Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1896-10-16

wife's sudden sta I and ralor? Alas!
for Engelonde, that lowering doubt came
closer then.
On be came, tall, naughty, with his
mob air, his impasSivo eountenance;
nearer nearer, his measured step trod
upon my heart-feet of brass!
Ho locked up, beheld me, came to
dead stop-the hue Of death passed upon
his bron. cd cheek.
"You of all the tecmlng wofldl" he
groancd. .
I felt the shock that thrilled through
nv husband as clung, half sinking, TO
his arm; he scanned each conscious race
with pitiless iuquisitlon, but not word
ayes. it is /, Co. Accfington, re-
torted, stuag into defiance by pain;
aand why not |? Am l the first wife
who has found her happiness in wander
ing the word over by her hustands
side"
sTcrhaps not" replied he, demon
nrom ted: NOR are you the last poor
mortal who will wander the word over
in search of lost peace, as l have dohe'
| In vain
Nv lords brow darkened as the odious
picture rose before him OF two sad hearts
roaming the world over In search OF
ba m that might heal the VIC lndS OF q
houeless, en- unlawful love.
/ could not defend mysof against the
IN lust III ught in that hated presence,
and retired. From my windows l
watched the two brother ENJOYS pacing
70 and fro: l need not have feared that
Lord Inchcape would forget his duty TO
his country to demand private satisfac-
| ton for persona injuries- They dis
| cusscd business, coldlY, courieously,
| with the Internal fres OF Jealousy be-
tween them
How changed was my wicked lovers
| naughty beauty, how blurred by mental
| srife, how marred by the triumph OF
evil Yet may judge him harshly; he
| had seon service among the bar5arians
/ sjnca he lounged among us In sllken
| da lance, and had borne peril and hard
ship brayely for Eng land's sake; who
shall say that he had not been suffering
whitening remorse and shame because
of his ia from honor? Ay, who shall
say, when su ferng had not taught him
mercy and be Willingly sowed misery
betwixt my lord and me!
Aone, l pondered how l might saFe
or happiness. We two, so united by
truest 10 c. surely we could never be
| sundered by q mere mistake? Should
| now confde that long withheld secret,
which had boon the only disturbcr OF
our peace, leaving my husband to deal
with the matter as he judged 0eStY AM
how | lon. Cd to do that How weary l
was of standing in my own poor
strength!
Eut I dared not. What madness, to
set two fierce men at enmity, on the eve
of q mission which they must undertake
tocetherl A revelation now would toe
likely rupture the whole scheme; my
ord would be less than human II nc
could postpone tho punishment OF his
wife's insulter.
Sil nee, at any cost!
But, thought ], surely may appea
TO nv husbands love, to trust me de
spite appearanceS,-or to await eXpla
nation until his return? And with this
hope | supported myself till be shouic
come to bid me fsrewell.
watched them part for tho time, the
colonel s;rode to the gates where hi
cortegc waited, my lord entered th(
house. Slowly he assembled the mar0''
stairs,-was he coming straight to hi
unhappy Engelonie, to take her in lovins
arms. and 10 win from ner the truth Will
generous forbearanceP
Slowly, heavily he paced onward
passed my chamber door-oh, love! wa
it well? and entering his prf ate apart
ent, locked it upon all the world, AM
ne.
Shut out. Judged, condemed, bcref
of even one chance Of yndication. Wa
it wei, my Lord Inchcape?
In stupid misery remained where
was. and the precious moments nc
away forever. The sound Of the horses
hoofs, as Kenmore brought tham to IN
Coor. reused me at last In sudde
p1nic hurried 10 my husbands door
and knocked till, against his will, b
on ned. He artcd back when he say
: that it was his wife who would not b
e,icd. then led me in with cruel pune
, tiliousness.
threw myself at his feet.
@You have no ca SO in me for ange
or sorrow. Oh, Raleigh, lift me to you
, heart again." pleaded.
81 have not accused you," said m
lord. "Rise; that is not the attitude OF
quilt'ess wife," How austere; eac
, word a morsel of ice wondered at II
, cruelty. had yet to learn that jealous
, is cruel as the grave.
81 kneel for justice, not for mercy, ="
answered proudly; "look in my true eye
: and say that you can doubt my 10y
' love for you." He gazed into my eyes
he was moved; what blight was on hi
that he could fOs er doubt even YETI
! aFain would l believe in your love Il
me as much as you believe In It, sal
he. "but | have seen you sinking und'
the weary strife OF your heart agan
; honor. l am too old for you; you wish
be true TO me, you are true to me, as
believe. in act and thought, but you al
. diving of the struggle"
"And you suspect my heart OF sTa
ing from you to that MANI" l cried O.
, risiy ely.
just then came hurried knock, m
! maid Mary was seeking her mistress
) deliver a letter which she had been O
dered to place in my own hand; te
: simple to divine the intended secrecy
the transaction, she had brought 1t
me thus ~,
NV lord handed me the letter with
t bitter sneer; 1t was from Colonel A
/ crington, | kneH the hand at once,
D was stricken dumb by the calamito
conju ctlon OF circumstances
3 @Alow me to leave you. madam,
| The perusal of your admirers rhaps
/ dies. " taunted Lord Inchcape. spral
Q after him. | thrust the loathed thing |
L - bic hand