The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-02-15

side Presently, when her "chlle"
should grow tired of playing, she would
go with her to her bedroom and plait
her long hair into two shining coils
and tuck her in bed as she had done ev-
cry night of the 16 years of her life.
Nanny James turbaned head dropped
forward on fer ample bosom in a few
moments. and the gentle sound Of her
snoring mingled with the music Mari
anne was making The dancing flames
of the wood fire cast fantastic shadows
on the wallis One steady blaze fell up
on the portraits of old Tony Belknap
and his wife as they hung side by side
on the wall over the piano. Tt was
pleasant, homelike interior, the prettiest
bit in it being the girlish figure at the
instrument, which had stood in that COR
ner of the library ever since that old
gentleman in the high satin stock had
brought that lady in curls and very
low necked dress home many years be-
fore as bride.
The piano stood near one Of the long
windows which opened Immediately on
the front gallery. 1t suddenly occurred
to Marianne that she had not heard Max
close the shutters, as was lbs custom
when retiring for the night. She
glanced over her shoulder to settle the
point; then her hands fell upon the keys
with discordant crash that startled
Nanny Jane from slumber.
A second of profound stiffness, and
then there rang through the house a
shrek that brought Miss Monckton in
cap and gown, Maxwell from sound
slumber and a couple of affrighted
housemaids, all scurrying toward the
library, from whence that blood cur
ding solitary shrek had sounded.
The sight that confronted them was
Nanny Jane kneeling by Marianne,
who lay unconscious on the rug before
the piano. The old woman was rapidly
loosening bands and buttons. To the
frightened appeals for enlightenment
she had but one answer:
''The good Lord only knowsl She was
playing just as happy and peaceful as
could be, when all of sudden she
screamed that one scream and just top
pied over like you see her. -
One other knew!
Fleeing away in the darkness, as Cain
may have fed with the brand of the
outcast fresh upon him, Reginald Bel
KNAPP turned his back upon the home he
had ruined. For an hour he had sat
upon the cold stones of the front steps,
lacking the courage necessary to carry
him over the threshold He knew quite
well how all the little family circle was
occupying itself at that hour. Life
moved along methodical grooves at Bel
haven. To him now the smoothness of
its deadly monotony was exalted into
transcendent bliss. IF only it were his
to take up once morel Even Monksey,
with her silly superstitions, appealed to
the tenderer side of his nature. He had
smiled bitterly out there in the still OBJ
security of the starlit lawn when, not
caring to be betrayed by his setter be-
fore he was ready to announce himself
he had tied the poor beast to tree in
punishment for it's first frantic yelp of
welcome.
easy there. Joliff. Monksey will set
those bowls down to bad luck. -
Then he had resumed his seat on the
front steps to wait. He must make his
statement up before he confronted Mari
anne Somehow or other in the food Of
remorse that had whelmed him for his
criminal conduct it was his gentle
young sister alone toward whom he
abased his soul in abject contrition.
Maxwell was young, and he was man.
The two could weather this storm some
fashion. But Marianne-Marian who
had always looked up to him as some
thing little superior to common flesh
and blood? How was he to confront her,
look into her sinless face and tell her
that he had gambled the roof from over
her head?
Curiously enough-if sharper it could
be-the sting of his wrongdoing grew
sharper at thought of who the new mas
ter Of Belhaven was.
"And must tell her, proud little
patrician that she is, that her home, the
home she loves with every fiber of her
refined nature, has passed into the
hands of an overseer."
He lacked the courage to move one
step nearer to the inevitable moment of
this confession. In half dazed state Of
mind and body he crouched on his own
doorstep. How long he neither knew
nor cared. From his trance of misera-
BILE indecision he was aroused by the
notes of the piano. Marianne was prac-
ticing the piece he had asked her TO
perfect herself in by the time he got
back. Tender little soul, how had he
deserved to be SO we'll beloved by her?
He sat quite still, listening to the soft,
sweet strains. His face was buried in
his clasped hands. Hot tears trickled
down his cheeks unchecked. Sobs shook
his frame violently. The moments few
by unheeded.
A moments pause. She was alone,
he knew, for no sound of voices mingled
with her music He wanted to find her
alone. He would make sure. He could
not make his confession to the assembled
family. He moved softly toward the
window whose ahutterc MAXWELL had