The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-10-26
BETRAYED;
A DARK MARRIAGE
MORN.
A Romance of Loye, Intrigue and
Crime.
BY MRS. ALICE P. CARRISTON.
CHAPTER XviII.-(Continued.)

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yated.
His features assumed an mir OF somber
dignity and imposing grandeur.
A slight shade of paleness passed over
the lovely face of the Young woman, and
a slight frown contracted her forehead
By an effort, which in better cause
would have been sublime, she quickly
mastered the rising weakness, and, cold
" pointing out to her husband the draped
door by which he had entered, said:
"Very we'll, conceal yourself there!"
"You will never forgive me?" ..
You know little of women, my dear, II
you do not know that jealousy is one OF
the crimes that they not only pardon
but love"
my God, I am not jealous!"
Call it yourself what you will, but
station yourself there!"
"And you are sincere In wishing me TO
do so?"
II beg you to do so! Retire in the in
teryal, leave the door open, and when
YOU hear Eugene enter the hall, return. I"
mol" said the Senator, after moments
hesitation: since I have gone SO far
and he sighed deeply-"I do not wish to
leave myself the least prete1t for distrust.
If leave you before he comes, am cap
able of fancying-"
That might secretly warn him. 1s 1t
not 80? Nothing more natural. Remain
here, then. Only take up book; for our
conversation, under the circumstances, can
not be lively"
He sat down.
But" he mused awhat mystery can
there be between you two?"
You shall see," she said, with her
sphinx like smile.
The Senator mechanically took up q
book
She stirred up the fire in the CRATE, and
reflected.
As she liked terror, danger and dramatic
incidents to blend with her intrigues, she
should have been content; for at that
moment shame, ruin and death. wee at
her door!
But, to tell the truth, it was too muc
for her; and when she looked, in the
midst of the silence which surrounded
her, at the true character and scope OF
the perils which environed her, she
thought her brain would fail and her
heart break.
She was not mistaken as to the origin
of the letter. This shameful work had
been planned by the private SECRETARY.
To do him justice, however, he had not
suepeCteu tae Aof0o VI VIC o1o" Ne WOO
dealing.
OF course he did not really believe in
the ladys virtue; for during the perpetual
surveillance he had never relaxed, he had
not failed to see the exict nature of the
intercourse between Eugene and Cora.
But it must not be forgotten that he
was himself in love with Mrs. Elliston,
and that he dreamed of securing for him
self the succession to his masters place.
He had let matters 60 on thus long be-
cause he had not seen how he Gould very
we'll stop them without making an enemy
of Cora, and that he did not wish to do;
for, not: outstanding her intimacy with
.Clcyeland, he still loved her, SO Tar ss
such creature is capable of loving; aud
then there was the vast wealth that would
be hers at her husbands death, and Of
this be was perfectly willing to assume
the charge.
But being in Washington, and remem-
bering what he had seen just before leav-
ing the house in New York, his jealousy
and hatred of the rival who now had the
field all to himself, got the better Of him,
and he determined to act. To awaken the
distrust of the Seuat toward Eugene, 80
as to cause his doors to be closed against
him, and to hasten the ladys coming to
Washington, was, however, all he medi-
tated at that time.
He wrote the letter, dated it day
ahead, sent it to a confidential friend in
New York to be remailed, and SO it reached
the Senator's hand.
But, like most villainies OF the kind,
this anonymous missive was more fatal
and murderous weapon than its base au-
thor imagined.
The Senator's young wife then mused
while stirring the fire, casting from time
to time furtive glance at the clock.
Eugene would soon arrive. How could
she warn him?
In the present state of their relations 1t
was not impossible that the very first
words of Eugene might Immediately di-
vulge their secret, and once betrayed there
was not only for her personal dishonor-
q scandaious fall, poverty, refinement
but for her husband or her lover-per-
haps for both-death!
When the door bell rang, announcing
Eugene's approach, all of these thoughts
crowded into Coras brain like legion OF
phaptoms.
But she rallied her courage by des-
perate effort and strained all her faculties
to the execution of the plan she had hast
lily conceived, which was her last hope.
And one word, one gesture. one mistake,
or one carelessness of her lover might
overthrow it in second!
A moment later the door was opened
by servant, announcing Mr.. Cleveland.
Without speaking she signed to her hus-
band to gain his hiding-place.
The Senator, who had risen ut the
sound of the bell, seemed still to hesi-
tate, but struggling his shoulders, as if in
disdain Of himself, retired behind the
curtain which faced the door.
Eugene entered the room carelessly,
and advanced ward the fireplace, where
Cora was seated. his smiling lips half
opened to speak, when he was struck by
the peculiar expression on Cora's face,
and the words were frozen on his lips.
This look, fixed upon him from his en-
trance, had strange, weird intensity,
which, without expressing anything,
becoming Accustomed TO Trying sltua-
tions, and was as wary and prudent as he
was intrepid. He ceased to amile, did
not speak, but waited.
Raising her right hand, she made a
gesture intimating that he must preserve
silence.
Either she is mad" he said to him
self, "or there is some great peril"
A searching glance into her eyes in
creased his alarm, and a sudden and
heretofore unknown feeling of dread
seized him and almost stilled the beating
of his heart.
CHAPTER XIX.
THE ORDEAL PASSED.
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