Marble Hill press., 1896-11-19

|
languishings and caresses to the serene
face bent over the chess-board, or
wrapt in innocent slumber, had alter
nately overflowed with tears and glow
ed with Indignation.
But all this was as nothing COM
pared with my sensations on the morn
ing of the day in which you made your
will. CHANGING to enter your dress
ing-room, on my way to your bedside,
l surprised Mrs. Withers and Mr.. Ed
ward Withers standing together, her
head upon his bosom, his arms uphold
ing her, while he whispered loving
words in her ear. He kissed her at
the very moment of my silent entrance,
with this remark: We have too much
to live and to hope for, to nurse un-
healthy surmises and fears I could
testify to the language in court of
! justice, and am positive that his ref
erence was to your possible recovery"
mo more" The mischief-maker was
scared out of her gloomy exultation by
| the altered face turned toward her.
| please excuse me from going down
to dinner today. am very weary, and
shall spend the evening alone" pur-
sued Mr.. Withers with pitiful show
of his old and pompous style. He arose
as further signal that she must go,
when she threw herself before him
and clasped his knees.
"Elnathan"' the beady eyes strained
In eXcruciating appeal, "do not Danish
me from you in this your extremity
Who! Who should be near you to sus-
tain and weep with you but your poor
devoted Harriet-she whose life has
but one end-the hope that she might
serve and aid you; but one reward,
your smile, and so much of your love
as you may see fit to bestow upon so
worthless an object?"
But in the honest sorrow that bowed
the listeners proud spirit to break
ing, her Fictitious transports met no
response beyond weary impatience. The
cajolery that had tlattered the unworthy
complacency of his prosperous days
rang discordantly upon his present
mood. He wanted pity from no one,
he said to himself, and, in his rejection
of hers. there was a touch of resent
ment, the consequence of her unspar-
ing denunciation of Constance. He
might come to hate her himself soon.
Just now he almost abhorred the one
who had opened his eyes to his own
shame. "You mean we'll, I dare say,
Harriet" he said, in his harshest tone,
"but you are injudicious, and your Of
fers of sympathy are unwelcome. I
am sure that I shall shortly receive a
satisfactory explanation of this mys-
terious affair. AS to your gossiping
friends, I can only regret that your
associates have not been chosen more
wisely. Now you can 60"
| She made no further resistance, but
hers was one of the chamber doors
that unclosed stealthily when, at mid
night, the rattle of latch-key sound
ed through the front hall, and was fol-
| lowed by the entrance of the two sup
posed voyagers. There were more
wakeful eyes under that roof that
night than the master rocked of, and
a bevy of curious gazers peered from
the obscurity of the third story into
the entry, where Mr.. Withers had or
dered the gas to be kept burning all
night.
"You see we are expected" said Ed
ward to his companion.
| Mr.. Withers met them at the head
of the staircase, clad in dressing gown
and slippers. "Ah, here you are. How
did you get back?"
"The obliging captain hailed a fish
ing yacht and put us on board"
answered his brother. Have you been
uneasy about u.s."
'Only lest you might be carried
some distance out before you fell in
with returning vessel. You look very
| tired, Constance I shall not let her
go with you again, Edward, unless
you promise to take better care Of her" :"
"Tell him just how it happened,
Connie" laughed Edward, and the con-
ference was over.
"They played their parts we'll all OF
them," muttered Harriet, stealing back
to her sleepless pillow "But they need
not hope to gag people now that the
scandal has taken wind; murder will
out"
Her sagacity was proved by the ap-
pearance in the next days issue of an
extensively circulated journal of con-
spicious article headed Scandal in
High Lifer setting forth the elope-
ment, per steamer to Europe, of the
junior partner in a well-known bank
ing house with tho beautiful wife Of
his brother, the senior partner OF the
aforesaid firm. The intimacy OF the
fugitives, the chronicle went on to
say. had been much talked Of all win
ter In the brilliant circle to which
they belonged. The deserted husband
was q citizen whom all delighted TO
honor for his business talents, his