The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-06-06
The Story Of a Hasty Marriage and
Its Tragic Sequel.
BY ERNST BRUNCKEN,
-Author Of 1.-THE Bibliomantocs CTnse."
"a Terrible Secret" etc., etc
CHAPTER XIII.
RALPH WARRINGHAM'S DECISION.

o0GId1GQ, WI uCuVOQs Aon4AAooSNt NsS-
graced, as he felt himself to be by his
wife, still his love for her was alive.
But the decision meant that be should
lose her forever.
His life itself would go with her, he
thought
He would not act hastily. Clear, I'M
deniable proof ne must have OF her guilt
Then he would act
What became OF her he cared not
She might drag on her miserable, dishon-
ored existence if she liked
But her partner In guilt must die!
And then-then-
He dared not think out the idea that
suggested itself.
Yes, he would think It out Should
= he heap the disgace Of cowardfce upon
the other dishonors with which be had
been covered?
After he had killed Count Won HoheD-
fels he would die himself!
What availed life for one Hike him
one who had thrown away all he had
position, fortune, family, the love OF
mother-for what he imagined the pict-
ure Of o deity, only to discover at last
that his idol, instead Of soaring In Olym-
pus, was wallowing in the mire
What could he do but die?
Then he considered whether be should
tell his wife OF the. will at once, or
whether he should wait until the last
fateful interview.
Here was another wound that added
torment to his lacerated heart
He was not without guilt himself. He
also had leo to her, although It would
have been o small matter to oDe who
really loved him.
But she loved him not Should he al
low her to stand before him with re-
prosch on her lip, a reproach to which
he could make no answer?
No, he would give her no advantage
sver him. Before she could utter
word Of reproach he would crush her
with the proof Of her treachery.
Toward discovering such proof he
bent all the energies Of his will and
every resorce Of his ingenuity. He even
stopped to spying upon the secret acts
Of his suspected wife he would watch
her from behind tuft Of shrubbery,
when she was walking or sitting in the
garden. he even bribed walters and
chambermaids to report to him what his
wife was doing In his absence, and es-
pecially whether she saw the Count.
LAT times he became conscious how
mean and despicable part he was act
ing. Then he would laugh hoarsely and
mutter to himself: =
sWhat matters it! One who has bedded
himself in the mire must not expect to
rise with spotless linen!"
Poor Ralph! 81
The thundercloud on the horizon
darkened. but still the storm would not
burst forth. e.. g.. ..
: Notwithstanding her all-consuming
passion Lucy still preserved prudence
enough not to commit too fragrant an
indiscretion. She had not yet seen her
lover alone single time, and conse-
quently Ralph's endeavors TO find the
proof of her infdeliry were idle. Be-
sides, Count Won Hohenfels was, ifnot q
cold, at all events cautious lover, and
not very anxious TO come into direct col.
lis!on with the offended husband In
truth, the whole affair had hardly
touched his heart, but was merely bold
and frivolous game.
Ralph might. indeed, have made an
end Of all Irritation between his wife and
Hohenfels by simply leaving the place.
The Count would hardly have followed
them. .... 70
But he would not think Of such a
thing. Could mere separation from
the object Of her criminal love restore
her again to her former place il his
heartP Could such separation give him
back his peace Of mind?
Never! Angels, once fallen, forever
belong to the abyss Love, once driven
mt will never return into the deSolate
heart.
The cloud hung on the horizon. The
hour would come when the tempest
would break loose, with dire destruction
IN its train.
It was q mere accident that led Mrs.
Warringham and the young diplomatist
into situation which the impassioned
woman longed for, yet dreaded
It was in the last days Of September.
Many Of the summer residents in the
little city Of EiseDach had already left
for home Many others were still linger.
inH, for the DAYS were warm and mellow.
DR.. Warringham and his wife saw very
little of each other now. In fact, they
never met except at the table. Then
thew treated each other with studied,
cold politeness that did not fail to attract
the attention Of the host Of gossips
whose stamping ground every watering
= place is. ,
The gossips knew a very interesting
story of the Doctor, his wife and the
Count
The beautiful American lady, it was
Iaid, had been forced by a cruel parent
to marry the Doctor, who. was fabulous
ly rich. But her heart belonged to the
Young German diplomat, whose acquaintr
snce she had made in the palace OF the
President Of the United States.
Everybody pitied the cruel fate Of the
beautiful young lady, and pronounced
her husband a monster. -,
The cossips knew 1t all. An, yes!
The world always does
b.. Ralph had made number OF &C
quaintances among the gentlemen, ootn
Of the summer colony and the town.
With these he rode on horseback. under
took extended pedestrian excursions into
the mountains, and did whatever else he
could to get rid of his thoughts. He
even gambled, which he had never done
before. But rarely he participated In
the amusementS arranged by the sum-
mer residents. OF late he spent great
deal of his time wstching his wife.
But often, also, he would ramble for
long hours in the woods. alone with his
thoughts, or climb the hill from which
the ancient castle of Wartburg over
looks the country, to muse in the halls
Of that venerable pile
There is perhaps no other monument
Of the middle ages ieft TO US around
which cluster 50 many associations OF
romance nnetrY leppnd and history as