The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-12-02

amusing himself? II hs q, be shan re-
I pent Il 70 the last day OF his lie"
Precisely what she intended 20 do
Wll ever remain q mystery. What John
was planning was the fabrication Of
Henry Armstrong; death, leaving
property worth hundred thousand
pounds, This would neces8ltate q visit
70 Portuguese East Africa. and news Of
his intention Of leaving England reach
cd MrB Piayfair's ears By means OF
her husband. She wrote John an I'm
perative summons 70 call. and gave
\ strict orders that 70 other visitors she
was mot at home"
$50 hear you ore going back to
! ouiiimRne" aho began.
John answered In the Affirmative. but
/ that his visit would last but q short
time. he would soon be back again.
Have you seen the ArmatrongS late
ly?" she asked, presently.
! was there yesterday, Between our
selves, Mrs. PlayfalF, hope, when In
Africa, to trace Henry Armstrong.
have had letters from ouihmane. and
believe that am on the right track"
II heard you were taking o lot Of
trouble IN the matter, but u you ask
my advice. ] should say-don't look for
him.
But Mss Armstrong and her mother
are very anxious to have him found"
Then you do It 70 please herr"
u suppose 90" said John. clunBily.
''Do you remember he went on, tell
ing me about Heseltlne, the man In
love with her? He is coming back
from India on leave"
ut doesn't seem 10 disturb you"
Why should ~" he asked In sur
prise,
Mrs. Playfair lost her temper.
do you know your attentions to Dor
othy have got her very much talked
about-even compromised? You are
always calling there, aud treat her in
the presence Of otherB as though you
were her hancee."
John was plainly horrifed. ~ didn't
know" he Stammered.
Are you going to marry herr"
III Good hesYenBl What an Ideal"
Mrs: Playfair was now very angry.
indeed.
what an idea! Please remember
Armstrong is my friend II you have
meant nothing by your attentions = r.
you don't think her good enough"
Mrs. Playfair," cried John, you
misunderstood me; I'm mol worthy 70
marry her but my only wish is her hap
pinesB-that she may marry the man
she loves, and ] was hoping Heseltinc
was the man"
He was plainly speaking the truth.
"You are ncomprehensible. You don't
love her, you say7"
'I-I," John faltered horribly. Scales
had seemingly fallen from his eyes. II
can't marry her. / can't marry her.
DON'T ask me why"
But Mrs. PlayfaIr was too curious to
Are you married." she qucrIed.
sharply.
mo, no. no, It Isn't that, It's some
thing else" John muttered, ineoheTent-
ly, pacing up and down the room.
Mr.. Davis" the lady went on, pitt
lessly. II believe she loves you"
Heaven forbid" cried John
He got away, somehow, still guarding
his secret. and going home. wrestled
with his new trouble, He had deceived
himself from the first day OF their meet
Ing. Tho fascination she exercised
over him had, he deemed. nothing to do
with love. And he was a morose man.
into contact with; barely civil to thu
men. No one had ventured on even &
mild Jest at his seeming infatu0tton.
How BLIND have been" he crcu.
He went over her treatment Of him. In
the new light OF his knowledge It was
possible he had won her love; that he
loved her deeply and sincerely was now
plain 70 him. Nothing stood between
them but the shadow OF Henry Arm
strong. shot by his hand thousands OF
miles away.
But! What a but! How could he ask
her to marry him, how bind her with a
wedding ring while she vowed 10 love.
honor and obey her brothers murderer?
1t was horrible TO think Of; and yet, II
he told the truth he wrecked two lives
forever.
what was he to do? Either way he
saw trouble. Suppose they married,
the shadow unseen by her would fall
athwart his path her very innocence OF
Il adding to his bitterness. No, that
was not to be thought OF, Suppose chs
learned the truth, and her love turned
to hate? So vivid was the picture he
could hear her passionate reproaches.
Tell her all, and let her decide II her
love was strong enough TO pardon? Yes,
that was the better way. II would be
an ordeal, Indeed, but he must do It. on
the morrow he would speak, tell the tale
soberiy and truthfuliy Of how her
brother died by his hand; how he had
learned unwlttlngly 20 love her, and
abide by her verdict.
III.
There stood in the little patch Of gar
den at the back of the house in West
Remington small tent Just large
enough to hold couple Of chairs, In the
hot summer days It was favorite re-
sort Of Dorothy and her mother. The
following day John called when the
clocks were striking ten. He chose the
lime deliberately. MrR. Armstrong was
never visible before eleven, and he
could speak to Dorothy without fear of
interruption. He expected to find her
In the house, but the servant, In reply
to his query, said that she was in the
garden.
Il Will go there" he answered; and,
walking around the house toward the
| tent, came suddenly on the girl seated
llstlesSly IN deep reyeRie, the book she
was reading lying neglected on the
ground. She started at sight Of John.
Something In his face checked the
conventional words that rose TO her lips.
On his part he came straight to the
Il am in trouble" he said, deep
trouble. ! want your advice as to what
must DO"
yes. May Speak3"
She inclined her head, speech falling
her. His words and manner beWlldered
her, He Btod before her Just a. he
had done at their aFst meeting. He
looked her in the face, ana spoke.
II am EoinG to tell you what ! have
never told any one betore-the details
| that led to my shooting the man at Lo.
tito, where found my diamonds.