The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1901-07-17

1t was an absurdity, an impossible
ity, that the man she knew as Philip
Wendover could act such villains
part. Never! She would not and
could not believe It, and yet tine
woman told her story calmly and as
suredly. She had said she had
married him in New York ten years
ago, and Hilda knew he had been
In America at one time and about
that time. Still, any one might
know that, and in the making Of a
plot against him the knowledge
would be made use of. No; it was
an Infamous lie, and she would
think no more oft. Mr.. Wendover
would see the woman himself, and
the nefarious scheme would be thor
oughly exposed.
Presently she heard Marjorie's
voice as she chartered to her mother,
and knew that the next minute she
would be under q cross examination
as to what she wss doing still there,
and picking up her flowers quickly
she took flight in the direction Of
the house. When she reached her
own room, she locked the door and
sat down to think, and when her sis
fer-in-law knocked later sine pleaded
violent headache and asked to be
excused from lunch. Dossie was
much concerned, but at last was per-
suaded to leave the sufferer alone.
The more Hilda thought over the
woman's words the more she inclin-
ed to think there was some mistake
and that all would be explained.
Still, she could not quite regain her
peace of mind, however hard she
tried to, and when she did leave her
room Dossie exclaimed at once on
her i'll looks.
ssHilda, my dear child, you look
wretched. Pm afraid the heat has
been too much for you. Do you
think you were too much in the sun
this morning? Well, I do hope a
cup of tea will do you good. We
must not have you looking like this
tonight, you know"
"Oh, shall be all right soon,
thanks, Dossie. The heat is rather
trying, l must admit"
'T think there is thunder in the
air. hope Harry won't miss Mr..
Wendoyer. They will probably
come by the same train"
eyes," said Hilda, beginning to
sip her tea slowly. Her sister-in-
law was too busy talking herself to
notice how quiet the girl was, and
then her headache accounted for
much.
It was some time later that tele-
gram was brought to Mrs. Beckett.
She read it and handed it to Hilda,
saying: ''How tiresomel Mr.. Wend-
over is detained at Beignton and
will not be here until tomorrow.
What can he be doing there? l did
not know he had friends there"
Hilda was silent The woman
who called herself his wife lived at
Beignton. They must have met at
some station on the way; she would
be on the lookout for him, knowing
In what direction he was travelling.
When she went to bed that night,
Hlda's mind was made up. She
would leave her brothers house be-
fore Philip Wendover arrived the
next day. Some excuse must be
made to Dossie. She felt she could
not tell her the truth. She must
devise something. She must make
them believe that a letter called her
away-anything-but go she would,
even if it meant offending her kind
hearted sister-in-law for short
time.
Philip Wendover would probably
come on by an afternoon train. If
she left at midday, she would pass
his train somewhere on the way.
She must forget him from that mo-
ment. The man was vile and base.
Yet how unlike anything of the
kind he seemed-so frank, SO open,
and what favorite with every one
But the woman's facets sadness
haunted her all day. She was no
scheIner-her voice rang true.
Hilda knew she spoke the truth.
he was clever actor and had de-
ceived them all, and perhaps he
thought his wife was dead. All
night long she tossed in bed. Sleep
would not come to her, and she rose
next morning looking, as she felt, i'll
and very miserable.
Dossie and her husband were loud
in their catcries when she Joined
them at breakfast.
fsWhy, Hilda," said the former,
"you look perfec. wreck"
Dol? Well, I mean to eat some
breakfast" answered the girl, with
forced gayety.
Nothing moro was said about her