, )" she
said, quietly. Anyhow, whether he Is paid
one thousand or two it makes little matter
SO that all this can be cleared up"
He is clever scamp Philip said. "How
quickly he jumped at his conclusions But,
OF course" he added bitterly, sit is what
every one would think"
Constance did not reply. She knew to
what Philip was alludlng-the accusation
that he had seen that the safest plan would
he to marry her, the accusation she herself
had cast in his teeth. AS she sat with her
head bent down a tear fell on her hand.
Philip saw it,
Il beg your pardon, Constance he ex-
claimed. taking her hand. 81 am a brute.
The fellow did hit me hard, but l was q
brute to avenge myself on you. Stop the
coachman. am not fit to ride in the same
carriage with you"
What are you going to do!" Constance
asked, laying ner hand on his.
II am going to get out end walk" no
said. mo. Constance, you may forgive me
but cannot forgive myself"
'Do not be foolish Philip have never
thought you foolish, and 1 don't want to
think SO now. | know that it was not
meant as a reproach to me, but it was SIM
ply cry Of pain, natural cry. It is hor-
rible to be suspected falsely, and l think
begin to understand what you must have
suffered"
The journey back was as silent as it had
been on the way out. Philip sat back in his
corner with his cap pulled low over his eyes.
He was brute, he told himself over aud
over again, and utterly unworthy of the
love of such q woman az this. He would
tell her what he had to tell and then go
away and never see her again. He knew
she loved him, but in any case even putting
aside this barrier between them, he would
not consent to her throwing herself away
upon him. He would fight his own way as
he intended to do, and make the most of his
life, and it would be best for him never to
set foot in England again.
Constance was thinking over the idea
that had flashed across her when Philip had
SAID that the letter had been written by
some one who believed that he was acting
in his interest.
She thought it strange now, that it had
never occurred to them before that il was
his mother, the naughty woman she had
seen at Bath and to whom Miss Peyton had
taken so strong a dislike 1t must have
been she who had thus fought for her sons
interest, and set spies on her, had stolen the
leaf from the register. and had written 10
bride Morson to silence. Philip had discov-
cred it, and in his shame and grief had left
England and taken false name. How he
must have suffered. But how could he sup
pose that his mothers fault need stand be-
tween her and him, especially after all that
had passedl Had he not saved her life on
board the boat, had he not tenderly cared
for, and now was her happine and his TO
be sacrificed because his mother had been
INSCRIPTIONS in fighting for him? No, not
if she could help it, not even-and She
flushed suddenly-if she had to sue instead
of being sued. He had told her once he
loved Der, and she had scorned him; it was
but just penance that she should have to
sue now.
They had taken basket Of provisions
with them from the hotel, and the fact that
neither of her companions would touch them
did not interfere with Annette's appetite.
Things seemed to her to be going on very
satisfactorily and if these young people
chose to be foolish aud quarrei she could
not help it. She had had quarrels in her
time with Victor, but of course they made
it up in due time, and equally of course
Constance and Philip would both lie sorry
for it presently. Young people were al
ways foolish, and she supposed that even
Constance, who was generally thoroughly
sensible girl. would be foolish like other peo-
pie when in love.
So Annette placidly eat her cold chicken,
and looked forward to meeting Victor
again at ST. Malo, wondered how things had
gone on in her absence. and hoped the girl
had been satisfactory aod had got Victors
meals punctually. aud had not put too
much pepper in the made dishes: Victor
could not abide pepper. And So at last they
arrived at the end OF their journey.
Philip did not offer to 20 upstairs with
the others, but said he would smoke PIPE
outside until Morson arrived. He had not