The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-11-14

think tLal Is O nice tr:ok Tor good little
giils;"
'S,r!-.I said ssfiiY. al am neither q
Purissn nor good little gtri"-
''No" se asked good hunoredly, 'are
you st.n pagan and a bad little girls"
"Plsase remember am not on the
wt.nsss staLd." retorie6, ''and 60 not
try to riu idle me with vain questions"
At this 10 shoutod with laughter.
~ am glad yoa ind me amusing" ]
said, with considerable severity.
II do" he cried. "You are delicious
with your prira littie ways, ard your
stiff littlo speeches, and your dear little
face
"Sirl' exploded.
Pardon me, my child. have no
right to speak of you in that way. But
cons.' catching my hands in his and
drawing me away from the window,
"tell re, how came you to DO spying
and eavesdropping2"
81 was not spying" sputtered indig-
nantly. 81 was reading there when you
came in. 1 wiGh now l had made my
presence known, and that had not been
a witness of your objectionable severity
to that poor, wretched, half mad wo-
man.
"Oh! Che is half mad, is shey' no
asked, assuming his puzzled and ques-
tioning air.
"Why, cannot you see her condition
for yourself" asked. "And must say
that while it is just as well she should
know that yeH have remarked ker eruel-
ty toward Daphne I think you might
have been loss harsh with her. Poor Por-l
tia is not TO blame. She is the victim of
some dreadful spell cast over her by those
vile creatures, those voodoos in Dead
Mans swamp"
Mr.. Raymond caught me by tho shoul-
ders and bent his head to scrutinize my
face.
What do you know, child" no NUT
tered, "of Dead Mans swamp and the
people there? You couldn't have been in
that CHASTITY place"
"No," replied, II havenot been there.
but know enough about it and the bale
full influence it has exertod on my poor
friends life. Ny desire is TO save Por-
tia, to see her restored to her right mind
and bring her once more to her husband
and child"
"Why, so is mine" he answered, with
curious expression.
"Well, this is no way to go about it,"
Isaid, "to fly at crazy woman, call her
a vampire, taunt her. alarm her, talk
about claiming her in cell and ali that.
To be sure, it's just like a man. You arc
not to blame, / suppose, for your
brusquerie, which amounts almost to-
to- Ihesitated.
"Well, well, out with it'll Let's hear
the dreadful word" he cried.
"Brutalityr' said.
$50 was brutal, was I?' he asked.
Indeed yen wefe.- had no idea that
courteous gentleman could behave 80
tillainously TO suffering woman"
"Well. now, tell me-" said Mr.. Ray
mond quite solicitously l fancied, show
should / have approached Portia?"
'It is quite right to be firm and de-
cided with her." answered. 81 think
myself she needs strong hand. You
can see for yourself how little attention
her husband pays to her, and l blame
Colonel Marchmont greatly for this de-
plorable state OF affairs. He neglects
his wife, treats her with contempt and
coldness. What can man expect?
Why, heard him say dreadful thing
TO her one evening. She was dancing in
the hall-somewhat boisterously, to be
sure"--the blood rushed TO my face as /
recalled that abandoned dance-"and Ia
told her that her dancing was more suit
able TO the orgies OF Dead Mans swamp
than to gentleman's house."
"Quite right, too" interposed Mr..
Raymond.
"Oh, You are rs bad as he," said, and
it suddenly occurring to me that Man.
rice was still holding my hands l tried to
draw they away, but he only frightened
his grasp.
Don't. Prudence" he said very quiet
ly, "don't take your hands away. Poor
little fragile claws" looking down on
them, II could easily crush them, but
they are good hands" He suddenly bent
his head and kissed them.
1t was tlEiirst caress had ever re-
ceived from any one save Portia and
paphnc i trembled, ana with an effort
released myself and left him, Going over
to the fire.
Mr. Raymond followed, but did not at
tempt TO touch me. He took up his
station opposite me on the rug, and
leaning his arm on tho mantel said:
Possibly 1 was too severe with her;
but, rs you say, she needs astrong hand.
She must no. be allowed to harm little
Danhne, must shey"
"On no account" | replied quickly.
"Since that night I have watched and
guarded the child constantly"
"Since what night?" he asked care
lessly.
Ihesitated. / was conscious that he
was trying to draw me out. Should
tell him? lie knew OF the closed gate;
ho knew Of Portals visit 10 tho swamp;
why should he not know of this? /