The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-05-23
Lucy Warrilglan's Sacrifice.
The Story Of a Hasty Marriage and
Its Tragic Sequel.
BY ERNST BRUNCKEN,
author of '.Ihe Bibliomar1toc's Crime,
81 Terrible Secret" etc., ETC.
CHAPTER TX.
PASSIONS FLAME.

It was true Mrs Warringham had en-
5oyed this last day Of their journey,
which she spent in the company Of Count
Hohenfels, more than any Of the preced-'
ing ones
Lucy was not ordinarily given to re-
fection on her sentiments and actions.
Blu. when she had retired that evening
she could not help thinking over the in
eidents Of the day.
S.. She had liked Count Won Hohenfels
since the first night of their acquaint-
Ahce, when he was introduced to her In
Che green-room Of Washington theateI.
Her prediction for him had grown with
every meeting, but never had she FELT It
TO be so strong as this day. Never had
Hohenfels appeared to her SO entertain
Ing, 50 chivalrous, and 80 handsome She
had felt strange elation during his
presence, and was even conscious Of hav-
ing blushed involuntarily several times,
when his hand had inadvertently
touched hers
She never had these strange sensations
In the presence Of her husband. Her
professional knowledge as an actress
would have told her, If instructive intu-
ition had been silent, that she, bride Of
scarcely six weeks, was in love with q
man not her husband.
She could not help shuddering at the
discovery.
Lucy Warringham was not depra7ed
woman. BY nature, education, and sur
roundings she was disposed to take
things light, pleasure-loying, and SEN
suoua She had always considered the
talk about love and passion very nice for
the stage, but entirely out of place In
real life. 1t had seemed TO her entirely
natural to marry for the sake Of gaining
fortune and social position, and these
we're the sole reasons why she had &C.
cepted Ralph's suit. To be sure, she
liked Ralph we'll enough, but not better
than a score Of other admirers, to any
one of whom she would have
given the preference If she had
thought him wealthier than the Doc
tor. AS yet she had had no experience
Of the fame that conquers woman's
whole being, and either eXalts her into
IN angel or drags her down to the deep
est depths of sin. Ralph's fervid pro-
testations of devotion she had partly
smiled at as romantic extravaganza,
partly deemed wholly conventional and
hypocritical like, the VOWS to which she
listened every night on the stage.
Now, she became conscious that the
passion, the very existence Of which she
had denied, was entering her own heart!
A vague feeling that she was guilty OF
IN execrable crime mingled in her mind
with dreadful fear of the consequences
when Ralph should discover her secret
. She knew that her husband must dis.
cover It sooner or Iator a man whose
jealousy was reused 80 easily, as she had
already experienced, could not be blind
to the faithlessness Of his wife. What
then?
Lucy resolved to renounce this dan
gerous love at once-to tear 1t up with
its very roots as, it were.
Alas! she little knew tho power o!
passion.
Sho greeted the Count with queenlJ
grace on tho following morning. as be
called on her for tho proposed excursion
to the opposite side Of the river. Look
ing at her husband, her troubled con
science already imagined that he greeted
the Count with somewhat constrained
cjvility, as II even now suspicion had
eatersd his mind.