The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-05-27

A slight pause, which Severn pfoke
nv coming abruptly TO the point.
:. / came be said, to speak TO you
about Miss Warde."
"she is in her room, believe Do
YOU wish to speak TO or Of herr
!" / have spoken to her already. Have
you not heard she left your house this
morning ~
Try a. he would, Mr.. Bowyer felt 1t
impossible TO keep an expression Of con-
tentment from his face. This was ex-
actly what he wished her TO do. To
turn woman out Of doors was more
than he could do, were she the veriest
wretch in creation; but, Il she chose TO
leave him, he was free ffom blame--free
even from self-reproach.
~ met her on the road between this
and Greathaven this morning, strug-
Cling against the wind and wet through
with the fog. guessed something Of
her iatentinss s-.,-n M bag she was
carrying, and afterward she told me what
had passed, and how--it seems absurd
70 repeat--you thought her guilty.
q II she was not guilty, why did she
leave my house Z" questioned Mr.. Bow
yer, shrewdly.
Because your housekeeper had dis
covered secret In her past life, and
brought such pressure to bear on her"
g Impossible ~ half starting from
his chair.
" It was what she told me; and ! do
not think her capable Of falsehood.n
Mr.. Bowyer leaned back again and
looked thoughtfully into the fire.
Do you think any man can Judge 9
woman truly? The intricacies and con-
tradictions Of her character must always
remain a mystery, to him, and he is
never quite unbiased by the personal
attributes, perhaps attractions, she may
possess"
Z. Think returned the colonel, de-
cisively, that it Is impossible to mis-
take bad woman for pure one, or
rice cerso. Men are sometimes queer
mixtures Of good and evil, but no woman
could do what you suspect Miss Warde
Of having done unless she were utterly
abandoned; and that warmly" l
can swear Miss Warde Is mott
/" You are a younger man than T." OBJ
served the lawyer dryly. And yet /
don't know that it is only youth that
can be blinded by . pretty face and
plausibility; for too believed In her In
spite Of repeated warnings, and once
against almost incontrovertible evil
dence."
You.were right then-you are wrong
now, assure you"
/" / wish could believe you. / would
give more than you imagine to know
that Elaine was innocent, and worthy Of
my love-"
He spoke with real emotion, and the
feeling Of anger that had been in
Severn's heart melted as he realized 1t had
mot been lightly or with indifference that
the girl for whom he pleaded had been
condemned.
I. Where was the child going when you
met her 2"-suddenly.
She did not know herself. To Lon
don, ! suppose.
at most few shillings, In her pocket.
She would have starved"
" / am very thankful that / met her i"
!" And SO ann l." declared Mr.. Bowyer,
earnestly. / should never have for
given myself If anything had happened
to her.
:" Then may tell her she is to come
back ~ inquiringly.
" Let her come. The past shall be
forgotten, or at least forgiven"
n You are still supposing her to be
guilty indignantly.
Yes; do suppose SO sadly;
"but, having once taken a responsibility
upon me, will not shirk it."
1t was Colonel Severn's turn to pause
in doubt. All his pride in the woman
he loved revolted at the idea Of her being
received so, yet had re the right to re-
fuse for her this her natural haven OF
refuge? Then where else could she go
Even II she loved him--Severn-we
enough to marry him, he could not ask
her to share his home II by so doing it
became closed to his only son. Besides,
did she not love Gerald Weare2
Mr.. Bowyer guessed something of what
was troubling him, and, reseating him.
self, went on, in slow, passionless tones
that were more convincing than the
most violent asseverations-
might think with you If my know
ledge Of the case were as limited as
yours. There was time when | too
believed nothing against Ellen Warde,
but that time has passed forever"
And yet you would have her back,
believing her SO vile, and that the dan
ger you have undergone may occur again
with less fortunate sequeli"
II am ready to take that risk
-gravsly.
Then have only to beg that you
will conceal your real opinions SO far as
you are able"
E All shall be as it was before. / am
not quite brute, hope |"
Indeed you, are mott" cried Severn.
You are one Of the noblest men ever
met, II in this instance the most mis-
- l.