The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1890-03-08

more would be required, / said, and sat
down to wait till believed all the house
hold had gone to bed. We kept early
hours at the Grange; it was little more
than II clock when, every sound ap-
parently silenced, 1 crossed the hall and
prepared for action.
Some lights were still left burning. but,
concluding that the mushroom would
probably be in darkness, carried lamp
with me thither and proceeded direct to
the writing table at which my wife had
sat when she wrote the evening before to
Gascoigne. l lit the two candles on the
table, placing the lamp between them.
opened the blotting- book. 1t was a
new one. l turned over some spotless
pages until I came to one on which were
few ink marks. Tearing this out held
it close to the light, the wrong side to-
ward me.
Come, | want you"
Great powers My wife, then, had
secret understanding with this man-this
man whom she had so emphatically said
she hated. l had right to know the ma
ture of that underst anding. George her.
self could not ask; for. alas. l had al
ready discovered she did not hesitate to
utter falsehood when it suited her.
placed the piece of tell-tale blotting-
paper in my pocket book, extinguished
the lights, and made my way n hot haste
upstairs. My idea was to send to Mrs.
Armstrong. She first must help me.
Arrived at the door of the housekeeper's
apartments, | knocked. Mrs. Armstrong
opened the door Immediately. She was
dressed as | had usually seen her.
You, sir" she exclaimed i'll some dis
may.
Yes, but l must see Miss Lynton at
once. Do you hear? Can you help me?'
Step in"
l obeyed, and found myself where l
had never been before, namely, in Mrs.
Armstrong; "parlor.'
! was scarcely prepared. however. to be
brought SO suddenly face to face with
Edna LINTON, and felt more disconnected
than | care to own when saw her stand
ing by the fire. She looked ethereal, all
in white. A long, loose, white wrapper.
with some swan-down about it, was
thrown over the muslin dress she had
worn at dinner.
There can be no necessity for you to
go away. Pie ,se stay she said, as Mrs
Armstrong was preparing to quit the
room. The woman hesitated, but signed
to her lmperatively TO go.
This is strange conduct, Mr.. Dudley.
Will you expl in it, quckly?" asked Edna,
and as she spoke she shivered, though not
with cold
L have come to learn the secret -about
my wife" l said, assuming a sternness
that, alas. by no means expressed my
true feelings.
She turned paler and trembled. Clasp
ing her hands together on the mantel-
piece, she laid her pretty head upon them
and gaZed for q few moments into the
fire. Then she raised her eyes to mi ne
quite suddenly thus taking me entirely
by surprise. faint tinge of color came
into her face; a smile, sweet and tremu-
lous, lowered on her lips.
You are mist aken, she sad, simply
and earnestly, still without removing
her eyes from mine.
How"
You are entirely mist lken," she re-
pested more firmly, She seemed to be
looked at me. Will YOU not trust me?
Will you not take my word for it,"
There is a secret, l persisted avert
ing my gaze.
What has led you to suppose so?"
Many circumstances. But tonight |
overheard, by chance, a few words spoken
by Yourself and George in the drawing
room"
She started from the position she had
held so long and came step nearer to
NE. | dared not trust myself to meet her
gaze.
You overheard few words of which
you misconstrued the meaning, she said
quietly; and | grant you they were open
to demonstration.
viii You explain them?'
suppose | refuse?"
In that case / start for Leicestershire
tomorrow morning-to find out what it
was you come to tell me the night before
my marriage"
Has time so entirely obliterated all
memory of that night that you even for
get my last request to believe all nv in
situations false
Il have forgotten nothing; would TO
heaven | could"
Iriiies light as air are TO the jealous
contirmations strong as holy writ she
quoted, in her sweet, beguiling voice.
Il am not jealous. | exclaimed, hotly
Then let lie SUI stltute suspicious.
of whom should be iealous?" asked,
with pointed mean ng in my tone. of
DR.. Gascoigne. for example,
She laughed. 1t struck me as scarcely
natmal, that little silvery laugh.
Perhaps more reason-of Your
friend. Mr.. Hawks, with whom you left
your wife alone all day. Ale you aware
how your friend amused himself and
her? No? Mr. Hawks has handsome
pair of dueling pis ols-toys, he calls
them. He has been teaching Mrs Dudley
to shoot with them"
This is altogether beside the question,
Miss LINTON. 1t remains for YOU to de-
eide whether or not | am to start for
Leicestershlre tomorrow. | await that
decision now.
Mr.. Dudley, she said, speaking slow
~ and with the utmost composure of
manner, if You are bent on this journey
| have no power 10 stop YOU. But-you
know best how You will account to-your
wife for taking such a step.
Il have thought over all that, / an
swered, impatiently. Hawks is leaving
in the morning. l go with him, and shall
be absent three days
And nothing that | can say will deter
your"
Yes. If you tell me-"
Il have nothing to tell YOU" She
spoke With studied GOODNESS, and. draw
ing her warm, white wrap closer round
her, she made slight gesture of dis
III ssal with her hand nd turned away.
Edna I cried, Edna Have ,ou no
pity for me- And rash fool mailman
that was. | attempted to seize her hand.
But the next moment | drew back re
buked, before the look of mute tender
ness and love that shone ont Of her dear
eyes. | could have fallen on my knees TO
ask to be forgiven.
60 on, she gasped. And without
another word or glance left the room.
| had vowed not 10 see my wife again
until the mystery was solved. 1t was i'm
possible, however 10 act up TO this de-
termination without ex lting her sus-
picions. Going TO her door therefore. |
opened II softly and looked in. She
sl-p'. This was we'll l would not dis
tura her slumbers Closing the door
nolselessly as had opened it. | sought
my own dressing room, where spent the
night.
ire BE Continued
His Forethought Came Afterward.
hashley-I was grossly msulted on