The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-02-17

ary character, full Of picturesque charm
and glowing romance. To be tremblingly
alive to the gentle Impressions. and yet
TO be able to preserve, when the prosecu-
ton Of a, design requires it, an immovable
heart amidst even the most impertous
causes Of subduing emotion, is perhaps not
an impossible constitution of mind, but it
Is the utmost and rarest endearnfent OF
knew her as a woman of
high mental powers touched with
sweetness. I was now aware
Of the cause Of that melancholy.
Yet it was apparent that the serious
and energetic part Of her character was
founded on deep passion, for after her
sisters marriage with the man she had
herself loved and had threatened. she had
come there beneath their roof,
and lived as her sisters companion, stiff
ing all the hatred that had entered her
heart, and preserving an outward calm
that had no doubt entirely disarmed him.
Such a circumstance was extraordinary.
To me, as to Amber Jevons, who knew
her well, 1t seemed almost inconceivable
that old Mr.. Courtenay should allow her
to live there after receiving such wild
communication as that final letter. Espe-
cially curious, too, that Mary had never
suspected or discovered her sisters jeal-
ousy. Yet SO skilfully had Ethelwynn con-
cealed her intention Of revenge that both
ceiyed.g IL.
Love, considered under its poetical as
pect, is the union of passion and imagi-
nation. had foolishly believed that this
calm, sweet-vofced woman had loved me,
but those letters made it plain that I had
been utterly fooled. lie mysterie de Tex
istence, =. said Madame de Stael to her
daughter, "c'est la rapport de nos err
reurs avec nos peines.'
And Oft oh in har n
character, and in her terrible situation
a concentration Of all the interests that
belong to humanity, she was nevertheless
a, murderess.
The truth. is here remarked my
friend, laying his hand upon the heap Of
tender correspondence which had been
brought to such an abrupt conclusion by
1T is strange romantic story, to say the
least
Then you really believe that she is
guilty?''I exclaimed, hoarseiy.
He. shrugged his shoulders significant
ly, but no word escaped his lips.
In the silence that fell between us, I
glanced at him. His chin was sunk upon
his breast, his brows knit, his thin fingers
tdiing with the plain gold ring.
Well?', / managed to exclaim at last.
What shaH,w we. DOR
'.Do?'n he echoed. what can we do,
my dear fellow? That wonan's future is
in your hands,
why in mtne?" I asked. "In yours
also, surely?"
ss% mo" he answered : resolutely, taking
my hand and graspings it warmly. mo,
Ralph; knowI can see how you are suf-
fering. You believed her TO be pure and
honest woman-one above the common
run-a woman fit as helpmate and wife.
Well too must confess myself very
much n1isled. I believed her to be all
that you imagined; indeed, If her face be
any criterion she is utterly unspoiled by
the world and Its wickedness In my careful
studies in physiognomy have found that
very seldom does a perfect face like hers
cover an evil heart Hence, confess that
this discovery has amazed me quite as
much, as it has you. I somehow feel
Il don't believe it!' cried, interrupt
ing him. Il don't believe, Amber, that
she murdered hin-I can't believe it. Hers
is not the face of a murderess.'
Faces sometimes deceive" he said
quietly. ,"Recellect that a clever woman
can give a truthful appearance to a. lie
where man utterly falls
II know know. But even with Yhis
circumstantial proof I can't and won't
believe it,
Please yourself, my dear fellow he
answered. Il know it is hard to believe
i'll of woman one loves so devotedly as
you've loved Ethelwynn. But be brave,
bear up, and face the situation like a
man."
II am facing it, said resolutely. ST
will trace it by refusing to believe that
she killed him. The letters are plain
enough. She was engaged secretly to old
Courtenay, who threw her over in favor
Of her sister. But is there anything SO
very extraordinary in that? One hears of
such things very often.
-, But the final letter."
1T bears evidence of being written in
the first moments, of wild anger on real
izing that she had been abandoned in
favor Of Mary. Probably she has by this
time quite forgotten the words she wrote.
And in any case the fact of her living be-
meath the" same roof, " supervising the
household, and attending. to the sick man
during Mary's absence entirely negatives,
any idea of revenge
Jevons smiled obviously, and I myself
knew that my argument was not alto
gether logical.
''Well?' continued. "Ana is not that
your opinion?'