The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1897-02-06
'1lG Evil Genius.
ADoMEsTIC STORY.
BY w1LK1E COLLINS.

Sydney laid her down agGiG Oh the ri"cw,
gave her 4 last kiss. and ran ont of the room.
In the corridor she heard Linley's voice on
the lower floor. He was asking one of the
servants ii Miss Westerfield was in the house
or in the garden. Her first impulse was to
advance to the stairs and to answe his ques-
ton. In a moment more the remembrance
OF Mrs. Linley checked her. She went back
to her bedchamber.
The presents that she had received since
her arrival at Mount Morven were all laid
out SO that they could be easily seen by any
person entering the room after she had left
the house. On the sofa lay the pretty new
dress which she had Worn at the evening
party. Other little gifts were arranged on
either side of 1t. The bracelet, resting on the
pedestal OF a statue close by, kept a morsel
of paper i'll its place-on which she had writ
ten a few penitent words of farewell-ad-
dressed to Mrs. Linley. On the toilet-table
three Photographic portraits showed them
selves among the brushes and combs. She
sat down and looked first at the licensees of
Mis-. Linley and Kitty.
Had she any right to make those dear faces
her companions in the future?
She hesitated: her tears dropped on the
photographs. They're as good as spoilt
now,' she thought; they're no longer fit for
anybody but me-" She paused, and abrupt
ly took up the third and last photograph, the
likeness of Herbert Linley.
Was it an ~offeise, now, even to look at his
portrait? No idea of leaving 1t behind her
was in her mind. Her resolution yibrated
between VOL iseries-the misery of preserv-
ing her keepsake after she had parted from
him forever, and the misery Of destroying it.
Resigned to one more sacrifice, she took the
card in both hands to tear 1t up. 1t would
have been scattered in pieces OF the floor but
for the chance which had turned the portrait
side of the card toward her instead of the
back. Her longing eyes stole q last look at
hinl-a frenzy seized her-slie pressed her
lips to the photograph in a passion of hope
less love. What does it natter" she asked
herfelf. "Pm nothing but the ignorant OBJ
1ect of his kiudness-the poor fool who could
see no difference between gratitude and love.
Where Is the harm of having him with me
when l am starving in the streets or dying in
the workliouse?' The fervid spirit in her
that had never known a mothers loving dis
clpline, never thrilled to the sympathy of Il
sister-friend, rose In revolt against the evil
destiny which had embittered her life. Her
eyes still rested on the photograph. Come
to my heart, my only friend, and kill mev'
AS those wild words escaped her she thrust
the card furlously into the bosom of her dress
and threw herself on tho floor. There was
something in the mad, elf-abandonment OF
that action which Knocked the innocent de-
Spalr of her childhood on the day when her
mother left her at the cruel mercy of her
aunt.
That night was a night of torment in Sc
cret to another person at Mount Morven.
Wandering, in his need of self-isolation,
up and down the dreary stone passages in
the lower part of the house, Linley counted
the hours, ineXorably lessening the interval
between him and the ordeal of confession to
his wife. AS yet he had failed to find the
Opportunity of addressing to Sydney the only
words Of encouragement he could allow to
pass his lips; lie had asked for her earlier in
the evening, and nobody could tell him
where she was. Still In ignorance of the
refuge which she might by bare possibility
hope to find in Mrs. MacEdwin's house, sgd
ney was spared the torturing doubts which
now beset Herbert Linlcy's mind. Would
the noble woman whom they had injured al
low their atonement to plead for them. and
consent to keep thei. Miserable secret? Might
they still put their trust in that generous nat
ure a few hours hence! Again and again
those questions confronted Linley; and again
and again he shrank Irom attempting to a
awar them.