Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1894-10-12

"You must hive scme great sorrow?'
Very great"
"What is your name?
Flora Cleve and, she said, simply.
The man looked bowildered.
"Wiu you tel ne where you live?" he
asked.
She gave the number with perfect SIM
plicity and perfect indifference. She
seemed TO be thinking no hing of what
she was saying.
"Ah! just below here, said the Off
GER.
"Ycs, she rejoined.
will you take my arms"
She did so quietly and they started
slowly down tie street.
Eugene had just reached the Eouse, and
heard with stupeh surprise, fl ON the
lips Of tie lady maid, the details of his
wifs's my -teriouS disappearance, when the
bell rang violently.
lie rushed out and met his wife on the
stairs. She had SOMEWHAT re- overed her
calmpess, and as be iuterfogated her with
a sc arching glance, made ghastly effort
to smile.
Il was Sigh ly i'll and went out lit
tle, she SAID. Il walked too far and am
somewhat tired.
Notwiths aud ng tho impro61bility of
the explanation, he did not hesitate. He
murmured few soft words of reprorch
and placed her in the hands of her maid,
who removed her wet garments.
Dtring that time be called the officer,
who remained in the veStibale, and close
ly intel rognte him.
On learning where he had found Flora,
En- ena knew at once and fully the whole
truth.
lie went directly TO his wife. She had
retir d and was trembling in every limb.
Ore of her hnnds was resting outside
the coverlet.
He rushed to take it, but she withdrew
it gently, but with sad and resolute dig
nifty.
The simple esture told him they wero
separate forever.
Bya tacit arrangement proposed by her,
and as tacitly accepted by him, Flora be-
came virtually a widow.
He remained for some seconds immova-
bic, his expression lost in the shadow of
a curtain; then slowly left the chamber.
The idea of lying to defend himself never
occurred to him.
His line of conduct was already ar
ranged calmly, methodically. But two
blue circ es had already sunk around his
eyes, and his face wore a wayen pallor
His hands, joined behind his back,
were clenched together; and the ring he
wore spsrkled with their tremulous move
ment.
After If sn hour he stood in the door
Of her chamb 7.
"Flo!" he said.
She turned her eyes cleaning with
fever VI on him.
Flo, am ignorant of what you know,
and sh IL not ask you" he continued,
as he stepped into the room AMI ap-i
proacGel her bed. Il have been very
criminal toward you, but perhaps less so
than you think.
TER BILE circums ances bound me with
iron banls. Fate ruled me- But l seek no
! alliation. judge of me as severely as
you wish; but l beg of you calm yourself
preserve 70 rself!
@You sroke to me this morning Of your
presentiments Of your maternal hopes.
Attach yourself to those thoughts, aud
YOU will ways be mistress OF your life.
As for myself, sh Ill be whatever you
will me- a stranger or friend. But now
! feel that my presence makes you i'll. |
will leave You for time, but not alone.
Would you wis Mis-. Morgan to come to
you?"
yes" she murmured, family.
IL shalt go for her; but it is not neces-
sary to tell you there ale condolences one
must reserve from ones dearest friends. "
Except a mother!" She murmured the
question with a supplicating agony, very
painful to see.
He grew still paler. After an instant:
Except q mother" he said. BE it SOL"
She turned her face and barred ii in the
pillow.
Your mother returns 10 morrow, does
| she not?"
She made an affirmative motion of her
head.
You can make your arrangements with
her. sh Ill accept everything.
Thank You, Sue replied, feebly
lie left the room ana W ut to find Mrs.
| No.gan, whom Le awaS ened, aud briefly
| told her his wife had been seized wi h a
s,vele nervous attack, the effect of chill &.
The amiable lady ran hastily to Flora
and spent the night with her.
But she Was not the dupe of the ex-
plaL alton Eugene had given her. Women
quickly unders and each other in their
grief.
Nevertheless she asked no condolences
and received non but her tenderness to
the stricken one redOubled.
During the silence of that dreadful
nj ht tho only service she conld render
her WAS to make her weep.
Nor did those lagsard hours pass less
bitterly for Eugene Cleveland.
He tried to take no rest, bat walked up
and down his apartments until daylight
90 ha q nf
poor child wounded him to the heart.
The memories of the past rose before
him, and passed onward in S ld process
sion. Then the morrow would show him
the crushel daughter with her mother
her loving mother. Mortally stricken n
all her best illusions, in all her dearest
hopes. in all come ction with the hsppi-
ness OF life!
He found he had yet in his heart lively
feelings of pity; yet some remorse in his
conscience.
Strange to say, this weakness irritated
him. and he denounced it TO himself.
Who had betrayed him?
This question agitated him to an equal
degree, but from the first instant he had
not been deceived in this matter.
The sudden gr.ef and half-craZed con-
yiction of his wife, her GespairinS atti-
tude, and her silence, could only be ex-
planned by strong assurance and certain
revelation.
After having turned the matter over
and over in his mind, he arrived at the
conclusion that nothing could have
thrown such clear light into his life save
Caras letters.
He never wrote to Mrs. Elliston, but
could not prevent her writing to him, for
to her, as to all women, love without let
ters was incomplete