The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-01-13
A DARK SECRET.
The Story Of a Tragic
Life Drama.
By 3. NJ. DAVY.
CHAPTER y.
FAIRLY BEwITcHED.

CHAPTER y.
FAIRLY BEwITcHED.
An hour later, q cigarette my sole COM
panion, I was walking up and down q
Sravel path Of which I felt sure q distant
view could be obtained from the windows
Of No. 20.
I grew restless and impatient. Day
light was fading before my ruse brought
any desired result; but at last I saw a
6gure coming toward me rapidly. 1t was
Edna Lynton. 7 flung away my cigarette,
and raised my hat as she came up.
She stood in front of me-her eyes cast
down upon the path, her fingers inter-
laced-in o pretty, half shy, deprecstine
attitude 7 knew SO we'll. There was moth
ing striking about the girl, as I have said;
nothing to attract attention. But she
had soft, winning ways, little graceful
nesses-if ! may coin q term-that stole
npon you unawares.
MRS. Hargreave sends her compli-
ments, and will you favor her with your
company between 8 and 9 o'clock, Mr..
Dudley?"
And this was spoken in the low, soft
voice that had once been such sweet
music to my ears; but now, the words
Jared!
sEdna-"I cried, impulsively. I was
instantly conscious Of my mistake.
Il have not finished" she continued,
quietly, still without looking at me.
Miss Hargreaye also sends a message. If
you have anything for her, will you give
it, please, to me?"
Any compliments to Miss Hargreave,
and I regard her request as q command.
This is the answer to- the second mes
sage" I took, as I spoke, o sealed en-
ve1ope from my pocket, but, before re-
lnauishing it, added: Miss Lynton,
tell meas q favor, I entreat you to tell
ne-what has brought you here in this
p~osition?"
.Best-far best to tell him." she muir
INJURED, as though parleying with herself.
Then she spoke out quite frankly:
Poverty, Mr.. Dudley, brought me to it.
My fathers annuity died with him. I
thought at first Of being a governess, but
there are already too many governesses
IN the world, so ] decided to be q conf
Dental maid. I came North, hoping to
be unrecogniHed."
you have not changed your name2"
why should I? There is no shame in
what / do"
Our fortunes--or rather misfortunes-
are strangely similar"
Have you been unfortunate?" she
asked, with swift, warm sympathy, allow
ing her eyes for the first time to encounter
mine.
.The day after my fathers death I
awoke to the fact that I was q beggar," I
said with a little bitter laugh. Il have
TO work for my living, that is all. You
see now how my case resembles
yours"
you, a beggar-I, a servant" She re.
peated the words twice, wonderingly and
dreamily, and added, smiling sadly, But
Observation-Disclosures still"
Certainly not strangers, =" I fastened to
say. "On the contrary, I propose that we
commence our acquaintance from to-day
on a new basis-that Of friendship. Let
us be the best of friends"
Impossible, Mr.. Dudley"
1T is not impossible
@Totally and utterly impossible. Is il
necessary that I should explain my rea.
sons? Can you not see for yourself that
any approach to friendship on your part
will involve me in inextricable Difficult.
ties? Even now I have been imprudent
in talking with you so long. Your mes
sages shall be delivered, sir-at once"
And with that she turned away.
Standing where she left me, ! watched
her until she disappeared within the
house.
Poor little Edna! What q hard lot was
hers, and yet how bravely she had set
about battling with the world! I ad.
mired the pIuck-the spirit-of the girl.
It was a hitherto undiscovered trait in
her-an added charm to character which
once I had thought the most beautiful,
most lovable on earth.
All, Edna! Why could you not return
the love L offered you in those happy days
at Goldhurst! No woman will ever be to
me what you were then. To no other can
pour out my hearts best love, for you
had it all-all-and scorned it!
I continued to pace moodily up and
down the gravel path until the stars ap-
peared, and a bitter east wind suggested
. return indoors. Then, aud not until
then, when the keen air made me SILVER,
ulu l recoiIecr rne evenings engagement.
NY thoughts had carried me too far away.
I went to my room, dressed myself
with considerable care-and, when the
appointed time had come, knocked at the
door of No. 20.
Come in, please" said a voice.
entered.
The walls were draped with rich tapes.
try. Oriental rugs covered the floor
plants and flowers made the atmosphere
heavy with their perfume.
Mrs. Hargreave sat in a low easy chall
before a blazing fire. She looked thin
fragile and somewhat peevish as she ross
to receive me. This is very good Of you
Mr.. Dudley" she said.
Not at ALL answered, warmly, tax
ING the comfortable chair she pointed to.
4 consider it is" she said. ~oracularly.
simply bowed again, waiting for hel
@The nights are very chilly; but what
beautiful fires they keep up in the North.
she observed, presently. Il wonder II
this struck you when you first came to
Northshire as much as it struck me-.
Had she been making inquiries, then,
concerning me2 There was hut n per
son who could tell her anything, and tina!
was DR.. Gascoigne. I made a mental
note of this.
Il appreciate good fires, comforts, sno
lu1uries of all kinds" I replied, evasiye'
", ~glancing around the lu1uriously sp.
81. -, u,,;colon che naxt aaked