Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-03-02

Al
vate interview with this man, and
doubtless had heard his story. And.
Us we drove slowly past, it was you
that absorbed his whole attention;
you at whom he gazed with such rapt
interest that he did not see me ut nil.
I bowed to him rs usual; he paid no
heed; his eyes were fixed upon your
face while strange excitement and
agitation were apparent in his whole
manner l did not see him again I'M
til he called this morning. During the
few moments that we were alone in
the conservatory he told me that An
ME Dupont had been discovered, and
that he should soon be in possession
of all the evidence necessary to estab-
lish her legal position and rights; told
me cXultingly, as If he took n cruel
pleasure in haunting me with my de-
feat lie little knew that I had di-
vined the truth, the secret that he was
SO jealousy guarding, that he had dis
covered Annie Dupont under my own
roof
Again Myra started with visible
amazemcnt. 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
nificancc to 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
quiring gaze. Don't ask me for
proof. know it; partly by intuition
and rertly by an endless chain of
trifles that would vanish into thin air if
I were to attempt to put them into
words, but which are nevertheless as
convincing to my mind us the most pal
pable evidence could be. 1 cannot be
mistaken; feel, know, that it is sol"
Il will not ask for proofs, Mrs. May
nard," said Miss Hilary, still be-
wildercd and incredulous. 81 will
simply ask you how this can be true.
oh, 1t seems utterly impossiblel 1 can
not believe itI' she added quickly,
waving her hands toward the fire with
a resolute gesture of rejection.
"My dear Myra, it shows very
limited knowledge Of life to say that
anything is impossible" returned Mrs.
Maynard, with a slow shake of her head.
But for my familiarity with your
carly history, might have considered
my present theory improbable. to say
the leasti as 1t IS, see no reason to
doubt it. You were very young when
Mrs. Hilary adopted you. We're you
not?"
$50 young" answered Myra, with q
/ little break in her voice, that never
realized that she was not my own
mother"
"Did she ever tell you"-Mrs. May
nards voice was slightly unsteady as
sho asked this question, while all her
ncrres were tcnso with anxiety-'any-
thing about your parents?"
Nothing, except thot they We're dear
friends of hers, and were both dead.
But, my dear Mrs. Maynard"-Myra
clasped her hands and laid them on the
arm Of Mrs Maynard's chair while she
looked earnestly into that lady's face
If there were such a history Us this
connected with me, should have
learned something Of 1t long ago.
cannot believe anything so wildly i'm
probable"
'But, if 1t be true, what then, Myra?"
questioned Mrs. Maynard quietly, o sin
| gular little smile on her face Us she
| looked directly into the girls eyes.
'FYou will be rich women; rich enough,
perhaps, to bold the allegiance of this
self-lover, who has OF last chosen be-
tween US. Oh, how bitter that sounds.
But 1T was the dread Of seeing you sac
rificed to his mercenary selfshness that
| forced me to speak these words of warn
ing and enlightenment. My responsible
Eity ends here. You ere FREQ to deal
with him as you think best, knowing
ali that he has done and Is capable Of
yet doing If his selfish ends require it."
Miss Hillary rose quickly from the low
hassock nnd stood facing Mrs. Maynard,
her hands claspcd, her head thrown
back, her eyes glowing like stars. She
was very pale but perfectly composed,
and when she spoke her voice was firm
and free from the slightest trace of ex-
citement.
1T am grateful to you, Mrs Maynard"
she said, deeply grateful for the kind
ness that prompted you to speak us you