The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-06-26

to 20 down to the library, where her hus
band always sat reading Till the dawn.
1t was between and ,, the hour wheT
the sleep of the living world approaches
most nearly its twin brother-death. The
house was as still, indeed, as if the shadow
of Azrael lay already across its threshold
Only the noise of the mice as the scam
pered and gnawed, and destroyed, behind
the wainscoting, and the ticking of tbs
great clock IN the hall broke its silence
But outside there ragged fierce southwest
erly gale. which shrieked and screamed
round the house and drove in its fury tor
rents Of rain against the suffered win
4 dows, until rain and wind raised roar and
q tumult which made those safe under
shelter think with fear and pity of Others
who were abroad In it on land or sea.
Yet Dorindu felt that il would be child's
play TO face that storm, if by doing so she
could be spared this meeting with her hus
band. But she went on without hinchlng,
with that sot stiffness on the white face.
She passed on trough the dark house,
the pale light of the candle she carried
casting a kind of ghostly radiance about the
whitehead figure, outlining 1t in luminous
light against the darkness liko that said to
illumine the forms of the dead to the eyes
OF the living, when they come back again
to revisit the scenes from which they have
passed 10 the everlasting beyond, where
earthly happiness as well as sorrow are un-
known.
She reached the library and knocked
softly; there was no answer. She opened
the door. The room was in darkness. There
was no one there.
She stood for a second looking about it,
then advanced slowly to the writing table,
at which her husband had been apparently
writing. The chair stood there half puzzled
aside; there were some scattered papers.
She had not seen him all day. He had sent
to inquire after her in the morning before
he went OFT, and whom he had come home
late in The evening he had told his valet
that he had dined. Then he had gone
straight to his own part of the house. She
had OWNED that he had wished TO avoid
her. He though he did not love her, had
still felt The black presence of that shadow
standing between them. AS she reached
! the writing table she saw lying on it q
letter addressed 10 her. She set down the
candle and took it up.
For a second she stood with it unopened,
her brows contracting as with stab OF
physical anguish But she forced back the
surgiEg wave of dread and opened il. 1t
/ was from Mrs. Thwaite TO her husband
4 1t was mistake He had torn up the one
ne had written TO her and put this letter in
its place.
She read it.
Yes; will come to you tonight. will
meet you where you appointed. | can not
endure this life any longer. We have a
whole month before US 10 hide ourselves
in Surely we can hide ourselves from
him somewhere on the face of this earth.
OBJ, am in terror. Suppose he came back
sooner-he would murder US both. Unless
we can put seas between him and US, he
will track US down. He would Kill you
before my eyes. and then l should be left
TO face him alone. You don't know what
he is. But we shall be safe You will
save me from him We viii travel night
and day! A whole month before u.s. And
tomorrow we shall be out OF England
already-if we can catch the mail train as
il passes through Arlington. l will be at
Red Spfnuey the time you said. 1t is going
10 be q fearful night; but ] do not MIND.
II we lose another day l would not go with
you. Suppose ne came home sooner-but
! will not think Of that. Tonight at half
past two. in the old hut
Doripda read it through.
a whole month before them-but he was
coming tomorrow Tomorrow, to shoot
then both-the traitors, false to oaths and
honor man who never forgave; who
tracked down those he hated like a sieuth-
hound; who would kill them-kill them
She looked down at the letter again.
Then the dead white stiffness of her face
famed into fearful exultant passion. con-
vulsing it into ugliness. He, the wronged
husband, was coming omorrow-tomorrow
TO avenge himself and her.
She clenched her little hand as it rested
on the table and raised her face, convulsed
with that dreadful fury and lust of ven
geance, rs II crying to heaven TO aid her
and that coming avenRer-she who till this
moment had never looked up save in inno-
cent prayer and tender appeal for blessing
or others.
Yes; he would be in time He should
have the letter from her hands, AID ne
would start on their track ct once. She
passed her hand over her eyes, as if a
sudden mist of blood dimmed them, and
laughed aloud. 1t was The sound of that
ugly laugh which reused her from the
horrible ecstacy o. murder and revenge.
She stumbled back, clutching at the chair
TO save herself, and stood swsying giGdily
TO and fro. Upon the confused faintness
of mind and body sto.e dull consciousness
of some familiar presence-a suggestion
of tenderness and gentleness; OF the hal
lowed intimacy Of married life; OF voice
which had never spoken a harsh wcrd TO
her; OF eyes which had always looked
Kindly at her.
Her husband had been smoking in the
room. The scent of his cigars, which she
knew SO well. still fingered, awakening
UCuely TScOllecLlOuS ol the prOSaiC details
OF every day life, so dear to the heart of 8
woman and wife-that beautiful common
place. in which her heart-life beats cut
always the song OF home.
lie did not love her-this husband who
loved another woman. Her whole being
was wrung with the agony of his treach-
cry: but she began 10 think. as his familiar
presence seemed 10 make itself felt about
her. that she had loved him.
The horror Of that other mans speedy
coming fell on her. He would murder
Myles, her husband, who. till he had done
her this objectionable wrong. had been
good to her, though he had not loved her.
The great clock in the hall struck out the
half-hour, 30 and they were tn meet ct
, 30 in the woodlands hut IN Red Spinney,
TO make their way from there to that dis
tant country town station, where they
would each the early mail train to Liver
pool. She seemed suddenly able to take in
sll the details of their guilty flight
Mrs. Thwaite was not at the vicarage
tonight; she had gone in the morning TO
spend g few days at a country seat some
miles away. Red Spinney was near her
friends house. But how was her hus band
10 be warned-to be ssvedl He had prob
ably started already. Could she possibly
herself reach Red Spinney and stop them
before they went any fartherg Could
she get there in time - through such q
nights She could ask no one 10 help her: