The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-09-27

I
know no more than yourself how THU
man met his DEATH"
| A flood of relief burst over him al thu
words, and again he made as though be
| would clasp her in his arms, and again
she prevented him.
| Then Beryl, who had waited with
suspense for the avowal of her limo.
cence, and who was quite ready to 40.
cept it and to be convinced by it, feel
ing something Of the agony which Lola
must at that moment be enduring, went
to her, and, making her sit down again
on the sofa, insisted Oh sitting by her.
She put her arms round her and held
her in close embrace and kissed her.
"Fo-give me, Lola, for I, too, have
wronged you in thought. know what
you must have suffered. Why did you
not come to me?'
At first Lola tried to prevent the girl,
but the touch Of sympathy was too
sweet to be long repulsed, and she first
suffered, then welcomed and at last rev.
eled in the consolation thus offered.
"You make my heavy task lighter"
she said to Beryl presently, and then,
after another pause, she began her con-
fession, beginning, womanlike, with an
implied attack upon Sir Jaffray himself.
''No Jaffray, the blood of that man
does not lie on my hands" she said in
low, clear voice. "It was not for that
reason that would not let you take me
in your arms just now. Heaven knows,
l am bad and mad enough, but I am
not like that"
The baronet made gesture of pro-
test, but she checked him, and sitting
up on the sofa, with her hand in one Of
Beryl's, she went OH, speaking in low
tones and with frequent pauses:
II will not try to make my faults
less than they are. Do you remember a
story which that man told few nights
ago at the dinner table here? Well, the
husband and wife in that story we're
Pierre Turrian and myself. You have
asked me often whether there was any
thing in the past that had not told
you. There was-that I was Pierre
Turrian's wife. Now you can guess
what I have suffered, and you know the
reason why fed"
pierre Turrian's wife" exclaimed
Sir Jaffray, repeating the words over
and over again as though he could not
understand them. pierre Turrian's
wifel His wifel'' Then after long
pause he asked, "Did you know this
when"- He did not finish, but she un.
derstood.
"You heard the story as he told it,"
she answered.
He said you tried to kill him then"
'That is true, as true as lightp' cried
Lola vehemently, and Beryl felt her
start and her muscles harden with tenn
per. ut was an impulse, coming either
from heaven to free myself from a
devil, Or from hell to bind myself closer
than ever to him, I know not which,
but l acted on it, and never from that
moment till now, when l see you shrink
and culver at the thought of it, have
regretted it. Twill not palliate my act
or belittle it, but this may say do
not know that he could possibly have
saved himself had not stamped on his
fingers, but did not think of that then.
He had made my life hell, and when
the chance seemed to come in my way
I tried to free myself, and would do
the same again"
She stopped and looked eagerly across
at Sir Jaffray, hoping to read On his
face all expression less hard than that
which by her words she seemed to ex-
pect and not to fear.
But he made no sign Of any kind, and
she went on:
"!rhe rest you know now or can guess
nearly, except one thing. I will tell
the truth now, the whole Of it, and
You shall know the worst Of me that
can be known. thought he was dead,
and when my father died dropped the
name Of Turrian like hated thing and |
came here to England merely as Miss
Crawshay." Then her voice grew harder,
and the note Of defiance again was per-
ceptible. "Imeant to marry and to mar
ry we'll, and had no wish to be known
as the widow Of such a cheat and vii
lain as Pierre Turrian. Then I met you
and resolved that you should marry
me, and married you without loving
you"
The last words came slowly, and when !
she had finished she hid her face again,
as though now afraid to meet his look.
THAT is the hardest thing you have
said, Lola" said Sir Jaffray. Then for
the third time long silence came upon
them all.
II hive been woefully punished"
said Lola in low, half moaning voice
Of infinite sadness. "Out Of both my
faults have come the means to punish
them. The man who was dead lived to
stamp out the light of my life. The love
l had never felt woke to make my pun
ishment greater than I could bear. i'll
had never loved you, Jaffray, could
have faced without f;nching all that
that man could do or threaten, but when
he had the power to put out the lighted
love which I had thought would never
be kindled was desolate. He came and
forced himself upon me, and dared not
lefy him utterly. I dared not tell you,
because it meant-I must lose you, Jaf-
ray. In a moment of madness and
l could play q desperate game
With safety l tried to hold him at bay
md yet to keep your love for myself,
out 1t was useless. Some one else had
earned the truth-Beryl here, and it
'amc near costing her her life, for that
vii, reckless man sought to take it even
n this house. But, like woman feel
ng for a woman's grief. Beryl tried to
make the trouble as light for me as it
ould be. Heaven knows how have
banked you for that and for all, Beryll"
ried Lola, breaking off moment to
iss the girl at her side. Is, ol
But there was no hope Of escape"
be resumed. Failing in his attempt
-