The Globe-republican., 1891-12-17

Alice, the wife Of honest Squire Creey,
the other was the beautiful Laura Del.
lamere, young widow. They both
lived in the neighborhood. and came a.
most every day to me to assist me in en-
PERTAINING the crow1 of guests that
filled the castle.
At last one came, fatal guest His
accused name is Richard Accrington.
He came to US preceded by a brilliant
reputation. In the Indian mutiny he
had distinguished himself gallanuy;
there were many records Of his heroism
and ability; we welcomed the young SOL
der among US with enthusiasm.
There were other whispers. too. 1t
was said that CclOnei Accrington had
been Laura's first lover-that she had
sacrificed herself and him, at her needy
fathers command, 10 marry the wealthy
commoner. Miles Dellamere. and that he
was suing her again in her widowhooi
to lay his Iaureis at her feet and win
her hand at last.
1t was my dear lords evil fate to bring
him to our home-tO present the brilliant
stranger to me Let me overpass the
loathed recollection. Enough to say
that he was base enough to make a
blind of Mrs Deliamere behind which to
indulge guilty passion for one who
dreamed not of the truth-fOr hap
less me.
One day accident disclosed what he
fain would have hidden. The illness of
his father reca led him home: he sought
me in my priva y in haste to say adieu,
and my unSuspiciOus GOODNESS wrung
sudden burning words from him. Mis-
taking his agitation for grief on Mrs.
Dellamere's account, unwittingly l
goaded him into full declaration of his
detested passion. / was stupefed, ex-
cess of emotion he'd me dumb.
"YOur amazcment is we'll acted, if it
is acted" Knocked he. sIf it is sincere,
then am as lost and disgra ed a man
as lives to curse himself this day"
l faltered Laura's name; his atten-
ton to her had been open and unquai-
fed, to retract from them would most
cruelty injure her.
He retorted with the utmost derison-
quoted the Old wrong she had done him
Wanted the completeness of his re-
venge.
In suddenly aroused wrath and scorn
/ drove him from me; as he hurried
from my presence in writhing humilia-
ton, my lord met him-marked his agi-
tatiOn as he passed with hurried bow.
and entering. saw his guests agitation
reflected on the face of mis- wife. Should
l have contided all to him? Alas! l
was but girl was ashamed of the
base love had excited tremblsd for
the consequences to my beloved huS-
band should he hear how he had been
inSulted: dared not COnfide the matter
to Lord Inchcape.
l gave a hating explanation of my
emotion. Colonel Accrington was lsav-
ing us, and by careless word which he
had dropped it was evident that he had
been but amusing himself at the ex-
pense of my friend. Mrs. Dellamere. l
had not concealed from him my anger,
and he was leaving US forever.
My lord accepted the explanation at
once; his honorable mind harbored no
suspicion at the time: but he remem-
bered the episode afterward. did not
see Laura Tor many days after that: but
my sweet Alice told me that Colonel
Accrington had paid Laura 4 flying visit
on his way to the railroad station. As
she, Mrs. Crecy, drove up to the Pavilion
to call for Laura, as she usually did on
her way to the Fosse, she met Accring
ton on his horse. He passed her with a
sardOnic smile and bOw-his face looked
like q demons. Laura denied herself to
her, sending word that she was i'll that
morning and would not leave her room.
Their fr!endShi p has ruptured-I Won
der why?" said my innocent Alice.
When Laura once more joined US she
was strangely changed toward me. While
jealousy cOncealing her own pain she
made me comprehend in a thousand
subtle ways that l had fallen in her
she could no longer
admit me to the inner sanctuary of her
affection. What my enemy had said of
me I know not She tainted me once
thus: II had an adieu from Col. Accring-
ton: it was of high tragedy sort: he
raved of mad love-Of the fatal beauty
of an inSatiate coquette-I laughed; he
was amusing" And so / saw she judged
me guilty of playing with her lovers
heart, and scorned me. Time passed:
we heard that Co'onel Accrington had
gone abroad; we left Stafford for our
house in London: we should have been
happy as the angels but for the memory
of that hateful episode. 1t haunted mo
"a secret must invariably corrode in
the heart Of the guiltiesS. l began to
question the past with distrust-to doubt
the tendencies of my own nature-almost
to believe myself in measure guilty of
levity, If of nothing worse, else how
could that cOld-hearted man of the world
have ventured to depict my image to
himself in warmer cOlors than those of
formal acluaintanceship
Laura's disdain oppressed me, too,
and the consciousness of a secret with
held from my lord Inundated me. These
injured my health: my lord.
with loves divining eye, observed the
change; he wooed my confidence, he
anxiousiy strove to discover the
crumpled rose leaf in his darling's life
but dared not confess it, did Eot-I
did not put him off with shallow pre-
tens S: he understood that did not care
to share my every thought with him; he
did not insist BIT from that hour my
husband changed toward me, his air of
tranquil felicity fed, he became thought
full. moody: he tegan to call me child"
oftener than "wife," as if he remem-
bered regretfuily his forty years beside
my eighteen. Ienderly kind to me as
ever. he was teaching b mself the heart
freezing lesson that youth and middle
Cal. l..