The Forrest City times., 1890-07-12
unele Archie's Wlis.
CHAPTER X

uksA& nu OC& AASh AsARA etuCNu 0 k'<sA saVsa for the wrong had done him in my thoughts, and hear from him the full explanation of all that had tortured and perplexed me so long.
 At last that day came. The pen ance had imposed upon myself was not hard one. Dick cut my falter- ing plea for pardon short at once, talk ing me in his strong arms and looking into my troubled face with unutterable love and pity.
 ..Poor little Irene, did 1 make you suffer so muchp p' he said, with keen remorse and self-reproach in his tone. Heaven knows 1 would have died. my darling, rather than give you one pang But what could do while I had the shadow of doubt that the woman you called your uncles wife was the person l took her 10 be had no right to share my suspicion even with you; and when 1 had made suspicion certainty"
 Fl had ceased 10 trust you l inter- rupted penitently. ''Poor Dick, you were hardly used, But 1 know no- thing yet beyond the bare fact that Es- tcllc was not my uncles wife--that in some mysterious way she was an i'm poster whom you recognized and un- masked.
 s.Yes;" and Dick, nodded gravcly, .You remember that af crnoon she came in while we were at tea hero; recognized her face at once, but could not remember where or in what circumstances l had seen it before. though l was sure that it's features had been stamped upon my mind in some remarkable fashion, All through the evening the fancy haunted me; could scarcely keep my eyes from her, though uneasily aware that my per- petual gaze had attracted both her at tention and yours. She was Aattered by it; but you"
 ''Do not speak of itr' l interrupt ed, remembering the torture of that fiery jealousy, which. Heaven be thanked, had faded now. .'Dick, it was shameful to distrust you"
 "No; it was only human. dear. But lot me finish my story, please. I knew all the time that I was watching for some expression which Estelle Gerrard's face had not yet worn. She had looked brilliant. alluring. tender, coquettish. and indignant by turns; l wanted to see her face blanch and her eyes dilate with terror, or else flash with defiance and hatred. Why, hardly knew. but l felt as though such look would set at rest the hay doubts that troubled me. Naturally, however, nothing happened to stir up such feelings in my handsome hostess's heart; and was on the point of tell ing myself that 1 was mistaken--that l had never seen her face before when, after some hesitation, you may remember, she began to sing--and then at once the light had been seek ing broke in upon mo, and remcm- bered all."
 And that 'all'?" I questioned eagerly, as he paused with curious ly pained and troubled look
 ..That all was terrible, Irene. It meant, feared. a broken heart to the kind old man who knew nothing of his strange wife's gift of song-pain and trouble to you all. As listened to that wonderful voice. and looked at the singers rapt beautiful face. 1 saw her amid other and widely different surroundings; saw her laden with flowers, radiant with success, lowing her thanks upon public stage to the plaudits of an enthuiastie crowd, hap py. envied and enviable, the idolised heroine of the hour"
 "Dickn-I touched him half timid- ly, for, as he spoke with eager fervor. he seemed really to see the things he described-"Dick, did you really know--did you really see her on the stageP"
 ''On two stages, Irene. playing two widely different parts, but in each the heroine of the hour. When 1 saw her next, she was in a court of justice standing whitehead and defiant be- fore Il crowd as strongly moved as that which had applauded her before; but this crowd hooted and hissed, and poured out curses upon the woman who had first betrayed her husband. and then had done her best to swear his life away"
 His life-her husbanda" l echoed incoherently. ..I cannot follow you. Dick! Tell me in plain words what 1t all means.n
 alt is story you may have read, dear-it happened only couple of years since, and made a great sensa- ton at the time. Do you remember the murder of young French officer at Dijon--the attempted murder of the celebrated singer and actress Ina Vertuni?n
 By her husband in frantic fit of jealousy? Oh. yes, l remember 1t well'" l cried; and indeed the wild tragedy of love and jealousy and mur- dor had stirred even sleepy Ludlcigh to something likainterest But. Dick, you do not-you cannot mean tha,
 That Estelle Girrard and Ina Yer tuni were one and the same person? I do. Irene; felt sure of it at once; proved 1t later on. though you con fused me at the time by your appar- emily full acquaintance with her ante ccdcnts, and the news that she was Violet Edgerton's child"
 But if she were not, how did she come by Violet Edgerton's letter--thc letter that delivered poor uncle Archie bound and fettered captive into her hands?'
 ''Wait-l will explain that soon. When l left you that night. Irene. fully intended to stay here. tell Mrs. Gerard of the accident that had taken me to the theatre and the courthouse at Dion. question. and. if possible. force her either to prove me mistak- en or convict herself. But second and wiser thoughts came later on. thought that so clever woman