Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1890-04-09

masters toast is ready. Oh, Cyprian,
dear" as the woman vanished, 'tyou
must want something. How tired and
ill you look !" and positively she offered
the little hug of return he had once
upon time called his days pay"
There was an alcove on that landing
with cushioned seat in it. Somehow
Cyprian couldn't keep on his legs any
longer, so he sat down suddenly and
cleared his throat, and said in a very
low voice
Margaret, I don't want any toast,
nor vet any, aress. Come here, /
want you to answer me question or
two"
She came close, looking a little
frightened.
"How long," almost in a whisper,
"has this been going on about-about
Cousin DAMP
"Ahv' She gave smothered cry.
He went on. Il must know at once
fully. Tell me. II insist upon it,
ICY prian"-she hung her head, the
color mounting fast-"I am so dreadful
ly sorry you've found me out. And
can see you are angry. But please"
stealing closer and kneeling down be-
side him, "please don't blame me 80
much TIL you know all"
CALL" he repeated bitterly. "What
more is left for me to know? Tell me.
When I have heard with my own ears
that my wife has never forgotten her
Cousin Dan; that thoughts of him have
filed her heart for months; that he has
been with her in hours of my absence;
that IL am only the poor dupe she
can wind round her little finger, be, tbs
lover who writes her burning letters; I
the fool who will prese ntly receive any
confession she chooses to make, he the
man who plans to take her to Paris
tell me, is there" with pitiable break
in his voice, sis there much more left
for me to learn? Oh, Madge! oh,
Madge!' ~
AS he spoke, as he ended, his wife
drew back more and more. Every de-
scription of confusion swept across her
features. Speak she could not when
her husband ceased. She tried, in
deed, clasping her hands over her bo-
Again he addressed her:
Perhaps there is. Perhaps [ had
best insist now on seeing the-the-
Cousin Dan you've got in there" indi-
eating with despairing gesture the
study. sis he not there p
"Y-e-s," very family.
He knew it, but it stabbed HIM
afresh.
"Then let me-give up-since [ am
nothing now to her-what | thought my
dear-dear treasure-to the-man she
prefers-the man." with lunatic at
tempt at laugh, ''in-in--blue and
gold, as your shameless friend, Mrs.
Holland, said yesterday"
Yesterday |"
"Ah, when the missing of my train
tC
tory, and to hear there what has made
me curse the hour | was born"
Margaret Hay sprang to her feet, un-
fastened the study door, and flung it
open. The light OF a hanging lamp
streamed out upon her. "Cyprian,"
she cried, her tone wild, as well it
might be, "look here and see all have
hidden from vou."
He got up and went slowly in.
Looked round. There was no officer,
no man to be seen. But there was
plenty of surprise, nevertheless. The
little den was transformed into per-
feet bijou study. A suit of antique oak
the costly fancy he had refused him
self till his Madge's every liking was
gratitied the books he preferred; the
very table-true Jacobean-he had
been coveting of that Jew of a dealer
this last twelve-month; all the few or
naments of his Observation-Disclosures
schaums, Singalese idols, trays, what not
disposed cunningly about the corners:
and from the overmantel, itself gem
two centuries old, smiled down a por-
trait of her who had plotted all this
change. And the original was standing
before him-good tate, what could it be-
token? And the tears were chasing
down her face, and vet she was beam
ing through them. and she was saying:
'Oh, Cyprian, Cyprian, that ever you
could doubt me! How you have pun
ished me for ever keeping one single
secret from you. But it began with my
fault, SO I'll forgive you, darling. Per-
ever so little less indebted to you. But
did 80 want to give you something
you were always giving SO freely to me.
And | had no money quite my own, SO
l-l-wrote boOk-a novel. And [
called it Cousin Dan,' because some
thing that happened to DANNY Greaves
years ago gave me the beginning of the
plot, though I've not seen Dandy since
papa died, and he's married now and
has seven children. And I told no one
about it at all but Fanny Holland.
was giving her the end of it yesterday.
read 1t to her bit by bit, and once you
CdAhO III duo duu cHG Tdu OH
to the window for fear you would ask
questions of her. Her brother is the
publisher-Mr. Lighten-Black and.
Lighton, you know dear. I was so put
to finish my book and sell it fast
enough. But I managed it, and Mr..
Lighton brought me the first copies
Monday afternoon. He lives up at the
Grove, and Fanny brought me his
check for it yesterday. And, Cyprian,
it was all and only to do this room that
l worked. a birthday present. dear
old man. And we've had such trouble
to get the things in and slowed away
without your seeing. And I'd set my
heart on giving it to you tomorrow;
that's why 1 wouldn't 90 to Paris. But,
ali, husband, husband. how could you
think bad things of me?'
He could not tell her.
She appeared to be laughing, but she
was also crying. and she was in his
arms, all his contrltIon told in one close
embrace, and he was glad for a moment
to pretend he wasn't choking and to
hide his own stupid, half-blind eyes on
her brown hair.
Later on they grew composed enough
to examine cousin Dan" together,