Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1891-05-22

/. IL don't wish to seem over-trouble.
some, Sylvan" she broke silence, with
q sort of semi-stammering ayology.
"And yet"
"And yet you are very troublesome,
indeed, my dear" he announced, with q
naughty curtness which made my
dear" ring in sorry satire. 81 have in
formed you more than once that can
not satisfy your singular craving"
at is not that" she said, with heat,
vet with self-repression, too at is a
natural desire. | simply demand of
you that you shall permit the worth or
worthlcssness of your fathers discovery
to become known by us both"
That | will not do" he replied.
you will not do il? you will not 80
Lucia broke forth, flushing and slipping
nearer to him. "Ah," she went on,
'you have the manuscript concealed, 10
doubt, in this very rooml"
IF | have!' he shot back. bitterly,
'what then? DO you wish to play the
thief and steal it from me?"
She laid her hand on his arm. 81
wish TO play the adviser, the giver Of
good counsel"
He shook her hand from his arm at
this. 1.-THE DEVILS own counsel" he NUT
tered.
Sylvan she breathed. little gasp
ingly. This is the first time you have
ever insulted mel"
you drive me to il"
81 seek to dissuade YOU from casting
a slur on your fathers memory"
"My fathers memoryl Pah! What
do you care for that? You want the drug
the discovery as You call it. And it's
all the merest riff-raff of a clever mans
decaying nothing more"
His tones were very acrid: he seemed
transformed from his usual mild self
She watched him for a second or two,
with her eyes MOSTLY shining and a
culver of her lower lip.
IF you so believe it, Sylvan, then
why do you hide it like this?"
Because it's an outrage against God.
I've said so TO you before, why make
me say it again?"
Yes, you've said il before. But how
can your fathers wish or design be an
outrage against God when, as you YOUR
self concede, the brain that compassed
the whole idea was in state of semi
ruin? Oh, Sylvan, let us test the truth
or falsity of that avowal" Again she
put her hand out toward him. and this
time she rested il on his shoulder. But
he repulsed her with an excessive rude
ness, and she now saw on his working
features the kind of pallor that was
easy to explain as wrath.
You wish to tempt mel" he cried;
you can not succeed My mother long
ago taught me"
''Oh, your mother" she flashed. II
knew IL was she.'' Then her voice sud-
denly trembled and softened. "Sylvani
| thought you loved me. You've so
often said that you did. What | ask is
such little thing, after ALL"
What you ask" he retorted, lis a
large and shameless thing. IL | loved
you as God himself loves his children
land may the blssphemy be pardoned
mel | should never yield to this desire
Of yours-neverw
The next moment she saw that he |
was intensely agitated. His reeling
step disclosed this, as he advanced to- |
ward the desk at which he had been |
seated. From a packet he drew bunch |
Of keys, and with shaking grasp thrust
one of them into the lock Of a lower |
drawer. Swiftly he drew forth long
and somewhat dingy envelope. which
Lucia seemed TO recognize the instant It |
net her gaze.
Springing erect and facing her, he
waved in air the object he had secured.
Il am going To burn this" he pro-
,eeded; Ito burn this before your sight.
Look" She peered AT the written name
Tor "a brief while. and then he withdrew
L just as her quick sweep of one hand
sought to tear it from his clasp. lie
sped toward the gas-burner that In a
zone Of green shade illumed his desk.
See" came his mex. words, II give it