Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1893-10-19

he had committed thus deedi iou can
perhaps imagine the agony OF self
rcproach that this thought brought TO
mo. Then by degrees the scope and
possibilities Of his motives were re-
vealcd 10 me; my perception Of his char
acter and his capabilities widened. BY
a wonderful and unexpected turn Of the
wheel OF fortune, the missing niece and
heir-at-law was discovered the proofs
OF her identity and whereabouts fell
into his hands. Instantly his active
sympathies were all transferred from
my interests TO Annie Dupont's. The
desire TO ingratiate himself with the
successful heiress would be perhaps
natural and sufficient motive for this
change in him; but that another and
still stronger motive exists, have be-
come reasonably convinced. And this,
my dear Myra, is the keynote Of my
warning TO you"
"To mc2" Miss Hilary repeated the
words incrcdulously with little start
Of nmazement. ITO me? Why, Mrs.
Maynard, what have TO do with this
natter"
perhaps | can satisfy you that you
have very important part TO play In
this interesting little DRAMA" returned
Mrs. Maynard, with n rather forced
smile. III date Mr.. Norths sudden in
tercst In you, which you yourself no.
ticed for the first time, TO n certain day
this week when we drove by the Clement
house and saw him about 10 step into a
carriage that was whiting there. With
him was a man who had called here an
hour before. and left the house in COM
pany with Mr.. North; the mysterious
man through whom all the recent dis
coveries about Annie Dupont were
made. Mr.. North had just had a pri-
vatc interview with this man, and
doubtless had heard his story. And,
as we drove slowly past, IL was you
that absorbed his whole attention;
you at whom he gazed with such rapt
interest that he did not see me at all.
| | bowed 10 him as usual; he paid no
heed; his eyes were fixed upon your
face, while n strange excitement and
agitation were apparent in his whole
manner. | did not see him again UNI
I'll he called this morning. During the
few moments that we were alone In
the conservatory he told me that An
mic Dupont had been discovered, and
that he should soon be In possession
of all the evidence necessary 10 estab-
fish her legal position and rights; told
me exultingly, as N he took cruel
pleasure in haunting me with my de
feat. lie little knew that ! had di-
vincd the truth, the secret that he was
] lao, luI
covered Annie Dupont under my own
roof"
Again Myra started with visible
Amusement. There was no clearly de-
fined perception of Mrs. Maynard's
meaning In her mind, yet the words
had been spoken with too much sig
niiicance 10 fail utterly in impressing
her with their suggestive trend. She
repeated them mechanically, with
vague speculation In her tones:
Under your own roOf?'
"In you, my dear Myra," continued
Mrs Maynard, her white lips smiling
family as she returned the girls in
curing gaze. "Dont ask me for
proof. know II; partly by intuition
md partly by an endless chain Of
trincs that would vanish into thin air II
were to attempt TO put them into
words, but which are nevertheless as
convincing 10 my mind as the most pal
pable evidence could be. cannot be
mistaken; feel, know, that II is SOL
81 will not ask for proofs, Mrs. May
nard," said Miss Hilary, still he
wildered and incredulous. 81 will
simply ask you how this can be true.
Oh, II seems utterly impossible! ! can
not believe I'll" she added quickly
waving her hands toward the fire with
II resolute gesture of rejection.
"My dear Myra, II shows a very
limited knowledge of life TO say that
anything is impossible" returned Mrs.
Maynard, with slow shake of her head.
but for my familiarity with your
early history, might have considered
my present theory improbable, to say
the least; as IL is, see no reason to
doubt IL. You were very young when
Mrs Hilary adopted you, were you
not?"
80 young" answered Myra, with a
little break in her voice, that never
realized that she was not my own
mother"
"Did she ever tell you"-Mrs. May
nard's voice was slightly unsteady as
4 she asked this question, while all her
1 nerves were tense with anxiety-"any
thing about your parents?"
Y Nothing, except that they were dear
: friends of hers, and were both dead
Y But, my dear Mrs. Maynard"
clasped her hands and laid them on the
v arm Of Mrs. Maynard's chair while She
n looked earnestly into that lady's face
A Iii there were such n history as thii
> connected with me, | should hav'
d learned something Of 1t long ago
= cannot believe anything so wildly i'm
= probable"
d "But, II II be true, what then, MyraP
q questioned Mrs. Maynard quietly, n sin
q gular little smile on her face as sh,
v looked directly into the girls eyes
o "You will be n rich woman; rich enough
"a perhaps, TO hold the allegiance Of thi
a self-lover, who has at last chosen be
IS tween us. Oh, how bitter that sounds
U But II was the dread of seeing You sac
4 rifccd To his mercenary selfishness tina
~ forced me 10 speak these words of warn
"a ing and enlightenment. My responsible
l. ity ends here. You are free TO dea
n with him us you think best, knowing