The record-union., 1895-05-11

Now" he said, "what can [ do for you,
Mrs. Cotgreave?"
There was long pause. Mrs. Cot
/ greave did not seem to resent his tone; it
| tirely that even the words he spoke
hardly penetrated to her brain. She
spoke at last in low. uncertain voice.
The Philip Allardyces' she said, ''are
old friends OF mine"
For one long second the stiffness of the
room was like the stiffness of death,
Then Paul Marvin leaned back in his
chair and deliberately crossed his legs.
"Yes. ."he said. "Really?'
Magdalen Cotgreave's whole figure
seemed to shrink as with uncomfortable
personal humiliation. Her head was
| bent lower yet.
''Three nights ago." she went on, 81
dined with them-alone. Talking with
Mrs. Allardyce after dinner, we men,
| toned this neighborhood.u
"Yes?"
''She told me"-her voice was only
just audible now-''she told me, laughing
a little, that this neigh borhood was hardly
TO be mentioned in her husbands hear
ing, since he was still indignant-he is
! rather eccentric-at having been asked
for subscription to the school fund. He
sent check Tor 9lOO, with instructions
that his name should not appear. The
| check was sent to-you."
| Paul Marvin was still leaning back,
his elbows resting one on either arm of
ms chair, his flnger-tips lightly touching.
He seemed to pause deliberately as her
voice died away. Then he spoke.
Ladies'" he said. ''are not always too
particular as to the slight difference of
meaning conveyed by the words has
done and intends to do.' Your friend
Mrs. Allardyce-"
But his tones, thin and hard with sar-
casm, were broken in upon. With an
inarticulate ejaculation Mrs. Cotgreave
rose to her feet.
''oh, be quiet" she cried. "Be quiet!
Be quietu'
Almost involuntarily Paul Marvin also
rose and stood confronting her. Her
color was coming and going in burning
waves, her features were working con-
vulslvely, and she was trembling now
from head to foot. No slightest token of
her agitation was lost upon the eyes that
looked at her; and, appraising them, a
slight cold smile touched the mans dry
lips.
MY dear Mrs. Cotgreave," he said
coldly and deoisively, compose your
self, beg! AS far as L can gather from
your singularly emotional observations,
you are deeply concerned because your
friend Mrs. Allardyce has informed you
that her husband has sent me check for
| S-lOO IOI tu0 sCuOOi luuO-WDlcn ilUU, as
presume you have assured yourself,
does not appear in the account of that
! fund. a moments reflection will con-
vince you that this latter fact is proof pos
tive of one of two things, either you mis-
understood your friends statement to
| you, or she misunderstood her husbands
statement TO her, In either case the ar
rival OF the check Is coming, and not q
past, event."
He had spoken, fuently enough. even
to the last words. but as he drew to the
end the ring of his voice had grown
forced. a great change had come upon
Magdalen Cotgreave. All the passionate
| feeling seemed to fall away from her,
leaving her strong and still, looking
full into his eyes. his accuser and judge.
~ ou are palterlng with the truth"
she said quietly. And you know it.
| You know, toe, what it is that you have
done. Ii you continue to deny it | shall
write to Philip Allardyce and every
member OF your congregation shall hear
| his answer"
| Paul Marvin was brave man. His face
was drawn and ghastly; gray shadows
| We're gathering about his mouth; but for
moment more he faced her. Then
without word he turned away; he
moved slowly and mechanically across
the room to the window, and stood there
with his back to her.
"Have you-is there any explanation
| you wish to offer?"
long interval had passed; an interval
| of total silence, of absolute motionless-
ness. Magdalen Cotgreave was resting
one hand heavily on the back of chair,
| but her selt-command had returned to
her once and for all, and though she
paused in her speech and changed it's
form, her voice was steady and con-
| trolled.
a sound that should have been a sullen
| laugh broke from Paul Marvin. He did
not turn to her. 1t was pitifuly signiti-
cant OF the gulf opened. by that silent in
terval, between the present and the past
! that the whole man, as he replied, seemed
to have sunk to lower plane. to have
deteriorated alike in thought and man
| ner.
Explanation" he said recklessly.
| "Oh, yes; l can offer you an explanation,
Bare necessity-will that serve the pur-
pose? There have been certain reti-
cences in my life-whioh do not matter
any longer, | suppose. My mother, who
happens to be still living, is confirmed
dipsoman1ac-not desirable appendage
for a man in my position. Comfortable
and reliable private asylums for elderly
| ladies thus afflicted are by no means un-
important items of expenditure. That
my parishioners should be kind enough
in their estimate of my private income
| or rather my Wlfe's lncOme-to increase
it by one-third, was perhaps hardly my
fault; and have not considered it desira-
| BILE to create gossip by practising such
economy. either in my household ar
rangements or in my private charities,
as would be incompatible with their the
| Ories."
| Madalen Cotgreave made no answer.
She was looking straight before her;
looking, as it seemed, directly and on
self-compulsion at the mental picture his
| speech as he uttered it-had con-
jured up. The whole bald, pitiful story;
the senitive pride that would brook no
exhibition of the seams in its gar
ments; the personal vanity that would
abate no jot the consideration that seemed
its due: the jealous dignity which writhed
at the thought Of criticism, lay bare be-
fore her. She saw the long struggle be-
| tween appearance and reality; the long
grinding fight; the slow oncoming of de-
| feat. Paul Marvin did not turn. Even
| if he had seen her face at that moment
| that which was written on it could hardly
! have been interpreted by any faculty
which he had cultivated. He misunder-
stood her silence-the silence of pity of
which no expression is possible.
My difficulties are of old standing,"
not tell you that. Several of the
parish accounts have come in your way,
/ dare say; and it you have investigated
them. your personal enmity towards me,
acting upon your keen intelligence, has
very likely led you to detect that 1 have
more than once been compelled to bor-
row from parish funds, and have been
unable to return the money"
YES" she said, quietly, II have de-
tected it. Otherwise, l could not have
believed this"
He lifted his hand and pushed his hair
sharply back from his temples.
WELL" he said roughly, Pm ruined
now, of course! How are you going to
do it?"