The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-06-21

tomorrow evening for moonlight sail.
Their room is Number 7S. You must have
key"
enough. It'll be neat iob-trust me for
that. Ill do it, and off with the swag to New
York and sell II. You can meet me there and
we'll divide"
The robbery was, as the burglar had antici
pated, "a neat job" the diamonds were not
missed until the day after their theft, and ere
that the thief had reached New York.
Within week Mr. Mayhem also suffered a
loss--the loss of Ada. She left quietly, leav-
ing note that simply told him that she had
decied to dissolve her connection with
him and assuring him that she had determined
to lead different kind OF life He did not
grow despondent over 1t and soon after re-
turned to his distant home.
Two years passed and Ada-now Ada Aims
worth--emerged with the polish Of manner
and smattering of attachments which she had
desired. In one direction she had really de-
veloped rare attachments. She had become
remarkably proficient In drawing. 1t was
easy for her to magnify her talent for drawing
into genius, and accordingly Ada, on her arri-
val in New York, established herself in all the
freedom and independence of female artist.
At last she met Arthur Onslow. He was
surprised to recognize her In her new name
and position, but he held his tongue and did
not allude to their past meeting. At last she
herself spoke.
''Arthur" she said, .'you loved me two
years ago. did you not ?'
''Why do you recall it You know"
81 know that then there was an insur-
mountable social barrier between us. have
removed it. / am, as far as the world judges,
your equal. There is no reason why you
should be ashamed to love me now, and"
Marry youS''
''Impossible."
''You scorn me still ?''
"You put it in too strong light, Ada. You
should know that cannot think OF marrying
YOU"
Ada's eyes flashed, and all the love she had
borne for Arthur Onslow changed into indy
ing hate.
EsThen," she said, ''if / cannot raise myself
to your level, will drag you to mine"
sHow ?''
"Oh, 1 don't know. see no way now
But you perceive how l have gained an un-
blemished social position for myself-surely it
wouldn't be more difficult to blacken yours.
Trust me I'll find way"
After that interview Arthur Onslow missed
Ada. She suddenly disappeared from New
York's best society, and at the end of a year
her old friends had ceased to canvass her
strange flight.
One night Arthur received note, in ladys
writing, requesting him to call at certain
hotel at given hour. lie did so and Ada
confronted him. She looked little worn
and older, but defiant.
'You are suppose, surprised to see me ?"
she said.
"Yes.n
''And not much delighted. Well, but be
seated, Arthur. have great deal to say to
you."
He did SO, wondering what she intended.
"Do you remember what said upon leaving
you ?" she asked, in a low, hard voice.
''Some threat, if l remember
| "Yes threat to bring you down socially
| to stain you, somehow, as you taunted me
with being. am now prepared to do it, or
| to make you marry me-"
| 'sYou cannot do either!'' and Arthur
| laughed mockingly
''Wait before you say that. When left
| you hired tools to trace your career-to un-
earth if possiblel some misdeed of your life.
''Of course ~
| "But they stumbled on a clue to something
| SO much better than L expected, that | could
| scarcely believe my good fortune. The clue
| was traced, and after infinite trouble and i'm
mense expense, | am in possession of this
| story. Listen There was once a Southern
| planter who had slave girl-a quadroon, so
| white indeed, that nobody would have sus-
| pected that African blood flowed in her veins.
| Yet once in the possession of that knowledge,
the marks Of the race were visable in her
| olive complexion, her slightly full lips, and
| her black wavy hair. She was handsome,
and her master loved her. He was kind and
generous, and she loved him. The time came
| when the wickedness and folly of all were to
cease. He married a lady, and sent the
quadroon away-not cruelty, not with dis
| dainful words, as you applied to me, but
kindly and considerably. She was one Of the
| inferior race, with the old slave blood in her
veins. The gentleman could never marry
her, and she knew it all along. She could
hope for nothing but his kindness for a time,
and look for nothing but a separation. She
was ignorant and untaught. She felt no
degradation. Her lover practiced no decep-
tion, made her no false promises"
| $50 on" Arthur said, strangely interested
He married. The mulattO girl went away.
With his money she got herself educated a
1 little. She is living now, rich and of good
name. With her son she came here to New
York. AS a reputed widow, she married a
millionaire, who died without knowing his
wifes secret But have found it out. That
mulatto girl was your mother.n
SIT is lie ~ cried Arthur. 'tYou have in
vented this horrible lie for the purpose of
frightening me !"
sit is no invention of mine," replied Ada,
calmly. "Asll your mother; she will not deny
it to you. Look into her face for confirma-
tion. You will find it in her swarthy color,
in her full lips, in her crisp, black hair. Look
at yourself-the negro bloodis even discernible
in you. Do you doubt the truth of what
have told you now ?'
Arthur Onslow had lost his defiant de-
meanor during the last speech of the girl. He
had sunk back in his chair white and neryeless,
and deadly faintness had come over him.
"You have hunted out terrible truth, - he
said, ''How much is it worth to you ?''
What is the price of your silence ?''
'YouT hand in marriage! Once you would
have gladly married me; but when you found