The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-10-04

in his. IDe Conversation. PIihc,P""S 'D"oo'
aiory. was carried on between the rector and
the elder lady. but she presently glided noise
lessly out OF the room. aud the Rev. Cuthbc !
took the opportunity OF asking the invalid IL
she had any wish TO communicate To him
Suddenly Miss Louisa. to his unutterable
dismay. buried her face in her hands and
bust into tears.
Calm yourself. pray. my dear lady" he
exclaimed. Il beg you will not distress
yourself. Shall ! call your sister" he hastily
added, ~giancing neFvously ut the door.
NO. no" she cried. Il want 10 speak TO
you alone. | want you to forgive me must
confess my secret. ] could not die happy
without telling you how foolish have been.
But IL WAS not altogether my fault" Here
tho rector discreetly gazed into the fire. Il
did struggle against my feelings. bot oh, DO
not be angry. will your but | could not-l-l
couldn't help loving you-I""
The rector leaped 10 his feet.
Mis-. Larby." he stammered. these are
but the fances born OF your weak state"-
mo. no" she answered. Indeed 1t is too
true. For months my secret has been locked
in my breast. il has consumed my strength,
my life: and now, that ! am dying. felt you
would tako .pity on me and tell me that 4
have hot been very wicked to bestow my
heart unaskcd upon you. We needs NUT
love the highest when we see It, some ono
has said. and no one has ever seemed SO good
and great as you -.
The rector WINGED at each tender word, and
beads Of perspirntion stood upon his brow.
"you have done me q great honor. but
"lou do not hate me, thenI' she asked
wistlully.
"Of course not. my dear lady. but ] was
naturally uni T pared. 1 fancy you are not
altogether cerlaIn as 70 your feelings. your
long ilncs.'-
At thi. juncture Miss Larby returned. She
had evidently heard the last sentence. for
with an ngitated rattle she exclaimed: Then
Louisa has told you all Oh Mr.. Danger6eld.
you will make the dear girl happy. Miss
Louisa's forty-ninth birthday had dawned
long sinceg, Il know you will" and she
grasped both his hands firmly. Hc turned
hot and cold by turns. his tongue became an
absolute fixture. while the terrible avowal TO
which he had Just listened seemed TO throb
audibly in his brain. Only one coherent
thought occurred. and that was that he must
escape at once from the house. and in view OF
the fact that this miserable woman was IN
oxtremis he WAS justified, he thought, In &C
cOmplishing his escape Mt any cost. He never
knew exactly what he did say. lie heard a
fsr-od murmur OF voices, he was dimly con-
scious TINT Miss Louisa kissed his hand.
Then his mind became a blank. On his
way out he mot Chilver,. mo hope, | fear"
whispered tho little doctor as they passed
each other.
NO hope" echoed the rector in a sepul-
chrai tone.
Then there was balm in Gilead after all.
The following day passed as q series Of hid
eous dreams to the rector Of MuddlehaIn-
Magma. lie rose haggard and depressed a.ter
n night of sleeplessness and despair. Twiddy
expressed concern A. 80 his Appearance. and
Mrs. Chip was evidently suspicious that
there WINS something wrong. He telt as If
the horrible truth had already leaked out. In
his Imagination be heard the gossips Of Mud
Magma linking bis name with Louisa
Larby's, md no positively hing his head rs
he passed along tho High street. Reluctantly
he dragged his weary feet to the Iaurels.
The blinds were still undrawn. Half-dazed.
he entered. suffered himself TO be led into
that awful room again. and left feeling that
he had sunk even deeper into the terrible
quicksands closing around him. All day long
he wandered III the country, and when night
fell he crept back to his rectory. faint and
weary. only to learn that Miss Louisa vas de-
cidedly better.
Chiivers was awaiting his return, and cheer
fully communicated the news.
She's mad: that woman's mad, " exclaimed
the rector desperately.
Chnvers laughed in an irritating, good-tem-
pered. professional manner. Mad, my dear
rector: not a bit OF it. Never met q clearer
headed woman in my life. Great determine
ton. too; but / own she's puzzled me a little
over this illness. Seems TO have been brought
on by some worry"
II tell you she's mad" again said the rec
tor. But Chilvers was not TO be talked down.
That card had failed. Was there no escape?
She was better; she was sane; she would ex-
pect him TO marry her. He remembered
POpple, and in his agony he groaned aloud.
Then he decided on flight. just before that
fatal visit to the Iaurels the Bishopric of
Bamboozle had been offered to him. He had,
as n matter of form, begged time TO consider
the fattcring offer. Now he felt that BAN
boozle was his only refuge. He would at once
rrt$n n.1 saoaHt R.4f stavf He mould Ixat
make known his resolve Mt the Laurels. May
be. after all, his invalid's improvement was
but temporary. At all events, she would
never dream of going to Bamboozle. The
news concerning Miss Louisa's health. he
found. alas was but too true. She was better.
She was even gay. He observed with a sink
ing heart that her fringe was curled and that
sho called him Cuthbert. He at once plunged
into the BambOozle business. To his dismay
tho news was received with embarrassing
Demonstrations of delight.
"You dear, clover thing" SAID Miss Louisa
pressing his hand.
How lovely" gushed Miss Larby. Dear
Ioui.n is a born organizer. She will revel in
diocesan work"
You don't mean TO say gasped the Rev.
Cuthbsrt, that YOU would actually think Of
coming 10 BambooZle."
My place is by your side. of course. A sea
voyage is lust what | want. Mr. Chilvers says"
@ Chivefs" muttered the proposed
Bishop.)
But the climate" he said aloud. Its
terrible it's n miasmio swamp; a hotbed of
tropical disease. The late bishops wife died
in a year" he added with desperate men
dacity. and they tell me the episcopal resi-
dence is absolutely without drains. / couldn't
think OF permitting you 10 sacrifice your
life
Miss Larby only smiled triumphantly. II
know hat my sister will only be happy in
sharing your dangers. You have snatched
her from the grave. as it were. She will risk
all for you."
You have made up your mind TO marry
me, then" he inquired in O strained, faint
tone.
"Oh, Cuthhert" whispered Miss Louisa.
while the elder Miss Larby coughed and
placed the handkerchief to her eyes, have |
not loved you for years?'
That night he took O desperate resolve. To
Mrs. Chips despair his dinner was left un- |
tasted. and after ordering a bottle of brandy
TO DO taken to his study. he retired TO that |
apartment and locked the door. SO far as
could be seen through the keyhole the rector |
OF Muddleham MAGMA simply sat and eazed
before him for hours, in Il helpless. hopeless |
manner, which q. once convinces his house
hold that he had gone mad. The fact that
he did not eat was sufficient proof to Mrs
Chipp that SONS serious disturbance was at
work. The bottle of brandy was in itself
suspicious. And. while the servants specu-
lated on his sanity, and his letters remained
unopened. and his lamp burned low. the rec
tor, with drawn. white face and sunken ewes.
sat i'm the bitterest thYOes of mental anou;ob |