Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1893-02-23


face.
With shock he looked up. Wonder
ment intelligence in his glance, 1t drove
her back abashed
Her face betrayed her secret, she
loved HIM His face told Enthusiastically
that no read that secret Alright,
"Ohl how could II But pity you 80!
Think me unwomanly, but II your heart
Is breaking 30 il mine. Go, Mr.. Mar
shall Raymond-gol and leave me to
the Indebtedness OF the secret your
suffering has wrung from my lips. i"
She was sobbing, shrinking, now. In
Consideration her companion regarded
her. She loved him! This had been
the secret OF her hayward moods,
Despite himself great wave of pity
swept his chlvalrous heart.
81 am sorry, he said brokenly. "A
true woman's regard is better than a
false friends treachery. Miss Mercer,
when leave you, 1t Is never to know
happiness again, but | may know the
peace Of having done my full duty II l
trace this affair down to The last. /
must see Edna--she shall tell me from
her own lips what | already knowl
lUtl L Hll tOllNllb w tllNl lon my lulbtlJ
in silence. Speak Win my gratitude,
at least, by telling me whittier she has
gone"
There was no reply. Only the sub
dued sobs broke the waiting silence.
You know where Edna Isl" persisted
Marshall.
"Yes, know" cried Beatrice, lifting
her face, flashing with jealousy and
emotion; but do you think will tell
you-send you to beg ut the feet Of a
woman unworthy Of you? Leave me!
II you are suffering, | am tortured
Oh! cruel cruel cruel"
Her frantic hands swept the open
portfolio across the desk as she shrank
from him. hiding her humiliation, her
jealousy, her love in hot burning tears.
About TO speak reassurlagly to her, to
plead with her anew for the knowledge
he so craved, Raymond Marshall started
as Il dealt sudden blow.
His eyes happened to fall to the open
portfolio. He recolled, stared closer,
and then sprang to his feet with wild,
intelligent, hopeful cry.
For upon q sheet of paper, written
there individually by the woman who
had Just so shame -facedly confessed her
love, was the record Of hatred and
treachery that had so nearly bllghted
his life.
There were the first experiments Of
the clever forger to simulate Edna
Deane's handwriting. There was
copy Of the missive he had received that
morning There, too, was the draft Of
the more pascullne epistle that had ac-
companied 1t.
Beatrice Mercer had looked up at his
strange cry. Her eyes met his, follow
ing their glance to the portfolio, and
then, shrinking back, her guilty face
told the truth,
"You wrote that-you wrote those let
tersl" fairly shouted Marshall. "Oh,
blind, wicked that / was, to doubt my
true-hearted darling! 1t was cruel
forgery-a plot. Speak, Beatrice Mer-
cert All you have told me, all those
letters told, was falsehood.
Beatrice had snatched up the port
folio. Defiance in her face, she painted
like tigress at bay
"R l did," she cried wildly, 1T was
only to save you fruitless chase. l
ulOuG huOM WuclO Luna DtduG HAS
gone. | know that she will never dare
write to you or see you again. You
hate me, you spurn me-you, for whom
| would have given lifetime of devo-
ton. Then find the pale-faced child
you dote over, but never with my help.
A great, joyful glow sprang to the
face Of Marshall
so be i'll" he cried. Knowing her to
be true, knowing all this forgery to be
a lie, love will find a way. Revealed in
your true colors at last | know what to
expect Of you but, as l live, VOW
never to rest till | find the woman
love, the victim Of some dark plot, if |
pursue her half the world overl"
He strobe from the room and the
presence of the woman of whom he had
made relentless enemy as he spoke,
strong in the consciousness of love-
mighty power.
Yes, he would find the woman he
loved, though peril, prlvation, death
barred his way, and cruel schemers
wrought dangerous pitfalls for his eager
feet at every step he took!
All these might be evaded. Pesti-
lence might pass him by, perils Craze
him unscathed, death itself be warded
back by the love that knew no obstacles,
but. more weird, more tortuous than he
ever dreamed was the path that was
leading him to that far day when, once
again, standing face to face with Edna,
he should shrink before a mystery and
plot that would daunt, appall, and
battle even his bold courage and try his
loyal soul as by an ordeal OF fire!
mr.