St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-01-07

she said in her ordinary manner, "Are
you making long stay in town.
mo, madam" answered he. II had
sacred duty to perform. L came to
town to perform it. When it is accom-
plished shall return to my home"
He rose and stood over her before the
fireplace-a tall. gaunt figure.
Madam said he, Solemnly, "the
duty that ! have to perform is toward
you"
Toward me?" faltered she. a
He came close to her, looking her
through.
.'Grace Drew" said he, "when first
saw you, in all the freshness of yonr in
nocent young beauty, said to myself,
God has made her very fair, but the
devil will have her yet And, Grace
Drew, mark my words, the devil has
got you"
The warmth came back to her heart;
she had forgotten that this man was
religious enthusiast. That explained 1T
strange as it was.
She did not smile again, hut she
looked at him with her soft oxeyes and
said gravely: "Oh,. indeed. l ain not
quite so bad as that!"
He lifted his hand warningly, in a
sort of prophetic manner.
"You sold yourself to the evil one"
said he, in a deep voice. But you are
punished-ay, terribly punished"
"Punishedw echoed she, her fears re
turning. "How?"
"Grace Drew" said he, evading her
question, II am sent to fetch you
home"
She started up. ,'Then something has
happened!" cried she. "My father!
l. hn daad
Il did not speak of your father" said
he, still in the same prophetic voice, and
without appearing to notice her eXcite9
ment. II speak of him to whom you
sold yourself-of him who would have
brought you to perdition--of him from
whom God has delivered you"
A little cry now from her lips: 'My
husband?" murmured she.
He still stood over against the fire.
place in the same prophetic attitude,
and his lean foretipger pointed to his
forehead.
Tie color fled in real earnest now
from Lady de Mosteyn's delicate cheek.
and she fell back into the armchair
from which she had rsen.,
.Oh, no, no., don't say that, she
moaned. Il can't bear it. And don't
believe it. Iean't believe it. He would
never have done snch a dreadful thing
for so little-fors SO little"
Was her strange visitor utterly heart
less, utterly impervious to human sui
fering, that he could stand there with
that cruel smile upon his face, only
turning his mead toward her slowly, and
| making no sign of sympathy, no effort
, to calm her grief?
Terrible thoughts were chasing one
another wildly through her poor little
careless. loving head. Yes. had he not
left her that morning in anger? lie had
asked her to give up something for his
sake, and she had refused to promise
that she would do so.
On, how wicked she had been! And
now it was too late! His stern, sad
face haunted her as he had driven away
in the hanson cab. She had made him
unhappy, he had doubted her-and now.
A ring and a neat, smart knock
sounded through the little house, but
she did not seem to notice anything Till
the door was flung wide, and Kent all
nounced, III his colorlesS, clear tones,
''Mr. Falconer."
Then she reused herself suddenly, as
though she had been stung, and sum-
mOned all her scattered Self-posSession.
Tell Mr.. Falconer that L am sorry L
cannot receive him." she said, in a firm
Kent bowed. He was far too we'll bred
a butler even to raise his eyebrows.
He closed the door softly, and sheseould
hear his voice outside delivering the
message. 49,
But the interruption had reused the
strange visitor from the sort of trance
into which he had fallen. 1.-The lords
will be donen' cried he, lifting his hand
solemnly to heaven. And he sprang
| toward and seized Lady Mosteyn by
both wrists.
Come" said he, ''there is no time to
lose. Come. OF we shall be too late"
She looked at him.. TOO late" re-
peated she. "'rhen he is not But
the words were stifed in her throat.
He had dragged her from her seat, al
most wrenching her arms from the
sockets, and swept her. fragile and
brearhless as she was with distress and
establishment, across the carpet to the
| door,
She tried to scream, but with the
| swittness of cunning he had transferred
both her little soft hands to one of his
own, and had placed the other over her
mouth; his long, gaunt fingers crushdd
the tender wrists and she could feel his
halls in her flesh.
She felt her strength ebbing away,
| ana she watched ElS ldCoi Hioti 10 ! iau
settled down Oh it, and he grlpped her
wrists tighter than ever, and she-could
see him with his other hand searching
for something in his pocket.
Her brain reeled; there was sound
in her head as of the surge of the sea.
through which a wild ringing and a
thunderous knocking intermingled, that
seemed TO shake the house to its founda-
lions.
Not a minute too soonw cried a