Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1899-07-27

confront the criminal, for as the door
again opened, it was not Lady Mont
forts gray hairs upon which his ewes
rested, but the ruddy gold of the tress-
es Of her who had usurped the name.
Why had this woman come to him?
To plead for mercy or to demand just
ice: How vividly she recalled to him
the first day of their meeting, except
that his quick glance saw that she was
crushed, when then she had been
merely administration with sorrow,
when then she had been rebellious of
grief-humbled when she had been
proud. Yet. unless she had met Ger
vase, she could not have returned here
from the castle: and in the first hour
of Herberts return unless the truth
were known, it was strange that he
perhaps her own conscience had rem
dered insupportable her burden.
He noticed that her dress was as
simple as OH that first day. and that
the hand which rested on chair, trem-
bed convulsivcly. Yet there was some
thing i'll her mien that commanded
that all outward Difference be hers
Your visit surprises me, madame"
SiNi, COll leOUSlN UuI w Ill
you be seated?"
She sank, then, into chair; but, to
his intense amazement, instead of re-
plying by words, she leaned her head
forward on the table, and a very storm
OF tears shook her frame. 1t was i'm
possible to witness her emotion and not
recognize its genuineness. The wo-
man had ceased to act, whatever was
the role she hitherto had played.
Spite of the storm of outraged indig
nation which had lately swept over
him because of her, he felt himself
moved to pity. aud, not unkindly, laid
his hand upon her convulsed shoulder.
You have come here to make your
confession" he said, gently. ''I'll spare
you the humiliation. already know"
At his words her sobs ceased. She
DE- shed back the hot tears With an I'M
patient hand. and sprang to her feet.
You know me?' she said. 'sYou
know all that l have come to tell you?
How: Tell me how"
Louis Gervase has just left me''
Louis Garvase!' she shuddered.
That wicked man! But what could he
know of me? What could he say to
you?"
HE told me that the name by which
Just now my clerk announced you was
stolen. and one to which you had 70
right; that your life for the past six
weeks has been living lie; that you
have no title to be called the Lady
MontfOrt.'
Lady Montfort." she gasped, her
face blanching, Il have neither wish
nor right to be so called: but oh, for
Gods sake, tell me of my husband!
BERTHE lives? He is safe? Reproach
ne as you will. though whereof l can
not know. only let me see him once. If
it is for his happiness. l will go away,
never letting him dream of that one
glimpse l have stolen from heaven.
Believing me dead, if he has sought
happiness in other ways-if-if some
other woman has usurped my place in
bis heartfelt him think me dead still!
Only speak to me, and tell me that he
lives--that no misfortune has come to
hinl-that he is happy
With all the eloQuence of passion SHE
poured out the earnest torrent OF her
words.
The old man grew whittier and whittier
as he listened. His eyes fixed them
selves upon her in a wondering stare.
Either one or the other Of them was
mad! Which was it?
I'm Gods name, who are you?' he
said. at last
"Who am I?' she replied. All, you
indeed mock me! l am Dorothy Dali
rymple, Herbert Dalrymple's Wife"
For moment. silence, unbroken save
by the lawyers heavy breathing,
reigned in the room: then he staggered
and fell back on his chair, white and
gasping.
She poured out glass of water and
held it to his lips. She moved toward
the door. to bring assistance.
But his voice feebly detained her.
Partially recovering, he sat more erect.
STAND in the light-the lightv' he
calculated. Il want to look at your
Silently she obeyed him. 1t was nat
ural. she thought. that he might wish
to scr,ltnize one who had brought for
ward such claim.
Slowly his eyes studied her. Yes. the
hair held less glory than hers, which
seemed made up of imprisoned sun
lights her eyes had robbed their blue
from heaven. rather than the seas
darker depths: her skin was less daZ-
Zlng in it's fairness; she was less beau
tiful than the woman who had robbed
her, and whom she had risen from the
grave to confront with that robbery.
She had spoken truly. 1t was Dorothy
Dalrymple who had returned to solve
the enigma which had seemed, an hour
before, beyond human skill.
CHAPTER XXXII.
pos.i6n 1ol. tho two mon mot