The morning call., 1890-11-07
FOR LILY'S SAKE.

YSF2OU refuse, then, Ellis, TO give up that
S&tgs. woman who has come between us,
* and ruined the peace and happiness
OF our home? You prefer to risk my allena-
tion, possibly my hatred, rather than cease
your visits to that house? Speak frankly.
Heaven knows that it is the time for perfect
candor on beth sides now. must know
what l have 10 cxpect-to endure. Ellis,
answer me-.
The speaker-a fair and pretty woman of
s. ME % years, with regular features. blue
ewes. and abundant raven hair, paused in
her rapid walk up and down the elegantly
furnished drawing-room, and looked at her
husband, as she waited anXlously for his
reply.
He was a man apparently some ten years
ler senior. with III; Ssiv,, 5 a y, upright
figure, and face as regularly handsome IS
that of statue. PeIhaps nls exceeding
beauty had been his ruin; and yet Ellis
Grove was by no means vain man. The
eyes of women, old and young, had followed
him with open admiration from his earliest
hoyht cd, and not much harm had come of it.
For fdrty-fiye years he had been a dutiful
sen: fer fifteen faithful and attentive huS-
land. in spite of all the attention lavished
ND n him in society by married ard unmar-
red bellies. Now, just as he was beginning
to descend the hill Of life, sudden change
had come over him, for which his wife, his
friends his family, were unable to account.
Jersey lady of wealth and TeSpecta-
bility. a widow Of so, who had got tired OF
the secius!on of her island estate, arrived in
London about three years previous TO the
lime of which | write, and established her
self there in Poruaan square. SUI IN the
bloom OF wUmauhOOd, this lady was as
beautiful as a dream and as generous as
urincpss in a fairy tale. She speedily be-
came the rage-tht fashion. Her receptions
were always crowded with the maSnates oil
tie " est End her carriage In the park was
surrounded three deep with admirers; her
oppra loX was filed on the evening when
she deigned to occupy it. A chaperon Of
unbleniished reSpectabIlIty accompanied her
wherever she went In public, and occupied
the post of companion N her beautiful
home Not breath ever Suliled the 1air
fame Of the lovely widow until How. And
now there really seemed TO be some danger
of such a thing.
For Ellis Grove, enc Of the handsomest
and most talented men IN tie fashionable
world, was now in public forever al her SIDE
A public man and member OF Parliament
his movement, were, of course, watched by
those who knew him, and 9 eat was the
triumph and delight OF Mrs. Grumpy
when first those two names Tell, coupled 10
geiher by Il slanderUuS remark, upon her
greedy ear.
Ellis Grove and Mrs. Norton. What
ccuiuuction! And what on earth Will Mis-
Grove say? My dear. have been assured.
on the word of one who Knows, that he
spends three evenings out OF every week at
her house, and that during the rest oil the
time lie is generally her escort to some place
of public amusement. Isn't it terrible?
Poor Mrs. Grove, who worships the very
ground her handsome husband walks on!
On. i, is a wicked world, my dearl And as
HI II
burned alive when their husbands die, alter
the fashion Of the Indian suffice What an
immense amount vi trouble Mrs. Grove
might have been spared II they had only
placed Mis-. Norton upon her husbands
funeral plle.
And hen Mrs. Grundy legged her neigh
bur's elbow with wicked laugh.
So il was not strange, Oh the whole, that
the explosion had come and that MilIcent
Grove, stung to the very soul with that
deaihiy pang, whose Keen intensity only a
Lsy.ns and Jealous wife can know, should
stand upon her rights at last, and passion
ately cry out TO her husband tnat this thing
must eud, in one way OF aDo'her-that he
must choUSe, at once and forever, between
this woman and herself
One OF Us two it l. uSt be. Ellis, and only
one :" she said, bursting into tealS. viii
you give her up or shall l so and leave
you?"
Mr.. Grove rose from the easy chair where
lie had been lounging neglgently and took
Up his hat.
"MillIrent, this discussion is in very bad
TASTE. if yoa will forgive Inc for saying So
His voice was calm, unmoVed and mus cal
SIS ever. She gaZed al him wildly.
Bad taste! G3od heavens! Ellis, it is
10. question Of good or bad taste that
am discussing. This thing Is more THAN lie
or de lii 10 me!
lie shrugged his shoulders, and slight
smi I played around his beautifully chi5eled
iigs.
really cannot consent TO call that lady'S
ranr in question between US TWO. She is
my.liieud. Make her yours also. Then all
VIII be wei. You Will see that this foolish
jraiOusy is entirely uncalled for and it will
e. asel'
She drew herself up haughtiy and laid
her hand upon his arm.
Il, this all you have to say to me?"
lie bowed.
"'ihat woman. as you call her. is my
friend-my dearest friend" he answered
with a frown. mo, madam, l will not
give her up"
SrS. Grove turned very pale.
Then. sir. l leave your house to-mor-
row.
las you please, madam. If you choose 10
be SO -hiy hcadstIoDg, / shall not try to
control you. My lawyer shall make every
arrangement for your future comfort. Good
evening. MADAME
He lett the room Calm as he seemed, she
had touched and panied him at the last. He
had loved her Once-nay, did he net love her
now ?-nUw that the parting between them
hid really come to pass? And she could
give him up ike this, because she felt a lit
tie jealousy Of that fair creature who had so
sweetly called him her friendI Good
heavens! OF what was the heart OF
woman made?
Deeply angry and also strangely moved.
Mr.. Grove left his house and hurried TO
Por,man square. He was TO attend Mrs.
Norton to the opera that evening, and the
engagement was an imperative one, even
IN lie unusual and unexpected state OF his
domestic affairs.
Passing by the servant who admitted him.
he went up to the drawing-reom unan-
nounced. His step could not be heard, so
soit and thick were the Brussels carpets on
corridor and floor.
Thus it happened that, through the open
door az the conservatory, beyond the draw
lng-rooui, lie saw tableau that struck him
dumb
I he beautiful widow, standing In the light
oil silyer-Shaded aibaster lamp, beside
group OF orange trees, and at her feet the
young ana gallant and handsome Colonel
George Norton, the cousin of her dead hus-
band and one of the richest and gayest of all
her many admirers. Her hand was elapsed
In his; her lovely face was suffused with
llqshes; and IS MIR. Grow fingered, there
oShdSb EC utdlu Sd), vi. dApft. Dtdl
George, how could you think it? Why he is
Old enough ~ be my father, and a married
man to bootp'
The old proverb in this case was certainly
1ue- Listeners hear no good of them
selves"
Rapidly and quietly Ellis Grove walked
downstairs and let himself out into the
street. And as he turned toward home his
mlpd was busy contrasting the woman he
had lefl--the woman who had only amused
herself with HIN through ali these bright.
bewidering nopths-with the gentle, loving,
faithful wife still living, thank God beneath
the shelter Of his roof.
Had he been mad, or only wicked, to for
get and neglect her so? His wife! his bride
the mother of his only child! She who had
wept so bitterly upon his breast when that
child-his golden-baired Lily-was taken
from them and hidden in the grave! What
could there be in his passing infatuation for
the dashing, brilliant widow. to sever this
sacred, lifelong tie?
Meanwhile, Millicent Grove, stung nearly
to madness by her husbands careless and
eontempIuous answer to her passionate APP
peal, was busy in her dressing-rO0m pack