The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-09-10


was practically bound1ess. yet he could
not reprsss an uneasy feeling that II
was possible-just possible-that this
woman might prove his match II she
were fairly put to 1t on fair field. She
was q foe Of no ordinary calibre.
I'VE are only wasting time now" he
said, land any moment we might be
interrupted. Don't you think we had
better end this--er-unpleasant inter-
view?"
Certainly" Mrs. Lorraine answered
in the same quiet tone. And then she
raised her eyes and looked at him over
the edge OF her fan-the look Of a
trained fencer before he crosses swords
with his adversary.
I'm going to place two alternatives
before you," Keith went on, land to
give you your choice Of two courses
of action, which is, l think, generous
on my part"
Men are always generous" said Mrs.
Lorraine.
"Your engagement" Keith went on,
must be broken off-that Is the point
from which we start-and It is for you
to choose in what way it shall be
broken off. II you like to take the af-
fair into your own hands and carry it
through In your own way, well and
good. l will leave 1t to you, provided
you do your work thoroughly"
Her eyes were still fixed on his
face.
And IT," she said. II decline to take
the affair into my own hands; If l de-
cline to move In the matter?"
He shrugged his shoulders.
"Oh, them" he said-"then I must
speak to Archie myself"
Silence again; e strained, tense,
breathless silence that neither cared to
break. Mrs. Lorraine was the first to
speak.
Il WILL" she said slowly, take the
affair into my own hands"
Keith started and drew a long, deep
breath, as II he had passed safely
through dangerous crisis to relief I'M
speakable.
II will" she said again, take the
affair into my own hands, and will
do my work thoroughly. You may
trust me. II I did not love Archie |
would defy you to the bitter end, and !
let you tell him the truth; but I do
love him. And so-and SO I want to
keep the truth from him, / WANT
want"
At that moment Archie's voice came
to them family through the curtains
that divided the drawing-room from
the room In which they were.
"Hildergarde, Hildergarde, where
are you?"
Mrs. Lorraine started, and the words
that she had been about to speak died
on her lips. For moment she stood
as II turned to stone. Then she moved
slowly forward to meet her lover.
IT suppose 1t was all your doing"
said Millicent Keith; IT suppose
you found out something against Mrs.
Lorraine and used your knowledge to
force her to give up Capt. Lennox. You
are very clever man, Roland"
She looked admi.ingly at her hus-
band, but he only sighed as he ran his
fingers through his crisp dark hair.
"Poor old Archie!" was all he said. !
Miilicent sighed, too.
Eyes, poor old Archie" she said.
"He's fearfully cut up. isn't he? don't ,
hink he will ever get over It. He was
o fond Of Mrs. Lorraine, and--and,
h! Roland, are you sure 1t would
lot have been better to let him marry
er? He might never have known tho
ruth, and when people love like
hat"
Keith made an impatient movement.
Quite sure" he answered briefly.
Millicent was silent for moment,
many things. There was a
God deal in the affair that she did not s,
n
why did you push Mrs. Lorraine
orward?" she asked presently. why
i'd you make her break off the engage
lent? Why didn't you speak to Capt.
'ennox yourself, and tell him the
ruth?"
Keith hesitated for moment, look
lg curiously down at the puzzled face
plifted to his; then suddenly he burst .
ut laughing.
For the best Of all reasons" he an
wered coolly; Il don't know the
'uth."
Millicent fell back step, gazing at
i'm in blank, bewildered amazement. \
You don't know the truth?' she re-
Gated helplessly; you don't know the |
nth? Then how-why-"
II made Mrs. Lorraine believe that
knew it," Keith said grimly, "and ,
lat did just as we'll as If had known
. l threatened her that l would tell
le truth to Archie, and to save that L
le took the matter into her own \,
ands, and told him lie. l thought .
10 would. l know little about wOm-
l." Il
Millicent looked as she felt, more be- ~
ildered than ever.
"But-but-but her hand" she STAN 81
cred. you looked at her hand and a. q;
and they called you the Peerless al
almist, you said" s.s
He laughed again. 4
"Oh! as to that" he said, that was 40
polite fiction on my part. I know D.
thing about palmistry, and l don't Ii.
lieve in 1t. But found that Mrs. u
'rraine did believe in 1t. Every ma 49,, 4
re, however strong, has its vulner- A.
lie point, and superstition is hers.
le is a very clever woman, but she TX
IS that one small weakness, and l
ok advantage of 1t. She has secret We We
guard suspected that from the y
st-but what it actually is know q.
more than you do, though I made
r believe that knew everything. ~
, you see?" III
Millicent fairly gasped. loI
'Oh!" she said, as soon as she could "
eak. Then do you really mean that ~,
!, Gpnu HING houf MIRO lorraine =