The Bemidji pioneer., 1900-08-02
HARLAND. e & ] Gale

testify to the language in a court OF
Justice, and am positive that his ref,
erence was to your possible recovery
No more!" The mischief-maker was
scared out of her gloomy exultation by
the altered face turned toward her.
Please excuse me from going down
to dinner today. am very weary, and
shall spend the evening alone" pur-
sued Mr.. Withers, with a pitiful show
Of his old and pompous style. He arose
as a further signal that she must go,
when she threw herself before him
and ciasped his knees.
"Elnathan!" the beady eyes strained
in excruciating appeal. do not Danish
me from you in this your extremity!
Who! Who should be near you to sus-5
tain and weep with you but your poor
devoted Harriet-she whose life has
but one end-the hope that she might
serve and aid you; but one reward,
your smile, and so much Of your love
as you may see fit to bestow upon so
worthless an object?
But In the honest sorrow that bowed
the listeners proud spirit to break
Ing, her Fictitious transports met no
response beyond weary impatience. The
cajolery that had fiattered the unworthy
complacency of his prosperous days
rang discordantly upon his present
mood. He wanted pity from no one,
he said to himself, and, in his rejection
Of hers, there was a touch of resent
ment, the consequence of her unspar-
ing deniinciatlon Of Constance. s He
might come to hate her himself soon.
Just now he almost abhorred the one
who had opened his eyes to his own
shame. you mean well, II dare say,
Harriet" he said, in his harshest tone,
'but you are injudicious, and your Of
fers OF sympathy are unWelcome.
am sure that shall shortly receive a
satisfactory explanation Of this mys
terious affair. AS to your gossiping
friends, 4 can only regret that your
associates have not been chosen more
wisely. Now you can go
81 She made no further resistance, but
hers was one of the chamber doors
that Enclosed stealthily when, at mid.
night, the rattle OF a latch-key sound
ed through the front hall, and was fol-
lowed by the entrance of the two sup
posed voyagers. There were more
wakeful eyes under that roof that
night than the master rocked Of, and
beYy of curious gazers peered from
the obscurity of the third story Into
the entry, where Mr.. Withers had or
dered the gas to be kept burning all
night.
"You see we are expected said Ed
ward to his companion.
Mr.. Withers met them at the head
of the staircase, clad in dressing-gown
and slippers. "Ah, here you are. How
did you get back"
'The obliging captain hailed a fish
ing yacht and put. us on board. ;"
answered his brother. Have you been
uneasy about us
"Only lest you might be carried
some distance out before you fell in
with returning vessel. You look very
tired, Constance. shall not let her
go with you again, Edward, unless
you promise to take better care Of her"
."Tell him just how it happened,
Connie" laughed Edward, and the con-
ference was over
'They played their parts well all Of
them" muttered Harriet, stealing back
to her sleepless pillow. But they need
not hope to gag people now that the
scandal has taken wind; murder will
out"
Her sagacity was proved by the APP
pearance in the next days issue of an
extensively circulated journal of a con-
spicious article headed Scandal in
High LITER setting forth the elope-
ment, per steamer to Europe, of the
junior partner in a well-known bank
| ing house with the beautiful wife Of
| his brother, the senior partner of the
aforesaid firm. The intimacy Of the
fugitiyes, the chronicle went on to
say, had been much talked of all win
ter in the brilliant circle to which
thew belonged The deserted husband
| was a citizen whom all delighted to
| honor for his business talents, his
probity in public life, and his private
virtues. "This affection falls upon
| him with the more crushing severity
| from the circumstance that he has
| been for some months an invalid. He
has the sincere sympathy of the entire
community"
The editor of the humane, sheet, al
belt not unused to eating his OWN
words, never penned more humble
and explicit retraction of the "unlucky
error into which, through no fault of
ours, we have fallen than graced his
columns the following morning. He
could hardly have expressed himself
more foreibly had Edward Withers
really horsewhipped him, instead OF
threatening to do it, and to bring an
action for libel as we'll.
Constance breakfasted in bed, at her
husbands request, on the day succeed
ing the Pynsents' departure. The pop-
ular daily, above referred to, lay as
usual by Mr.. Withers' plate when he
went downstairs, folded with what
was known to its constant readers as
the naughty corner outernaost Has-
riet was engaged in concocting her
| cousins cup of foaming chocolate