Marble Hill press., 1896-11-19

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The duteous dependent obeyed, then
slipped from the room to push inyes-
legations upon plan of her own. In
quarter of an hour she reappeared
with an agitated, yet important counte-
Lance, that arrested her cousins re-
CARDS.
What is it? Where is she?" he de-
manded, impatiently. "You have heard
something. Tell me at once what it
ls7"
Harriet collapsed as gracefully as her
unpliant sinews and stays would allow
into kneeling heap upon the floor at
his feet. "My beloved cousin! My dear,
deceived angel! I have heard nothing
that surprised me. I dared not speak
of it to you before now, agonizing as
was my solicitude. You would have
driven me from you in anger had l
whispered a word of what has been the
town gossip for months, to which you
only were blinded by your noble, your
generous, your superhuman confidence
in your betrayers. l see that you are
partially prepared for the blow" as he
grew pale and tried without success
to interrupt her. "Brace yourself for
what you must know, my poor, i'll used
darling! Your brother and your wife
have eloped to Europe in company"
For one second the husband stagger
ed under the shock. His eyes closed
suddenly, as at fash of lightning,
and his features were distorted, as in
wrench of mortal pain. Then all that
was true and dignifed in the man raj
| lied to repel the insult to the two he
had trusted and loved. 81 do not be-
lieve it," he said distinctly and with
deliberate emphasis. "You are the dupe
of some mischievous slanderer, my good
woman. Edward Withers is the soul
Of integrity, and my wife's virtue is
incorruptible. Who told you this abb
surd tale?"
Mrs Withers stated to you that she
was going to drive alone this after
noon, did she not?" Harriet forget the
pathetic in the malicious triumph as
she proceeded to prove her rivals guilt.
"You heard her say it" laconically,
and still On the defensive.
"Yet John says she called by the Of
fee to take up Mr.. Edward WHhers,
and that they drove in company to
the wharf, where lay an ocean steam
er He saw them go on board, arm in
arm, and, although he waited on the
pier as long as the vessel was in sight,
they did not return"
II will see the man myself"
Crossing the room with a firmer step
than had been his since his Illness Mr..
Withers rang the bell and summoned
the coachman. His evidence tailed ex-
actly with Harriet's report, and she fiat
tered herself that the inquisitor's man
ner was shade less confident when the
witness was dismissed.
"You have said that this disappear
ance was no matter of surprise to you,
and added something about vulgar gos-
sip. I wish a full explanation" he said,
still magisterially.
Thus hidden, Harriet told her tale.
Before their return to the city in the
autumn, she had seasons Of anxiety
relative to the intimacy between Mr..
Edward Withers and his beautiful sis
ter-in-law. Not, the unsuspecting vir-
gin was careful to affirm, that she
doubted then the good faith and right
intentions of either, but she feared lest
Mrs. Withers' partiality for the younger
brother might render her negligent of
her husbands happiness and comfort
The winter festivities had brought the
two into peculiarly unfortunate po-
sition for the growth of domestic vir-
tues, and eminently conducive to the
progress of the fatal attachment which
was now beyond the possibility of a
doubt. Although one of the family,
and known to be welded to their in
terests, she had not been able to deter
| busy bodies from sly and overt mention
of the scandal in her hearing. She had,
on such occasions, taken the liberty of
rebuking the offender, and maintain
ing, in her humble way, the honor of
her benefactors' name. But she could
not silence city full of tongues, and
they had wagged fast and loudly OF
the husbands indiscreet confidence in
the guilty parties, and their shameless
! troachery.
He checked her when she would have
dllated upon this division Of her sub
ject. Il will have no hearsay evidence.
What have you SEEM"
Harriet demurred. blushingly, net. as
II presently appeared, because she had
seen so little but so much. Duets,
vocal and instrumental. had been the
vehicles OF living intercourse hand
squeezing. meaning sighs and whispers.
Her blood had often boiled furlously
| In behoIdinT the outrageous msGsuv-