The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1898-07-23


her life one great void of misery since
she had first seen his handsome, earn est
face.
With a shock he looked up. Wonder
ment. intelligence in his glance, it drove
her back abashed.
Her face betrayed her secret, SIZE
loved him! His face told Enthusiastically
that he ead that secret Alright.
"Oh! how could II But l pity you so!
Think me unwomanly, but ifyour heart
is breaking so is mine. Go, Mr.. Mar
hall-Raymond-go! and leave me to
the Indebtedness of the secret your
suffering has wrung from my lips.
She was sobbing, shrinking, now. In
CONSERVATION her companion regarded
her. She loved him. This had been
the secret of her hayward moods.
Despite himself great wave of pity
swept his chivalrous heart.
ii am sorry" he said brokenly. "a
truo woman's regard is better than a
false friends treachtry. Miss Mercer,
when leave you, it is never to know
happiness again, but l may know the
p ,Aoe of having donc my full duty II !
trsse this affair down to the last. !
gust 500 Edna-sho shall tell me from
her own lips what / already know!
Thea am content to cherish my misery
In silence. Speak! Win my gratitude,
at least, by telling mo whittier she has
gone.
There was no reply. Only the sub.
dued sobs broke the waiting silence.
You know whore Edna isl" persisted
t.arshali.
~Yos, know!" cried Beatrice. lifting
her face, flashing with jealousy ano
emotion; but do you think l will tell
you-send you to beg at the feet Of
woman unworthy OF you? Leave me
If you are suffering, | am tortured
Oh! eruell cruel! cruel!"
Her frantic hands swept tho opor
portfolio across the desk as she shranE
from him, hiding her humiliation, hel
jealousy, her love in hot, burning tears
About to speak reassuriagly to her, to
plead with her anew for the knowledge
he so craved. Raymond Marshall started
as if dealt sudden blow.
His eyes happened to fall to the oper
portfolio. He recoiled, stared closer
and then sprang to his feet with wild
intelligent, hopeful cry.
For upon a sheet of paper, writer
thero Individually by the woman wht
had lust so shame facedly confessed he'
love. was the record of hatred ant
treachery that had so nearly blighted
his life.
There were the first experiments o.
the clever forger to simulate Edna
Deane's handwriting. There was ;
copy of the missive he had received tina
morning. There, too, was the draft o
the more masculine epistle that had &c
companied it.
Beatrice Mercer had looked up at his
strange cry. Her eyes met his, follow
ing their glance to the portfolio. ant
then, shrinking back, her guilty fac'
told the truth.
"You wrote that-you wrote those let
tersi" fairly shouted Marshall. oh,
blind, wicked that l was, to doubt my
true-hearted darlingl 1t was q crue
forgery-a plot. Speak, Beatrice Mer'
Ger! All you have told me, all thos'
letters told, was falsehood."
Beatrice had snatched up tho port
folio. Defiance in her face, she painted
like tigress at hay.
IF l did," she Dried wildly, at wa
only to save You truitless chase.
alone know where Edna Deane ha
gone. know that she will never dar'
write 10 you or see you again. Yo'
hate me-, you spurn me-you, for whom
/ would have given lifetime of devo
tion. Then find the pale-faced chill
| you dote over, but never with my help.
A great, joyful glow sprang to tn
, face of Marshall.
so be it'll" he cried. Knowing her t
be true, knowing all this forgery to b
lie, love will find way. Revealed i
| your true colors at last, know what t
| expect Of you; but, as l live, | vo,
never to rest till find the woman
| love, the victim of some dark plot, II
| pursue her half the world overl"
He strobe from the room and tn
| presence of the woman Of whom he ha
{, made q relentless enemy as he spoke
! strong in the consciousness Of love-
mighty power.
Yes. he would find the woman h
loved, though peril, privation, deaf
barred his way, and cruel schemer
wrought dangerous pitfalls for his cage
feet at every step he took!
| All these might be evaded. Pest
lence might pass him by, perils graz
him unscathed, death itself be warde
back by the love that knew no obstacles
but. more weird, more tortuous than n
ever dreamed was the path that wa
leading him to that far day when. ono
| again, standing face to face with Edna
he should shrink before a mystery an
a plot that would daunt, appall, an
| battle even his bold courage and try n
| loyal soul as by an ordeal OF fire!
lTo BE CONTINUED.
1
Condensed Delicacies.