The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-02-17

| You didn't 60 to the drawlng-room with
| Gascoigne and me after dinner. He wae
| careful enough when you were by. But,
| by Joye, If you had seen the looks he
gave her when he thought my attention
was taken up with Miss Lynton! When
she sang, Should he upbraid, he seemed
to 60 clean off his head. He went over
to the piano with his eyes fixed on her as
though he were bewitched."
"The devil! Do you mean"
stop, man. Don't take it up wrong.
I haven't said one word against Mrs.
Dudley, mind, and don't intend. Hel
| conduct was admirable. She did not even
seem to see what am telling you. | be-
lieve she is as innocent as baby. Fact,
| man."
aHave you anything more to say?" I in
| quired, testify. IF so, out with it."
Great Cesar! Haven't you had enough?
I've given you the straight tip-'ware the
Doctor--I am off to bed. I've got to catch
the first train in the morning. You'll
order them to call me and all that2'
Yes, I'll see to it"
And, say, old flor, mind tell you
your wife's not in it. She's right enough.
Casar's wife, you know! No offense, eh?'
he asked, tossing off the contents OF his
| tumbler.
Cesar's wife, indeed! Why remind me
of the hackneyed legend? Cesar put
away Pompeia, not for the reason that he
believed her guilty, but because his wife
must be above suspicion. l suspected
George of knew not what! She might
| be as innocent as babe, butt must
| prove her so!
Assuring Charlie that where no offense
was intended none could be taken, l
saw him to his room, then rang for the
butler, gave the necessary orders for the
morning, and ascertained that my wife
and Edna had gone upstairs. Nothing
more would be required, said, and sat
down to wait till believed all the house.
hold had gone to bed. We kept early
hours at the Grange; it was little more
than II. o'clock when, every sound ap-
parently silenced, I crossed the hall and
prepared for action.
Some lights were still left burning, but,
, , concluding that the mushroom would
with me thither and proceeded direct to
the writing-table at which my wife had
sat when she wrote the evening before to
Gascoigne. Tilt the two candles on the
table, placing the lamp between them.
i
| new one. I turned over some spotless
| pages until I came to one on which were
few ink marks. Tearing this out held
it close to the light, the wrong side to-
ward me.
Come, I want you"
Great powersl My wife, then, had q
secret understanding with this man--this
man whom she had so emphatically said
she hated. I had right to know the ma
| ture of that understanding. George her.
self I could not ask; for, alas! had al
ready discovered she did not hesitate to
utter falsehood when it suited her.
placed the piece of tell-tale blotting-
paper in my pocket-book, extinguished
the lights, and made my way in hot haste
upstairs. My idea was to send to Mrs.
Armstrong. She first must help me.
Arrived at the door of the housekeeper's
apartments, knocked. Mrs. Armstrong
opened the door Immediately. She was
dressed as had usually seen her.
| You, sir!" she exclaimed in some dis.
may.
Yes, but must see Miss Lynton at
once; Do you hear? Can you help me9"
"Step in.
obeyed, and found myself where I
had never been before, namely, in Mrs.
Armstrong; "parlor.
was scarcely prepared. however. to be
brought so suddenly face to face with
Edna Lynton, and felt more disconnected
than I care to own when I saw her stand
ing by the fire. She looked ethereal, all
in white. A long, loose, white wrapper,
with some swan-down about it, was
thrown over the muslin dress she had
worn at dinner.
There can be 10 necessity for you to
go away. Please stay" she said, as Mrs.
Armstrong was preparing to quit the
room. The woman hesitated, but signed
to her imperatively to 20.
\ This is strange conduct, Mr. Dudley,
Will you explain it, quickly" asked Edna
and as she spoke she shivered, though MOI
with cold.
Il have come to learn the secret-about
my wife," said, assuming a sternness
that, alas! by no means expressed my
true feelings.
She turned paler and trembled. Clasp.
ing her hands together on the mantel.
piece, she laid her pretty head upon them
and gazed for few moments into the
fire. Then she raised her eyes to mine
quite suddenly, thus taking me entirely
by surprise. A faint tinge Of color came
into her face; smile, sweet and tremu.
lous, hovered on her lips.
You are mistaken" she said, simply
and earnestly, still without removing
her eyes from mine.
"How?"
you are entirely mistaken" she re-
pested more firmly. She seemed to be
gaining strength and confidence as she
looked at me. will you not trust mel
Will you not take my word for it?"
There is secret, persisted, avert
ing my gaze.
What has led you to suppose so?"
Many circumstances. But tonight
overheard, by chance, few words spoken
by yourself and George in the drawing
| ROOM"
She started from the position she had
held SO long and came step nearer to
me. dared not trust myself to meet her
| gaze.
You overheard few words Of which
| you misconstrued the meaning, she said
quietly; and I grant you they were open
| to misconstruction."
will you explain them?'
Suppose refuse?"
in that case start for Leicestershire
tomorrow morning-to find out what it
was you come to tell me the night before
my marriage"
HAS time 80 entirely obliterated all
memory of that night that you even for
get my last request-to believe all nv in
Situations false?"
II have forgotten nothing: would to