The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-06-08

and l ought not to have touched it. am
unutterably below you in everything. You
can never forgive-or respect-a coward;
and that is what have been, DIANA
coward from beginning to end.n
'You do not think that ! shall believe
youa" she said, gently.
"Yes, do. | must make you believe
me. will tell you the story, as have told
it to no one else, and afterward will go
away and never trouble you again"
Tell me the story" she said, softly.
perhaps may be able to help you"
George raised his eyes In momentlry
amaze.
"Are you not very angry with me.
Dianas know that ought to have told
you before
She bent her head.
"Yee, you ought to have told me before.
But that is nothing-that is trfle Tell
me the whole story, dear George, aud let us
see what we can do"
1t was strangely pleasant to him to hear
her identify his interests with her own in
this way. A sensation Of relief and hope
crept over him There might be help and
| comfort for him yet, if strong. brave
woman like Diana did not despair. And so
for the first time, as he had said-he
poured forth his story.
His story. Not Jess story. For that he
did not know-perhaps would never know
in its entirety, on this side of the grave.
Lady Hexbam listened with growing
wonder, with even gathering dismay. One
or two points in the story perplexed her
deeply.
"But George-George," she stammered,
''you were really married, then, when we
saw you in Bond Street Gallery|
Eyes"
"And that lovely girl-you painted her as
Elaine"
"She was my Wife"
"But she was not-she could not surely
be-"
''Need you pain me by SO many ques-
tions2 know what you mean. Yes, yes,
yes She was jess Armstrong. afterward
convicted of murder or manslaughter
and condemned to three years penal servi-
tude"
"Then-where is she nowa Pardon me,
George, but must ask these questions. Is
she deadf'
George drew his breath in quickly.
~ wish knew" he said "She has dis
appeared.n
And then he told her of his unavailing
search.
"Oh, but she will come back She will
come back for her child"
"You think so, Dianap
''If she has any womanly feeling in her,
she will But then"-and Diaua's voice
lefts To push that man down-even to cut
his fingers with knife"-she shuddered in
voluntarily. sit has a terrible sound p
II cannot bear to think of it." said
George, in low voice. "There is still the
dazed feeling in my brain that l was re-
sponsible in some way-that l did it my
SELF
"Oh, no, no, George, moi You were i'll.
remember; you would not have been able.
Racidoc univ GhOn1d Sba that cha had
done it if she were innocents"
81 know; l have said to myself thou
sand times; and yet l find it difficult to be-
lieve She was the gentlest creature"
"She told you herself. however, you
sayg
afraid. 1t was true, of course, as she said,
that perhaps she saved my life by it,
1.-THE man was so violent"
81 presume SO. My memories are con-
fused"
Diana was silent for few moments
"If she did 1t for love of you, George"
she said, softly, there is no need to feel
ashamed 1t was perhaps horrible neces-
sity. Surely, in old days, we should have
called woman who acted in that way-for
her husbands sake--a heroine, not muir
deress.n
"Perhaps so, George answered, gloomily.
II can only say for myself that her con-
fession sickened me. I would rather she
had let the man kill me than hack his
fingers and help to push the poor wretch
down. Diana, | may be squeamish and
fanciful, but the notion maddens me. 1t
] was, as you said, unwomanly; 1T was cruel,
and cruelty-eyer for my own sake-how
can forgives"
"Did you say all this to your wife,
George|
ii hope not. / do not know what said.
| left her soon afterward, went to new
lodging, and told her to wait for Feld-as
explained just now-and when he went
back, she was gone. She had a most re-
markable faculty for running away-for
| disappearing when she was wanted most"
1T seems to me, George, as if you had
been cruel too"
"I-cruel, DianaT
ain your treatment of your wife-crusl
| and un Just. But leave that just now. Ex-
plain the rest to me. After few weeks,
you, you say, she went to Francis and gave
herself up. / remember reading of the
case; your name was scarcely mentioned.
How was thatw
"She suppressedmy name, apparently
"Ah, yes She put a slur on herself and
| let it be thought that she was with another
man-all for the sake Of saving you
George, this woman loved you very
| dearly"
He WINGED; the ref1ectlon was not one that
pleased him.
"And where were youl Why were you
not by her side? What power in earth or
| heaven or hell could keep you from your
wife when she was insuch extremity9n
| "You forget said George, SO reluctantly
! that his voice sounded almost sullen; "let-
ters and newspapers do not penetrate to the
remote parts of Europe and Asia where
was travelling"
"And what business had you to be trav-
| ing theren said Diana. passionately. Her
| eyes flashed indignation upon him as she
spoke. "What business had you to leave
| England before you knew that she was
found and provided fori Poor souli No
| doubt she was driven to despairl No doubt
\ she was driven by her conscIence-which
YOU ought to have soothed and guieted, in
common gratitude, because she had saved
vour lifel Saved it twice, moreover
saved you from being murdered, saved
YOU from illness, saved you from-from
worse fate, perhaps, il you had been here TO
answer for yourselfP
For minute George did not speak; then
he moved toward the door as he answered
her.
"You are pleased to insult me, Lady
Hexham,n he said, with whitening lips;
chat am not obliged to listen TO you, and