The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-05-05
BY WILLIAM LIE QUEUx.



were other circumstances which rendered
her conduct objectionable,
Il really can't believe ita,,' l said. I
feel certain that she wouhEs never have
exposed you willingly"
~ she said at last 1.-The evil is
done now, and the stigma cannot be re-
moved. But you ask me to reveal certain
facts that would place her mind at rest,
restore her confidence, and give her free
dom. have told you. / have made a con-
fession to you that no other person has
had from my lips
All, do not be pitiless," l cried i'm
plorlngiy, feeling assured that she alone
knew the truth. Her assertion that she
could restore my wife to freedom, meant,
knew, the removal of that dark clot,d
of suspicion and dread that was over
shadowing her, held her spell-bound by
fear. Think" [ urged, standing close
TO her, my hand resting upon the bare I'M
polished table. "Once when you came to
me stranger, and I rendered you SER
vice, you promised to perform one for me
in return when I desired it. am now
sorely in need of your friendship, and
have come to you for aid. -
! ''Ws shall be friends always, I hope,
Godfrey" she answered quietly, pushing
back her dark hair from her brow. Her
head was untidy and her hair tangled.
took no heed either of attire or personal
appearance.
PROMISE said.
'fNo, she replied with logged frmness.
In this matter l absolutely refuse.
know how weary and wretched your life
must be, with mystery surrounding you
as it does, and being compelled to live
apart from the woman you love; but,
frankly, the fact that her cold, proud,
Hjghness fears to acknowledge you, or
tell you the truth, is a source of satisfac-
ton to me. She has sown dissension and
is now reaping her harvest of tears. "
The cankerworm of care was eating out
my heart, and I resolved to make one
final appeal to her better nature, albeit
l saw from her demeanor how embittered
she was against Ella.
No effort have 1 left uninterrupted to
seek some solution of the problem"
said. "Yet all is unavailing. / have
sought the truth from Cecil Bingham,
but he refused to utter one word, and re-
ferred me to you. He said you knew all. :"
Cecil Bingham p she cried, suddenly
starting. "Do you know him? He was
your wife's friend"
eyes, answered. st know that, al
though am unaware of the true charac.
ter of their relationship"
"Ah!' she CALCULATED, and I thought
she WINGED beneath my words "He sent
you here?''
eyes" said. "But before seeing him
had endeavoured to obtain some facts
from another of Elias acquaintance,
Andrew Beck.''
"Andrew Beck?'' she repeated in
low hollow voice, her brows contracting
as if the mention of his name was un-
pleasant to her ears. ''You were Jealous
of him once" she added in hard dry
tone.
eyes" 1 smiled. "But I am so no
longer
"Why? thought from what Ella told
me long ago. that you had some cause.
He certainly was one of her admirers.
eyes. But he's about to be married .
married p she cried wildly, starting
to her feet, her lips moving convulsiyely.
"Andrew Beck?''
I nodded, for a moment surprised; but,
suddenly remembering took from my
pocket-book the newspaper cutting an
nouncing the engagement.
Eagerly her strained eyes read the
three formal lines of print, then hastily
crushing the piece of paper in her hand
she cast it from her with a gesture of
anger. Her face was pale and determined,
her thin hands, no longer loaded with
rings as they once had been. twitched
nervously, and l could plainly see the
strange CONFUSION that the unexpected
intelligence had caused her. edo you
know the-the girl who is to be his
wlfe?" she stammered presently.
''No we have never met " I answered.
: His marriage does not, however, concern
us for the moment. 1t Is of Ella and her
strange secret that L seek knowledge. Tell
me the truth, Sonia, so that I may be
able to place within her hand weapon
wherewith to combat this mysterious
enemy she fears" There was long
pause. Her breath came and went quickly
IN hot convulsive gasps. Her hands were
SO tightly clinched that their nails were
driven into the palms; her mouth was
firmly set, and in her eyes was cold
stony stare. The knowledge of Beck's
intended marriage had aroused within
her veritable tumult Of passion. "The
truth % she cried hoarsely at last, her
hard upon her throbbing breast. "You
as6 me to clear suspicion from the woman
whose whim it has been to marry you and
refused. because 1 should bring her hap
piDess and remove from her the terror that
now holds her enthralled. But 1 have
reoonsidered my decision. L"
e'Ah, tell me!''
1 exclaimed, intrrupting her
cause my disclosures, remarkable though
they may be, will not only bring peace
to you and your wife, but will also prove
a trif1e disconcerting to her companions.
Once they hunted me from town to town
as criminal; they will now beg to me
for mercy upon their knees
'Tell me. Do not conceal the truth
longer" [ crisd anxiously.
NO. Only in Elizaveta's presence will
speak" she answered, in a strained
voice that quivered with emotion. "Let
us start for Paris tonight. When the
moon rises I will guide you through the
forest into Germany; we can cross the
Jura by the bridge beyond Absteinen, and
from Tilsit take train to Berlin. In two
days we can be in Paris. Take me to
her." she said with sudden eagerness,
"and you shall both learn facts that will
YOU
81 am quite ready" I said, ri knew
you alone would prove my friend
"No," she answered, regarding me
gravely. "No, Godfrey. 1t is secret
full of grim realities and ugly revelations
which when disclosed will, I fear, cause
you to hate me, and count me among
your enemies. But you seek the truth;
you shall therefore be satisfied"
(Io be Concluded