The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-05-14

va g.<1v-sgto cast frcm her the thoughts
that tormented hef.
I" Ny own SISTER, she cried, passion
ateiy- On, IT would have been better,
far better, had stayed and--and met
che worst than escaped for this.v
Do you blame me for the part took
In your escapef"
She sunk down upon her knees beside
him and looked up in his face with some
thing Of the mute devotion Of dog.
Can / ever forget, she said, /" that
dreadful day when, still unnerved and
terrified because Of my sisters cruel
death, ] came down to the inquiry? At
first scarcely noticed the crowd--I was
rapt completely in my own sad thoughts;
then, as question after question was put
to me, each one more unfeeling than the
last, realized to what they were tending
what was the impression gradually be-
coming general in the minds OF those
about me. The full horror Of my situa-
ton burst upon me. dared not raise my
eyes for fear Of meeting others bent upon
me accusingiy; to my excited fancy it
seemed as though | actually heard my
sentence passed behind me- Oh, II they
had only fallen upon me then, killed me
with their own hands, and so released
me from my misery, could have borne
1t; but knew that weeks must pass be-
fore my fate would be decided, and that
there was a worse ordeal in store for me
when | had to stand upon my formal
trial For every eye that gazed at me
with impunity then, there would be
hundred there; and for every tongue that
spoke against me then, hundred would
condemn me there. How could bear 1t?
How could elude itl had had friends
before, and loversat least, those who
said they loved me-but none came tome
In my sorrow. 1t was you, an utter
stranger, who stood by me, and offered
me the means OF escape. Do | blame
you for that? All, no, mol / bless you
for It every day, every hour; it is only at
times, In very bitterness, that / wish the
end had come theni''
& too remember that day." he said,
slowly. had seen you once before at
the theatre; you We're acting Galatea.
You must have received many compli-
tAASAto ASopSotthB jun NluAldbiC lhlouUy
SO will not add to the number. But
your acting touched me as had never
been touched before, and, when you
moved SO sadly and silently back to the
pedestal from which you had come, leav-
ing to Cynisca the happiness Of her hus-
bands love, something as nearly like
tears as anything my eyes have ever
known was In them then. There was
more than that to draw me to you-a re-
semblance- faint, tits true, but recurring
again and again with every change of
voice and gesture-to some one | had
known and-and loved, years-surely it
must be centuries-agol To her / had
brought only sorrow. A few days after
| had seen your performance ! heard
what had happened. Imade friends with
the chief OF the police and managed to be
present at the coroners's inquiry, with
some vague idea Of expiating my fault to
her by being Of use to you.
1t was the widest, most unlawyer-
like idea that flashed into my mind as the
evidence proceeded and you did not even
attempt to defend yourself. thought
even you would laugh at me as mad
man, or at least distrust my good inten-
tions when presented myself before you
and proposed that you should come with
me and make use of the passage which
day before had taken for my housekeep-
er. But you trusted me completely, and
accepted my help without any question
whatever. A few theatrical properties
that happened to be in your room render
ed our plans easier, and the next morn
ing found us steaming away from Sydney,
away from all the troubles that had
threatened you, unsuspected and unfol-
lowed by anyone"
Il remember" she whispered. "Oh,
the relief l felt as land gradually faded
out of sight! 1t was not till many days
later that l wondered why you had inter-
ested yourself in me. / was too thank
full for the result to question its cause.
And now it scarcely seems strange to
me at ALL" put in the old man softly.
4" The resemblance I spoke Of seems to
grow daily-or perhaps imagine it.
Your presencei is a pleasure to me always.
like to watch you fitting about the
house, and to know that you are looking
after me as daughter might have done
If things had been different. My one
wish now is to see you happier. u
believe me, there is no fear Of detec-
ton. II we had been fated to be discover
ed, itwould have happened long ago."
Hundreds Of people must have seen
me at the theatre" she said, hopelessly. y
"A stage makeup Is the most decept-
i've thing in the world. scarcely recog-
nized you myself at the inquest that day.
Besides you are wonderfully changed
since then; and the short hair makes a
difference. But to return to what was
speaking of before. Ellen, why won't
you call me 'uncle'?"
Blushing painfully, and avoiding his
gaze she replied,
II would rather not, (timidly) but of
course | will do SO ifyou insist"
~ do not insist, "he interrupted hasti-
". But at least do not call me Sir
10,