Iron County register., 1891-10-15

the young wife had found time swiftly
to whisper, and her distressed under
tone echoed itself in his ears liken knell
tortured into fantastic cries by The
train-clamors of his westward tr.c.
He had indeed let. Lucia in a very 11n-
happy frame OF mind. The idea CT the
so-named elixir had taken hold Of her
imagination with savage though CO.
vert force. Not loving her husband,
she had thus far secretly exulted in the
possession of a distinct power over him,
seldom used, though relied on as deep
reserved fund. His firm refusal that
she should again look upon the letter
and manuscript lately delivered him,
had first astonished and then ired her.
A coldness grew up between them, each
being aware of the others reason for
preserving it. But LUCIA was the first
to change these mutual conditions. Her
dreams were now full of the precious
drug concerning which Sylvan chose to
maintain SO piquing and mystic a ST.
lence. Did he then believe in it's efficacy?
Had he acquired some positive knowl-
almost took Lrcia's breath away. Her
quite certain, would scarcely hesitate
between burying the bequest under
profound secresy and allowing just her
self alone to profit by it, even were he
sure that it meant a genuine victory for
science. The more that she brooded
over the chances of his piety taking
this dog-in-the-mange form, the more
she felt her nerves distressfully tingle.
His scruples of religious kind had not
seldom bored her since their marriage;
but these affected her with shuddering
moods of disgust and chagrin.
On certain evening, four or five days
after Thorndyke had departed, Lucia
and Sylvan sat together at dinner.
Dessert and coffee had been placed on
the table; the servant had slipped from
the room. They had just been speak
ing (both rather listlessly) of Gerald's
intended voyage, when all at once it
pleased Lucia to say:
Zone can't help wondering what you
will tell your brother when he asks you
about that packet which DIR. Thorn
dyke recently gave YOU
Sylvan started, colored, and then
frowned little. He prided himself
upon his gentlemanlike manners, and
she who listened to his voice had hardly
ever heard it raised in shriller key than
when he now replied:
Tell Gerald? have not thought of
mentioning the subject to him. Why
should l do SO, pray?"
Lucia began to slide one white finger
tip along the rim of her purple finger
bowl. 1T would simply be natural if
you did tell him; that is all"
81 don't agree with you," he an
swered, stolidly.
You didn't think it unnatura1," she
said, ''to rebuff me when 1 questioned
you on the same subject
II did not rebuff you. l gave you all
the information it was right to give.
More than that, even. Better if had
preserved complete silence"
She flashed him a challenging look
across the pretty little table, with it's
glimmers of silver and glass. ''Why
would it have been better?'' she asked.
''What has caused you to rate me as
unworthy of your confidences?"
''It isn't that" he retorted, brusquely
enough, for him, and tossing his head
with show of the most unusual in
tolerance. II explained to you; ex-
planned fully. Your curiosity is unwar-
ranted; it's rapacious, in fact
She gave high, chill laugh. ''Be-
cause I'm interested in what struck me
as the great work of a striking intel
lect.''
He smiled sourly. "Of an impious
mind
You're speaking of your own father"