San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-11-07

saw her yesterday sne could nave nad
no suspicion of the TRUTH" for he knew
that she could not have spoken as she
had done if she had possessed any
knowledge then of Mrs. Hills secret
no, not though she had taken Esther's
part, and had resolved to hold by her.
Her faith in her was faith, as yet, that
had never been tried. She believed in
her friend, but she believed in happy
ignorance that others had suspected
and doubted; in her sight her idol was
perfect idol, without flaw or spot; the
thought had never entered her mind
yet that to other eyes it could be all
bruised and broken by the stones that
man had flung at it.
So, as George Gilbert sat over the fire,
he did we'll to say to himself-"She had
no right to let them take her, into their
house till she had told them the whole
truth" And it was inevitable that,
knowing everything except only those
few words that Mr.. Dunstan had said
to herr he should condemn her in his
heart for what she had done.
II have been disposed hitherto to
take her part" he said to himself; "but
if, instead of living as thought she
had been living, she has been trying all
this time to gain firm footing in that
house, and to bring about what has hap
pened now, what am L to think?-for
if she could scheme and plot for this,
she may scheme and plot for worse
things-and if all that former story
should be true"
But when he had got to this length in
his sentence, he could not or would not
finish it; but started up from his seat,
almost nervously, as if he could not
bear the thought that had come to him.
81 do not believe that it is true" he said
to himself more calmly almost the next
moment. Il still think she has been
wronged. as l have thought all along:
and yet | almost think l would have
spoken to her to-day if l had seen
her before she went away,-though l
would sooner stab knife through my
hand than tell her that knew her story.
Now, | hardly know what ought to do.
How can | do right to them, and yet
not be hard to herr"
George Gilbert was placed in a diff
cult position. for how could he either
speak or remain silent without doing
harm to some one? If he should go to
this deSolate woman, and tell her that
he would disclose her secret If she in
creased her intimacy with the Dun
STAINS, would he not, if she ere not to
blame. be doing most cruel thing?-
and vet how could he be certain that
she was not to blanchard. as long as
he remained uncertain, did he not owe
more to Guy Dunstan than to her? He
knew very well that he did. and that the
welfare of the family at WreXham was
more to him than the happiness OF
Esther Hill: and yet, though he recog-
nized this, and though he almost felt
that it was his duty to speak to her and
warn her, he could not make up his
mind that he would speak. Every gen.
erous and chivalrous feeling within him
shrank from the thought of undertake
ing such task,-so wholly needless
one, too, as it might prove to be-so
gratuitously cruel to her.
"They ought to know her story" he
said to himself. "She had no right to
do what she has done without telling it
to them;" but still, as the case stood at
present, he could not resolve that it
was imperative on him to step forward,
and insist upon her telling it. All that
he could resolve was that he would try
to watch her, and do his utmost to find
out whether she were worthy OF trust
or not.
George Gilbert, | have said before,
had held himself good deal aloof from
the Dunstans hitherto, as he had done
also from most other people in the place
of their social standing. Mr.. Dunstan
and he had seen a good deal of one an
other, but with the rest of the family
he had associated as little as well posi-
BILE. Now, however, he said to himself
IF l am to see anything of her must
90 oftener to the house," and he set
himself to think how-so as to attract
least notice or remark from any of them
he could alter his previous habit, and
fall into the custom of accepting rather
than declining their invitations. II
shall make middle of 1t, | suppose,
and do it more awkwardly than ninety
nine other people out OF a hundred
would" he thought: but yet in some
way or other l shall have to do it."
And so, the next day, with certainly
as little tact or art as was well possible
flor tact and art-in the sense of artifice
were things that George Gilbert had
no conception how to employ he betoOk
himself to WreXham, an hour or so be
fore the family dinner-hour, making
his call, of course, call on Mr.. Dun
stan. but intending beforehand to stay
to dinner if-as he was certain would
happen-he should be asked to stay;
and this plan-simple as it was--would
no doubt have succeeded admirably, If
it had not unfortunately happened that
when the door was opened, and he ask
eds Mr.. Dunstan at homer the
servant unluckily answered-"No." Up
on this he could only leave his card, and
turn away, with feeling of momentary
vexation. which, before he had taken
half dozen steps, however, gave way