The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1898-07-23
CHAPTER v.

her go to her room looking as she did"
CHAPTER v.
Mrs. Winfret solicitously accom-
panied her niece to her chamber She
dismissed the drowsy maid, and herself
addressed the girl and sat beside her
bed for some moments. Her own
nervousness seemed to have taken a.
little flight into the realm of gratifed
vanity over having aided a famous de-
tectiye in most important investiga-
ton. When Dorothy seemed quieter
she rose and went softly to her own
room.
Dorothy found herself alone. There
was an awful solemnity about The ar
tistic chambe err with it's high ceiling dec
GRATED with figures that seemed to rise
from their somber background and
peer at her through the subdued light.
The passage OF vehicles on the street
below was now markedly infrequcnt.
The girl judged that it was about three
o'clock. The moonlight, chill and
ghostlike, fell in through window.
''It is no USE" cried the girl. 81 can
see no hope for him. Oh, God help
mel"
She rose, and, drawing on wrapper,
and thrusting her feet into slippers,
she went to her writing desk in corner
and sat down. For a moment she
leaned her head on her folded arms and
her lips moved mutely. Then she
opened the desk, and from a secret
drawer took out a package of letters
and began to peruse them. She was
searching for evidence with which to
subdue the horrible fear that was talk
ing root in her consciousness. AS she
laid each note aside voiceless convic-
ton cried out in her heart. One of the
letters she held before her long and
steadily, while her beautiful eyes dis
tended and her breath almost ceased.
1t contained some passages which had
suddenly risen before her minds eye
during the talk in the drawing-room.
They ran as follows:
"Then there are times. darling. when RAJ
tiorality seems to desert me, leaving me
little more than man with the furious in
stincts of goaded animal. 1t is almost
more than can bcar-to think, feel, know,
that your whole soul is mine and vet that
We must part because it would bcggar you
to link your fate with mine. In the face Of
all this. when I meet the mantle human
barrier to our happiness-1 become YER
table savage.
1.-THE other night at Harlcy's stag din
ner q man rose and drank to you and him,
and offered congratulations. Caruthers
was manly enough to admit that there was
no positive engagement, but he said it was
tacitly the same thing. Then q fellow
spoke up and said: OF course, it's settled.
Caruthers. The woman never has been
born who could refuse to marry man at
sacrifice OF ten millions in hard cash.
The whole party, excepting myself,
drank-drank to you and him. While they
were getting up left the room thought
I was unnnoticed. but he had his malicious
eye on me and grinned knowingly. AS
looked back aid saw his haunting face
horrible idea crept into my brain. Knowing
that you despise him, and that they will
eventually bend your spirit to the ordeal
of marriage to him, 1t flashed into my
head that If he were to fall dead where he
stood you would be free-we would be lib
Grated. Later another thought came-that
II he were to fall by my hand, and even il
! had to give up my life in consequence. you
would secure your inheritance and in the
end would find happiness. Pardon me. dar-
ling. but 1 am beside myself to-day. Ban
tinni hates him as cordially as do. can
detect that In his constant illusions to the
will. And am sorry for Bantinn. be-
cause he Is suffering also. l have never
liked him before. but love to hear him de-
nounce my rival 1t is sweet music to my
ear. and the count sees the injustice to me
in it ALL
The girl did not finish the letter. She
was convinced now of her lovers guilt.
Again her head dropped downward till
it rested on her cold arms. She told
herself that indirectly she was to blame
for it all. She had really intended to
throw the inheritance to the winds
rather than cruelty the purest yearn-
ing of her soul and drag the man she
adored down into the dregs of despair,
and she bitterly reproached herself for
not at once acquainting hin, with that
secret resolve. She had refrancd only
at the earnest request of her solicitors,
who begged for time to investigate the
legal status of the matter before she
acted, and she had allowed them and
now
She tried to sob out the awful agony
pent up within her, but her eyes re-
NAMED dry, her torture became more
and more severe. She rose, and with
her hands clasped behind her neck and
her head drawn downward she began
to pace to and fro. Near the door she
walked into the arms of Mrs. Winfret.
"Oh. daring!" cried that lady. II
thought you were asleep"
"For Gods sake don't talk to mel"
The girl ground the words between her
teeth.
Mrs. Winfret put her hands on the
girls shoulders. and turned her rigid
face to the light. 1t was as # Mrs. VIM
fret were afraid that single word from
her would evoke another outburst, for
she said not word.
"Oh, aunt" escaped the girls white
lips, 81 cannot bear I'll simply cam
not!"
The elderly lady released her niece
and sat down.
you believe Arthur Gielow did it,"
she said, slowly and distinctly. "Wcll,
am afraid so, too. Poor fellow! he