The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-08-29
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3 A TERRIBLE TEMPTATION {
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I CHARLES READE Z
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CHARLES READE
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kept her temper and ignored the inter
ruption. Then, IL you decided to go into
% indelicate a question at all (and really
you were not bound TO do so on anony-
nous information), why then. you should
have sent for Sir Charles. and given him
the letter. and put him on his honor to
tell you the truth. He would have told
you the facts, instead of a garbled YER
sion; and the fact is that before he knew
Bella he had a connection. which he pre-
pared TO dissolve. on terms very honora-
BILE TO himself. soon as he engaged
himself To your daughter. What is there
IN that? Why, IL In common, universal
among men OF fashion. | am so vexed it
ever came to Bella's knowledge: really IL
is dreadful TO me. as a mother, that such
q thing should have been discussed before
that child. Complete innocence means
complete Ignorance: and that Is how all
my girls went TO their husbands How
ever, what we must do now IN To tell her
Sir Charles has satisfied me he was not
TO blame; and after that the subject must
never be recurred to. Sir Charles has
promised me never to mention II. and no
more shall Bella. And now. my dear John.
let me congratulate you. Your daughter
has high minded lover. who adores her,
with f1ne estate; he has been crying To
me, poor fellow, as men will TO a woman
OF my age: and IL you have any respect
Tor my tudgment-ask him to dinner"
She added that IL might be as well ~.
aiter dinner. he were 10 take a little nap.
ADMIRAL Bruce did not fall into these
Views without discussion spare the
Ieaner the dialogue since he yielded at
last; only he stipulated that his sister
should do the dinner. and the subsequent
siesta.
Bella returned, looking very wistful and
anxious
Come here. niece" said Mrs. Molineux
hneei you at my knee. Now look me In
the race. Sir Charles has loved YOU. and
you only, from the day he first saw YOU
de loves you now as much as ever Do
you love him."
"Oh. aunt! aunt" A shower OF kisses
and tear or two.
That is enough. Then drv vour eve.
and dress your beautiful hair a little bet
day" ' 'e W.
Bruce? ~" no De'a
The dreaded aunt did not stop there.
She held that after the peep into real life
Bella Bruce had obtained. for want 40 a
nother's vigilance. she ought 10 be a wIfe
= soon as possible. So she gave Sir
mares hint that Baden was a very
sood place 70 be married in; and from
nat moment Sir Charles gave Bella and
Ter Iather no rest till they consented
Litue did Richard Bassett In England
Pream what was going on at Baden He
Pow surveyed the chimneys OF Hunter
omoe Han with resigna ton and even
win growing complacency. as chinnevs
nat would one day be his since their
"ner would not be I'm a hurry 10 love
sain. ne shot Sir Charles pheasants
whenever they strayed into his bedge-
he liva
go nealth In word. content with the
esult or his anonymous lettey, he confin-
himself now TO cannily outliving the
wrongful heir--his cousin
One fine frosty day the chimney OF Hun
frcombe began to show signs Of life YER
cal columns Of blue smoke rose in the
ir, one after another. till at last there
Fere about 40
Old servants flowed down from Lon.
on. New ones trickled I'm. with their
oxes. from the country. Carriages were
rawn out into the stable yard. horses
Kercised. and a whisper ran that Sir
harles was coming TO live on his estates, |
nd not alone.
Richard Bassett went about inquiring
butiously.
The rumor spread and was confirmed
some little facts.
At last. one fine day, when the chin !
eys were all smoking the church bells /
egan 10 peal
Richard Bassett heard, and went out
owing deeply. He found the village !
agog with expectation.
Presently there was loud cheer from /
e steeple, and flag noated from the /
- Of Huntercombe House. Murmurs |
slant cheers. Approaching cheers The !
after Of horses feet. The roll of wheels 1
untercombe gates flung wide open by |
cluster OF grooms and keepers.
Then on came two outriders ushered bs 4
I'D hurrahs. and followed by a carriage \
ID four that dashed through the vii /
Re amid peals OF delight from the VIII !
gers. The carriage was open. and in |
sat Sir Charles and Bella Bassett. She /
rs lovlier than ever: she dazzled the |
ry air with her beauty and ner go-
,us hair. The hurrahs of the the VII /
gers made her heart beat; she pressed |
Charles hand tenderly. and literally /
one with JOY and pride; and so she |
ept past Richard Bassett; she saw
N directly. shuddered a moment and |
IT, clung TO her husband: then on again.
d passed through the open gates amid
ld cheers.
The slighted In her own hall and walk
noddlng and smiling sunnily, through |
files of domestics and retainers; and l
bught no more Of Richard Bassett than
me bright bird that has flown over a
tlesnake and glanced down at him.
but gorgeous bird cannot always he |
Ing A snake can sometimes creep .
der the perch. and glare. and keep
sing I'll she shudders and droops and
$ her plumage in the dust.
CHAPTER TX
Generally deliberate crimes are followed
some great punishment: but they are
often attended in their course by
efer chastisements-singles strokes from
whip that holds the round dozen In
erve. These precursors Of the grand
iation are sharp but kindly lashes for
tend 20 whip the man out OF the
png road
ich a stroke fell on Richard Bassett:
saw Bella Bruce sweep past him. |
ging 20 her husband and shuddering /
himself. For this, then. he had plot
and intrigued and written an anony-
Is letter The only woman he had
loved at all went past him with
ok of aversion. and was his enemys
and would soon be the mother OF