The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-06-01
THE WOMAN IN WHITE
BY WILLIAM w. COLLINS.

wife. and how you threaten me-" / broke
out. In the heat Of my anger There
are laws In England to proect women
from cruslty and outrage I you nurt
a hair OF Laura's head. II you dare TO
intsrfere with my freedom, come what
may, TO the laws will appeal"
Instead Of answering me. he turned
round TO the count.
What did tell you" he asked. What
do you say nowT
What l said before" replied the count,
No"
Even In the vchemence Of my anger.
/ felt his calm. cold. gray eyes on my
face. They turned away from me as
soon as he had spoken. and looked sig
nifcantly at his wife. Nine Fosco i'm
mediateiy moved close to my side. and.
In that position. addressed Sir Percival
before either OF us could speak again.
Favor me with your attention for one
moment" she said. In her clear icily sup
pressed tones. II have to thank you.
Sir Percivai for your hospitality. and to
decline taking advantage Of II any longer.
/ remain In no house In which ladies are
trea ted as your wife and Miss Halcombe
have been treated here today
Sir Percival drew back a step. and
stared at her In dead silence. The dec
laration he had just heard-a declaration
which he well knew, as I well knew,
Nine. Fosco would not have ventured 10
make without her husbands permission
seemed to petrify him with surprise.
The count sood by. and looked at his
wife with the most enthusiastic admra :
ton.
''She is sublime." ne said TO himself.
He approached her. while he spoke, ard
drew her hand through his arm. II am
at your service Eleanor" he went on
with a quiet dignity that ! had never
noticed in him before. And at Miss
Halcombe's service. II she will honor me
By accepting all the assistance ] can
offer her"
"D-n II, what do you mean?' cried
Sir Percivai. as the Count quietly moved
away with n WIFE TO the door.
AT other times I mean what | say. but
at this time I mean what my wife
says" replied the impenetrabie Italian.
we have changed places. Percival, for
once. and Madame Fosco's opinion is
mine"
Sir Percival crumpled up the paper In
his hand. and, pushing passed the
Count with another oath, stood between
him and the door.
Have your own way he said. with
baffled rage in his low. half-whispering
tones. Have your own way-and see
what comes OF It," With those words he
left the room.
husband. He has gone away very sud-
denly" she said. What does 1t mean?"
1T means that you and I together have
brought the worst-tempered man in all
England to his senses" answered the
Count. 1T means. Miss Halcombe, that
Lady Clyde is relieved from gross in
dignity, and you the repetition OF an un-
pardonable insult. Suffer me to express
my admiration Of your conduct and your
courage at a very trying moment
Sincere admiration" suggested Nine.
Fosco
Sincere admiration" echoed the Count.
/ had no longer the strength Of Wy frss
angry resistance 10 outrage and injury
TO support me. My heartsick anxiety TO
see Laura: my sense of my own helpless
ignorance OF what had happened at the
boat-house. pressed on me with an in
tolerable weight. i tried to keep up ap-
pearances, by speaking TO the Count and
his wife In the tone which they had chos-
en- to adopt In speaking to me. But the
words failed on my iips-my breath came
short and thick-my eyes looked long
ingly, In silence. at the door. The Count,
understanding my anxiety, opened L.,
went out. pulled It after him. At the
same time Sir Percval's heavy step de-
scended the stairs. / heard them whis-
pering together outside. while Nine. Fos-
co was assuring me in her calmest and
most conventional manner that she re-
joiced. for all our sakes. that Sir Perci-
walls conduct had not obliged her hus-
band and herself to leave Blackwater
Park. Before she had done speaking, the
whispering ceased. the door opened and
the Count looked In.
Miss Halcombe," he said. II am hap
py to inform you that Lady Clyde is mis-
tress again I'm her own house. l thought
IL might be more agreeable 10 you TO hear
of this change for the better from me
than from Sir Percival. and I have there
fore expressly returned to mention IT."
Admirable delicacy'' said Nine. Fos-
CO, paying back her husbands tribute
of admiration with the Counts own coin.
In the Counts own manner, He smiled
and bowed as II he had received a formal
compliment from a polite stranger, and
drew back to let me pass out first.
Sir Percival was standing in the hall.
AS / hurried to the stairs / heard him
call impatiently 20 the Count 10 como
out To the library.
What are you waiting for there?' he
said: II want TO speak TO you"
And I want to think little by my
self" replied the other. Wait till later,
Percival-wait till later"
Neither he nor his friend said any more.
I gained the top OF the stairs, and ran
along the passage In my haste and my
chamber open. but closed the door OF
the bedroom the moment ! was inside
IL.
Laura was sitting alone az the far end
ofsthe room. her arms resting wearily on
a table and her face hidden In her hands.
She started up. with cry OF delight.
when she saw me.
How did YOU get here?" she asked.
Who gave ,you leave? Not Sir Perei-
val?"
In my overpowsring anxiety 10 hear
what she had 10 tell me. I could not an
swer hcr--I could only put questions. on
my side. Bauras eagernSss to know
what had passed downstairs proved
however. too strong 10 be resisted. She
persistcntly repeated her inquiries
The Count. Of course | answered. I'm
patiently. Whose influence In the
house,
She stopped me. with a gesture OF dis
gust
Don't speak Of him." she cried The
Count is the vllest creature breathing
The Count H. n miserable Spy
Before we could either OF us cay auOth-
or Word we were alarmed hv rnf,