Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1891-12-31

HalCucu the Two DrOllcr ENJOYS pacing
TO and fro; need not have feared that
Lord Inehcape would forget his duty 10
his country to demand private satisfac-
ton for personal injuries They dis
cussed business, coldly, courteously,
with the internal fires Of jealousy be-
tween them
How changed was my wicked lovers
naughty beauty, how blurred by mental
strife, how married by the triumph OF
evlli Yet / may judge him harshly; he
had seen service among the barbarians
since he lounged among US In silken
dalliance, and had borne peril and hard
ship bravely for England's sake; who
shall say that he had not been suffering
whitening remorse and shame because
OF his fall from honorP Ay, who shall
say, when suffering had not taught him
mercy and he Willingly soWed misery
betWixt my lord and me.
Alone. pOndered how 1 might save
our happiness We two. so united by
truest love, surely we could never be
sundered by a mere mistake? Should
l now cOntide that long withheld secret,
which had been the only disturber of
our peace, leaving my husband to deal
with the matter as he judged best? All
how 1 lOnge ed 10 do that How weary I
was Of standing in my own poor
strength
BuL uaIGQ nut w nat MADNESS, 10
set two fierce men at enmity, on the eve
of 4 mission which they must undertake
together! A revelation now would too
likely rupture the whole scheme; my
lord would be less than human if ne
could postpone the punishment Of his
wife's insulter.
Silence, at any costl
But, thought I, surely 1 may appeal
10 my husbands love, to trust me de-
nj Irsar 20 r.Na
nation until his return? And with this
hope l supported myself till he should
come to bid me farewell.
watched them part for the time, the
colonel strobe TO the gates, where his
cOrtege waited, my lord entered the
house. Slowly he assembled the marble
stairs,-was he coming straight to his
unhappy Engelon1e, to take her in loving
arms, and TO win from ner the truth with
generous forbearance?
Slowly, heavily he paced onward
passed my chamber door-oh, lovel was
it well? and entering his private apart
ment, locked it upon all the world, and
me.
Shut out Judged. condemned, bereft
of even one chance of vindication. Was
it well, my Lord Inchcape?
In stupid misery remained where
was, and the precious moments fed
hoofs, as Kenmore brought them to the
door, reused me at last In sudden
panic 1 hurried 10 my husbands door,
and knocked till against his will, he
| opened He started back when he saw
that it was his wife who would not be
denied, then led me in with cruel pune
| tiliousness.
1 threw myself at his feet.
@YOu have no cause in me for anger
,r oh RaIafnh lift ma 10
heart againi" I pleaded
Il have not accused you said my
lord, @Rise; that is not the attitude of a
guiltless wife, How austere; each
word a morsel of ice! I wondered at its
cruelty. had yet to learn that jealousy
is cruel as the grave.
Il kneel for justice, not for mercy"
answered proudly; -lOok in my true eyes
! and say that you can doubt my loyal
love for you" He gaZed into my eyes
he was moved; what blight was on him
that he could foster doubt even yet?
@Fain would believe in your love for
me as much as you believe in it," said
he, ~but I have seen you sinking under
the weary strife of your heart aga nst
honor. 1 am too old for you; you wish 10
be true to me, you are true to me, as l
believe, in act and thought, but you are
dying of the struggle"
-And you suspect my heart of stray
ing from you to that man?" 1 cried de-
risively.
Just then came hurried knock, my
maid Mary was seeking her mistress to
deliver a letter which she had been or
dered to place in my own hand; too
simple to divine the intended secrecy Of
the transaction, she had brought it 10
me thus
My lord handed me the letter with a
bitter sheer; it was from Colonel Ac-
crington, 1 kne y the hand at once.
was stricken dumb by the calamitous
coniu ction OF circumstances.
HAliow nae tosleaye you, madam, to
the perusal of Your admirers rhapso-
dies" tainted Lord Inchcape. ! sprang
after him, 1 thrust the loathed thing in
to his hand
~Open and read. and deal with the
writer as he merits, I implored, my
courage fainting under his unjust dis
dain, And then the thought that 1 had
delivered up my lord to destruction
pierced my heart, and wrung a moan Of
anguish from my lips My lords fierce
hand paused ere he had broken the
sea-he regarded me with a sardonic
smile.
~You repent of your candor?" ques-
toned he.
"Only for your dear sakel" moaned.
@And parity for your friends, eh?"
Knocked my cruel love: every well, sec
Ond thoughts are often best. Should
read this billet-doux to-day 1 should be
hampered with an affair of honor before
we start upon our mission. Duty for
bids the qualification of my private ami
mosities until return; therefore 1 viii
postpone that pleasure for the present"
He locked the letter within his desk and
secured the kew.
The call of the bugle rang gayly, Ken
more knocked, announcing the cortege
to be in waiting; my lord turned long,
strange gaze upon his suspected wife,
who stretched out her arms for one last
embrace in speechless agitation-but
stretched them forth in vain.
when I return-if you are worthy"
muttered he.
~Oh, God! you cannot leave me thusl"
I whispered.
But he could; he did leave me, with
out glance of loves relenting.
He was gone; my love my life! Gone
with the light SILVER Of harness and the
clash of arms, with the thunder of cav
airy and the gay bugle call gone with
doubt of his Engelonde in his breast, and
a hated riyal by his side, whose dearest
desire it must be to see his death.
I fell forward on my face as one
stricken to earth.
Two voices speaking by the door
aroused me; DelleVlng me still uncOn-
scious, Mr. Sircombe, the director of my
household, was questioning my maid
concerning the letter which had passed
between Colonel .Accrington and Lady
Inchcape. BY the insidious form of his
inquiries, perceived with indignation
that Mr. Sircombe was quite ready TO
spect the worst of his benefactor's
wife 1 stirred, he retired; and the girl
all unconscious of the terrible evil she
had done me, waited upon me affection