Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1895-06-19

Nl--ktODtIuuet-I
His voice-the clinging grasp OF hi
hand that evening-had broken open TIN
floodgates Of her Consciousness, and witt
mingled shame and fear. Nora saw thai
she loved this grave, self-contained man
with all the force of her young, warn
nature. It was suddenly revealed to he1
how heavenly it would be to know thiN
he loved her. to hear him call her bJ
her name. TO feel that she could make hii1
happy, and give him tenderness and SYM
pathy such as his rugged life had never
known. But, oh, would he thank mel
for it? Was II not shameful OF her u
think thus-to long 10 offer her heart t9
a man who had never sought it, who had
never shown her any lover-like attention,
who simply liked to talk with her, probaI
bly, because she liked to listen? And even
that evening, there was nothing WORTH
thinking twice about In his words or hand
pressure, only friendly acknowledgment
Of her anxiety-perhaps too boldly exc
pressed! How contemptibly weak and
Ill regulated she was, to allow tho ide1
of man who probably did not care fol
her, to take possession of her imagination!
How was it she had come TO love him Sc
dearly? and she did love him. The dis
tress of her conviction seemed to confei
n sudden maturity of womanliness on hei
girlish nature. What sorrow was sh(
storing up for herself, to let any man pos
sess such mastery over her! How .wns
she to regain her self-respect? Only bH
q steady. consistent effort to stamp out
the fire that had been smoldering unperI
ceived In her heart, till the flames begaI
TO make their painful burning felt; only
by assuming n tone of calmest friendship
to the man she loved and dreaded, for hi
did not care for her, it was not likely
He needed an older, ripper, more highly
educated companion than herself! She
must be careful to guard her secret-at
ready she had been. must have been. fool
ishly demonstrative, or Mrs. Ruthven
would not have hinted at any understand
ing between herself and WintOn. OH
the shame of being suspected of loving
one who did not love her would be in'
supportable. Cost what it would, sht
would so guide herself as TO escape such
humiliation!
She braided up her long hair, prayed
fervently for strength and help. and, with
ear-bedewed lashes, fell asleep, Win.
tons last words echoing sweetly in heJ
ears, despite her stern resolution.
In London. though Mrs. Ruthven neg
hcted to write to her friends at Brook
0ale, She was Dy no means luIe.
On her arrival at the hotel where sh,
usually put up, she was astonished, and
slightly Indignant, to find no Shirley
awaiting her; nor were these feelings les
sened by the receipt of a note late in the
evening, informing her that he had called
on the detective, whose address he had
succeeded in procuring and now inclosed,
but the man was away from home. and
his wife was not sure when he would rel
turn. Il am exceedingly sorry not to
see for myself how you have borne yout
Journey" he added, "but telegram from
my sister this afternoon obliges me to start
for Ostend tonight. I hope to return
speedily, and to be of any use you like to
put me to-"
Mrs. Ruthven crushed up the note. ant
thought profoundly for few minutes,
with knitted brows and look of pain;
then she smoothed out the paper, and,
having copied the address in her tablets,
tore Shirley's missive to pieces, and threw
them in the fire
1t was altogether miserable evening
Marsden promised to look in, IL there wal
time after an interview with the police
officials charged with the care of the
Austrian embassy; but the hours wore
on, and he did not come. Mrs. Ruthven
was still unhinsed, and unwell from the
result of fright, but she was gathering
strength and composure. In truth, her
nervous system was by no means weak;
nor did trifles, whether of fact or fancy,
produce much effect upon her; still she
was glad to ring for her maid, and retire
to rest, with n reading lamp beside her
and French novel Of the strongest de
scriptiOn in her hand.
But her own doubts, hopes, fears, were
of fy,ta
plicit faith in Shirley's assertions; faith
was not either her strength or her weak.
ness; after a careful examination of her
position on all sides, she made up her
mind to inquire personally into the where
abouts of the man she wished to employ.
She stretched out her hands for her tab
let's, which lay on the little table by he.
bed, and read over the address: MIR.
John Waite, IL Maryland Villas, Camden
Road, n. W." Where was Camden
Road? A map would soon tell. She
would drive there tomorrow morning
Mrs Ruthven had none of the helpless
ness of a genuine fine lady: no shrinking
from unaccustomed roughness, If ii suited
her purpose to encounter II.
Nor had she any fear of what her ser.
wants might say or think. To her they
were merely machines, more or less well
constructed to do her service, and to be
kept in working order they must be prop
erly oiled, I. G, fed and lodged; of their In
dependent existence she never thought.
Yes; she would endeavor to ascertain all
about tLis man herself; she wished Shir.
ley had not gone away so quickly. He
surely was not feeling his feet firm enough
to try standing alone? Besides, his sud.
den anxiety about his sister was curious.
That he had sister. Mrs. Ruthven was
aware, but that was all; she did not know
she was In Europe. well, patience ant
perseverance will discover most things
even my rubles-perhaps," was her last
1istinct thought.
AS soon as Mrs. Ruthven had had her
coffee and roll next day, she dressed very
plainly and warmly, for 1t was a chill
misty morning, and informed Virginie,
her maid. that she was going to hold Q
consultation with her dressmaker. To
carry out the idea, she directed that Ger.
tain pieces of lace and Indian embroidery
should be made up into a packet, that she
might take it to the distinguished artistic
she employed.
Then n cab was called, and having Civ
en- audible directions where to drive, she
al;.hted at the well-known establishment,
dismissed her cab, deposited her parcel.
with a verbal message that Mrs. Ruthven
would call that afternoon or next day,
walked to little distance, and hailing
hanson, drove to the address which she
gave the driver.
Maryland Villas was a row OF nea',
two-storied twin houses, with gardens,
gates, high steps, and side entrances;
possibly, they had in the first stage OF
their existence country view, but now
range of small shops, with n large assort-
pent Of the wares dispensed within hang