Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1893-12-28
CHAPTER XIII.

empty drawer which fastened with key.
1t is hall full of rubbish-odds and ends Of
all sorts secreted there as souvenirs of
those early days when | was incapable of
keeping any other kind Of diary. They
have served their purpose. There Is not
a scrap which fails TO recall the very
sentiment of the moment when ! laid it
away. and it would he easy for me TO com
pile a minute record of my life in Lambeth
from them alone A few Of these tribes
will suffice TO indicate the course Of events
during the early months Of my new life.
Here at the very bottom are three penny
noyelettes. bought for the illustrations on
the cover, which alone We're ineligible to
me. In one Lady Ermyntrude overhears
the conspiracy" and is represented listen
ing, with horror on her face, mt half
opened door; in another 'Gwendoline de
nounces the baronet.~ who is quailing in
terror before her outStretched finger and in
the third "Beryl says 'DieF and shoots the
villain'i-and most unmstakable villain
he is-"through the heart" Those pictures
fascinated me. The heroines were all tall
and beautiful, and couple OF them were in
evening dress. put myself in their place
The ladylike accomplishment of caves
dropping | had already practiced. | had
only to unmask the secret enemy of Taras
and shoot him through the heart to be per
fectly satisfied. And the means seemed al
most within my reach. The revolver had
not been removed from my room. For weeks
| carried that dangerous and Gather cum
brous weapon in my dress pocket. | smile
now at my simplicity, but my purpose was
no laughing matter then; was in terrible
earnest.
A long claspknife marks the day when
thought / might dispense with part Of my
portable armory which knocked against
my knee whenever | moved about. The
complete absence of fear shown by Taras
and the mild manner and innocent look of
all his visitors had greatly claimed my APP
prehensions, and in addition to this a
wider intelligence showed me that the hand
counted for less than the brain in coping
with the subtle enemy of Taras.
One night Taras took me to the West
minister Music hall. Here is the programme
of the spectaclcs which constituted two
thirds of the entertainment. | had never
before been inside a theater, and when
stood in the stalls and looked round and
above me was quite overcome with aston
lSnuleIt NJ tuC faoshNSS 'ht piihf'iNy "
the house,
II should think this is the grandest place
in all the world, said in lowered voice
TO Taras.
A little farther ON there is another pro
gfamme, showing that soon after we went
to the Lyceum theater. The play made less
impression on my mind. could not I'M
derstand it all. My intelligence was not
yet sufficiently expanded to comprehend the
higher art, and perhaps this was why Taras
took me first to the music hall Still that
evenings experience was delightful, and
the long talks it led to afterward opened
quite new field of ideas
Very different emotions are recalled by
this handkerchief, torn and shredded in a
passion Of furious jealousy. INST have
used my teeth to rend it in this way. Ii
was that evening when George Gordon
dropped in after dinner and kavanagh,
with a couple of friends. came in after. As
usual when visitor called, went up to
my room toavoid unpleasantness, for had
stuck scruPulousiy e my deterrni!nation to
speak English only to Jafas, bind ] Nas
only Just Beginning to make myself nnder-
stood in French to Mere Lucas the iaen
stflJ and played cards until in the morn
ing, and sat on the stairs listelsing to the
tounds that came from below, With ven
onions jealousy rambling in my breast, the
cold sweat Of rage beading my lips aud
brow, whsH the jovial voice and hearty
lauSh of TaTss sepched my ear.
When the party broke mp. / went down.
ostensibiy with the Pfetext of saying good
night" to Taras, but with the covert irten-
tion of picking quarreI-~of imparting 70
him something of the vin6ietiss misery |
felt. Seeing my condition, he made me sit
down, and having lit pipe seated himself
IN the chair opposite and chatted shout the
friends who were gone, as though jt were
she most natural thing in the world 70 en-
Ter into genial conversation at that hour
Little by little he led up to my occupa-
tioH during the evening, and after bringing
me by my own confession to see how child
ishly selfish, weak aud inconsistently fool
ish my jealousy was he drew tears of re-
gret and shame into my eyes by a sympa-
thetic word and then inspired me with the
consoling hope that my own self esteem
would save me freEn ans renewal Of this