The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-03-20
BY FRED BOYLE.
Author of The Treasure OF Thor
burma" The Orchid Seekers" etc.
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Z broken unless UDAn pdIS4SS d6fNS. .
! Peele had the strongest motive fer deter
mining that they should never break.
Her husband died, ard the crisis came.
There Is no need, happily. to dwell on these
events. Finally the woman wrote that II
George did not send an agreement 10 fulfill
his reiterated promise within a fixed date
his letters should he printed and circu-
: lated with that she left India
| Social ruin threatened the young officer.
/ He wrote to Mrs. Peeie's agents-she had
! left no personal address-inviting them
| TO name their OWN terms for the purchase
| OF the letters The answer was fnal-his
! whole fortune would not be accepted In
| the bitterness OF those days George had
| learned q fruitful lesson. He was
| changed man henceforth.
HIS friend Maitland was going home and
] he urdertook-not without angry Temon-
| strance-to see what could be done That
1 vague formula expresses the result OF
/ many painful conference.
! Before hearing from Maitland. however.
| George received startling intelligence
| Aunt Kitty wrote to ask about beautiful
| widow who had taken a house in the
| neighborhood of Tours She professed to
| know Captain Maynard well--what had he
| to say about her? She had made herself
| popular already both with French and
| English; but Rosa was not fascinated, by
! any means. The name was Peele.
George hurried to the telegraph office:
t She is at Tours / beg you'to go as soon
| al possible and tell my aunt everything"
| Maitland was jealous friend: a few hours
| after receiving this dispatch. he started
| Aunt Kitty lay stretched in her big chair
| she was growing feeble.
My dear Rosa. / really wish YOU would
| drive over to Mrs. Peele's, IL only 10 show
yourself. All the English are there. you
| know. Come. just to please me-.
Very well, auntie--to please you! But
! may l finish my sketch first?''
| Certainly, dear. There's plenty of
| time
! So Rosa withdrew to the balcony, sing
| ing TO herself as she worked. What with
| the low music and the heat. Miss Nugent
/ fell asleep.
/ A servant awoke her. bringing In a card.
Georges old friend Admit him at
/ once. Marie.'
Having a disagreeable duty to perform,
Major Maitland attacked il after briefest
preIiminares. Almost as soon as seated
he began:--
! Il have come at your nephews pressing
! request. madam, to warn you against Mrs.
| Peele-here's his telegram
| Rosa was just entering to announce her
! self-she drew back, smiling mischievous-
~. What had George to say about that
horrid woman? Auntie would never tell
/ her. But she was dying TO hear.
: W nat KING Oh IeSStANOft the girl expect
ed we need not ask-she never. thought
/ about il; but as Maitland unfolded his tale
/ her face grew white. her eyes burned. Miss
Nugent was too distressed TO interrupt
| and in few minutes all was told.
/ ''Dreadful-dreadful. she quavered
| "oh, George, And why has he sent you to
! impart this shocking story to me. sir?''
THAT i have TO guess. dear lady. Your
nephew could not say much in a telegram
! which scores of people would read. 1t
! seems likely that he thinks Mrs. Peele will
( lay the letters before you in the first in
| stance. knowing Georges deep regard for
you. and trusting that you will urge him
| to avoid the scandal at any price
! Rosa waited for no more. Noiselessly
| she left the balcony and sought a shed
| in tho garden, where carpenters tools
! were kept. An hour afterward she was
| driving toward Chateau la Pelouse. Her
fancy whirled; a thousand memories
swelled UP. jostlng and confused. Pre-
| dominant over all was the thought, put
| into words long ago and never forgotten
| II George lay in peril how gladly would
| she resume her wicked old arts TO free
! him! Such case had risen and she would
| pay her debt--something of il. But an
| other thought possessed her now that the
| time had come-scarcely realized, but dis
| tracting-she must never see him again.
But whilst imagination futtered thus
| steady. She estimated the chances of sue
| cess and the consequences. Major Matt
| lands theory was probable. but it did
not follow that the woman had the let
tiers with her now. That was a fruitless
speculation. however. If she had Them
doubtless they would be kept in her bed
! room-but where. and how securedr There
would be little time for explorations Rosa
| had visited the room more than once.
| with an effort she concentrated her
| thoughts uupon its furniture. Surely all
! was French, old. of country make. II
| there were one receptacle with an English
| patent lock the letters would be there, safe
| against her rude tools. But the woman
! had no cause for alarm. Such correspond
! ence makes a bulky packet. It would he
/ found-it must be found-in that ricketty
/ "armosre" by her bed, If there at all.
Rosa's heart beat painfully as she en-
+ tered the little avenue of the chateau It
WAS garden party and the grounds were
throrged. For an hour she laughed and
chatted. keeping near the house. There
WAS no need Of an excuse 10 enter the
+ bedroom, since II served a. a cabinet de
toilette. Rosa felt sick with excitement
/ and shame az she slipped in and turned
the key.
But the GOODNESS of the sad old times
came back when confronted with such
+ wofk-eupuEh Gf il 10 support her Fate
was very Kind. The ''armoirc'' opened AT
first attempt, and there upon the shelf
before her sy5s, lay a parcel neatly wrap
ped. with open ends. Painting now. Rosa
tore the cover-and saw Georges hand
( writing
Her course had been all thought out
! the letters must he destroyed thcre and
+ then for II the theft Were discovered be-
Tore she got clear Mrs. Pcele was shrcwfl
| enough 10 guess the culprlt and hold
! enough 10 search her ROS.t had Tiled her
3 pocket with matches laying a handful
IN the little stove. che heaped the letters
over them loosely. threw all tn. remainder
ca tor. and liz the pile, II blazed on every
I SIDE She locked the "ar.nciye'' and re-
turned raked out 4 handful ~ fhe ashes
and-shut the stove door. No. a sign of her
dcings was visible Weeks Uaish- 70 ~.
possibly before the woman knew her loss
/ Then Rosa turned 10 go. but great
/ trembling seized her, Hastily she crorpsa
! into chair. It was not remor,se hut
/ horvof- How face that cheerful -.uileIe<s
/ 'hrcns which must b. traverSear She
/ could nSt-in that moment Il seemed that
j she never could.