Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1893-11-20
ABTag@le.r!Igsdb,
8ITSsE SESSIONS TgRPfR7
80 az AMgRleAN RREss AssoelArloN. ICES
CHAPTER XIII.

Sir l said stiffiy, Il am neither
Puritan nor good little girl
Nor he asked good humoredly, ARE
you then pagan and a bad little girl?"
please remember | am not on the
witness stand" retorted, land do not
try to muddle me with vain questions"
At this he shouted with laughter.
Il am glad you find me amusing"
said, with considerable severity.
II do" he cried. You are delicious
with your prim little ways, and your
stiff little speeches. and your dear little
face
"Sir!" exploded.
Pardon me, my child. l have no
right to speak of you in that way But
come" catching my hands in his and
drawing me away from the window,
tell me, how came you to be spying
and eavesdropping:"
Il was not spying" sputtered indig.
nantly. Il was reading there when You
came in. wish 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! She is half mad, is she?' he
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 you have remarked her cruel
ty toward Daphne l think You might
have been less harsh with her Poor Por-
tia is not to blame. She is the victim of
some dreadful spell cast over her by those
vile creatures, those voodoos in Dead
Mas swamp"
Nj. Raymond caught me by the Shout
ders and bent his head to scruunize my
face.
What do you know, child" he NUT
tered, of Dead Mans swamp and the
people there? You couldn't have been in
that CHASTITY place"
No" replied, Il have not been there,
but know enough about it and the bale
full influence it has exerted 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
n curious expression.
We'll, this is no way to go about it."
| said, ITO fly at a crazy woman, call her
a vampire, taunt her, alarm her, talk
about claiming her in a cell and all that.
To be sure, it's just like man. You are
not to blame, | suppose, for your
brusquerie, which amounts almost to
to- hesitated
We'll, we'll, out with itl Let's hear
the dreadful word" he cried.
"Brutalityr' said
so was brutal, was T. he asked
Indeed you were. had no idea that
a courteous gentleman could behave so
villainously to Il suffering woman"
We'll. now, tell me, said Mr.. Ray
mond quite solicitously fancied, '.how
should have approached Portia:'
1T is quite right TO be firm and de-
cided with her." answered. Il 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
GOODNESS. What can man expect?
Why, heard him say dreadful thing
to her one evening, She was dancing i'll
the hall-somewhat boisterously, to be
sure"-the blood rushed to my face as
recalled that abandoned dance-"and he
told her that her dancing was more suit
able TO the orgies of Dead Mans swamp
than to gentleman's house"
"Quite right. too" interposcd Mr..
Raymond.
"Oh. you are as bad as he" said, and
it suddenly occurring TO me that Maui
rice was still holding my hands tried to
draw they away, but he only frightened
his grasp.
Don't. Prudence" he said very quiet
", don't take your hands away. Poor
little fragile claws" looking clown on
them, L could easily crush them, but
they are good hands" He suddenly bent
his head and kissed them.
1t was the first caress ! had ever re-
ceivcd from any one save Portia and
Daphne, trembled, and 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 the mantel said:
Possibly l was too severe with her.
but. as You say, she needs 4 strong hand.
She must not be allowed to harm little
Daphne, must she:"
On no account" l replied quickly.
Since that night l 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 l
tell him? He knew of the closed gate;
he knew of Portals visit to the swamp;
why should he not know of this? /
studied his face before speaking. Candor
and honesty were written there. He
might be severe. but he was Just. Yes,
would tell him.
then as briefly as possible recited the
story of that night. When l spoke of
the knife she carried, and which she held
so long as if in invocation toward the
moon, he gave perceptible start. And
when 1 repeated the conversation with
old Jezebel at the gate he was again Wis
IDLY affected. Once he ground his teeth
and stamped his foot in rage, and more
than once the strong white fingers
clinched as if they ached to throttle
somebody.
Then, growing more confidential,
told him of my first night in the house
and of Portals stealthy survey of me
through the window; the experience in
the arbor; her anger when l tried the