Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-04-12

DEL. pssn bss own valuation: and there he
| IVES. q discomposing presence. ~ tnere
/ was n mystery, as Lumley cheerIuiiy sus-
! eested. how was I, a man OF injurious
| habits. to get at the bottom Of ~
We walked the streets and pumed our
p,res. and talked and talked we IAN,
| ed and walked and paused ana Iun ,.'
again. without arriving 81 any en 49,.
| sion. sThe devil take women anu NV
! and all nonsense of that sort. many
exploded and turned on my heei.
| NY seven-and-twenty years had no. ses
been disturbed by any semblance oi
worry. A placid individual. Oh mouefn.e
| income and inexpensive tastes, win tne
constant congenial companionsnip Oh mar
| rage without Its drawbacks, 4 ien 4
was the least fitted Of mortals 10 De con.
fronted with acute mental disress ~
made me nervous and disposed to swear.
a habit very foreign to me; and when /
| got back TO Donnybrook ! let myself In
quietly, resolved not to see Bridget again
that night l pushed open the door OF
the front drawing-room, which was not
closed, wanting a book had left there
that morning. There was light In the
! back room. and through the folding-doors
saw q picture that took tho blood from
my face and sent 1t buzzing ana ing
! ling in an unaccountable way through
my veins. Bridget was standing win
both hands clasped upon Arcanieyas
shoulder. her head bent upon them In an
unmistakable attitude OF surrender. one
| of Arcanieya's arms was around her
waist and the other hand held her pretty
head. over which his own was bent In
| the unrnistakable attitude or conqueror.
turned away and softly closed the
| door,
| feared to meet Bridgets eye next
day. I felt somehow shabby because 1
knew by accident more than she sup
posed me TO know. and hurried away
/ from the breakfast-table without giving
| her time to speak, more troubled ana
more distressed than ever. had hitherto
never taken anything more than an ap-
stract interest In the question OF love;
I liked women in a passionless unas-
pirlng way, and was always glad OF any
| little chance kindness flung at me ike
| an unowned and unexpectant dog; but
I was now for the first time made con-
scious that nobody had ever yet enter
tanned a passion for me. Perhaps II
had not had Bridget I might nave gone
forth boldly in search or the volcanic
element: but now the thought unnerved
me. and made me agitated and strangely
dissatisfied.
9Th. mischief take that Russian" I
nrttered. "a man has no business to
be so handsome, so abominably Byronic,
and romantic-looking."
My reflections were interrupted by Lum-
ley's head thrust in through the Office
| door Your affair Is done, Paddy" he
cried excitedly. "Thls morning had the
oueerest visitor In the world. Whom do
you think? Inspector Mccarthy! He
sat in my room chatting about the wea-
Their and homo rule. and 1 kept asking
myself under breath what the devil ne
could want with me. Suddenly the cat
was out of the bag. He showed me a
likeness. and asked me II were ac-
ouainted with the original. 'Arcanlevar
/ exclaimed. Exactly, said Mccarthy,
as cool as a cucumber Your Mr. Area
nieva Is a Polish forger OF the name or
Canaski. The London police have been
on his track for some time; they traced
him TO Paris, and then lost sight OF
him."
Don't tell me any more. for Gods
sake" cried. shrinking from the degra-
cation Of Bridget's lover. I'm sorry
am indeed. He is brilliant fellow, who
ever and whatever he may be else. 1 dare
cay he had desperate provocaton. Al
any rate. would like to beg favor from
you. Lumley."
ASK It. Paddy" said Lumley, In a
voice Of curious gentleness.
There is no need of our destroying
Bridgets illusion, is there" enquired.
knew that Lumley loved her. and
glanced timidly at him. He drew back
a little. and bent his eyes upon the
floor None, Paddy, II you have serious
reason to think that 1t would be palm
to her."
81 have. We will say that he is Nihi-
list She will then be able to remember
him as a misguided but disinterested
Young man. Use your influence with the
press"
81 will, Paddy. But you had better
have your paper left hero for a couple
OF days-by accident, you know" He
rose. and stood with both hands upon
the knob OF his walking-stick. glaring al
me wistfully. ut is true, then, quite
true. that she loves ArcanievaY
"Ouite true" l answered, signing
"Poor girl, poor GIRL Oh, Paddy, most
unwise Paddy! And here have l beer
faithful all these years without the cou'
rage TO speak. l think ! took sort Oh
aesthetic pleasure In her pretty pink ano
white serenity. Well, well. we are fools
even when we seem wise. But. Paddy
II by and by things should change with
her. I expect you to be On my side"
"Oh, Lumley, to you only could L give
her. and feel the pain OF her going di-
minished by the thought of your happi
ness! You may depend upon me-"
We grasped hands. and as l turned &c
leave him at the door Arcanieva stood
there. with a blanched and hunted as
pect, trembling in every limb
Paddy" he whispered, and excite
ment colored his pronunciation with
strong foreign tone and accentuated hi
natural lisp. can / speak TO your
"Good-by. Lumley. Come inside. Mr.
Arcanieva." He followed me into thu
office, and I pointed TO chair.
paddy" he continued. in the SAM
strongly excited voice, clasping his hand
together In a way that suggested IN
possibility Of his falling on his knee
! before me, Il do implore you, my dear
brother, for are you not the brother
, her l lover He saw me vince AM
| frown. and tactfully skirted that theme
, | Something happened year ago wnel
was in London. / was greatly tempted
, I was only the tool of q very powerful
man, who has given me up now to screei
|, | himself Help me, Paddy. TO get ava.
unmolested and safe"
Il will help YOU" l said, emptying m.
| pockets OF all the money about me
you will take the first train to Wick
, | low from Harcourr street we VIII star
at once. At Wicklow / will send you o.
To wexford. There you must drive {
Waterford and catch a boat to Milfor
Haven, thence on to Southampton. The
YOU can get to Havre and make you
| way south"
: He stretched out his hand, caught mine
: and pressed 1t feverishly to his lips.
? Don't do that Arcanieva.' I shouted
with the same feeling OF revolt tina
Z. the clammy touch OF a reptile woui'
1 have reused within me. There Is II
> question Of gratitude or service rendere'
1 rrrln NrfI n "