Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-03

Courtenay's continued existence now In my
mind. I was beside myself with grief and
anger at having ever doubted her. But
how could l act at that moment, save IN
obedience to my friend Jevons' instruc-
tons? He had urged me to go and find out
LONE details regarding her recent life with
the Hennikers; and with that object I re-
marked:
"She hasn't been very well of late, fear.
The change of air should do her good"
That's true, poor girl She's seemed
very unwell, and I've often told her that
only one doctor in the world could cure her
malady-yourself."
1 smiled The malady was. I knew too
well, the grief of a disappointed love- and
a perfect cure for that could only be ac-
complished by a reconciliation. was filled
with regret that she absent, for I
longed there and then to take her to my
breast and whisper into her ear the out
pourings Of my heart. Yes, we men are
very foolish in our impetuosty.
"How long will she be away?'
"Why?" inquired the smartly dressed lit
tie woman, miSchteVouSly. what can 1t
matter to your
81 have her welfare at heart, Mrs. Hen
mixer" I answered, seriously.
"Then you have curious way of show
ing your solicitude on her behalf" she said,
bluntIy. smiling again. Poor Ethelwynn
has been pining day after day for a word
from you, but you seldom, If ever, wrote.
and when you did the GOODNESS OF your let
tiers added to her burden Of grief I knew
always when she had received one by the
traces of secret tears upon her cheeks.
Forgive me for saying so, doctor, but you
a womans affection, or perhaps out Of mere
caprice often try her patience until the
straining thread snaps, and she who was
a good and pure woman becomes reckless
of everything-her name, her ramliy prlde
and even her own honor.
Her words aroused my curiosity.
"And you believe that Ethelwynn's pa
tience is exhausted?" I asked. anxiously.,
oot
Gus expression in them There is always
something strange in the eyes OF fair wo-
man who is hiding a secret.
well, DOCTOR" she answered, in voice
quite calm and deliberate, you've already
shown yourself so openly as being indis-
posed to further associate yourself publicly
with poor Ethelwynn, because OF the trag-
edy that befell the household, that you
surely cannot complain If you find your
place usurped by a new and more devoted
lover"
What Is this you tell me? Ethelwynn
has a lover?'
IT have nothing whatever to do with her
affairs, DOCTOR" said the tantalizing wo-
smarter set. Now that you have forsaken
her she is, of course, entirely mistress of
her own actions
But 1 haven't forsaken herr I blurted
forth.
She only smiled superciliously, with the
same mysterious look in her eyes-an ex-
preston that cannot define, but by which
I knew that she had told me the crushing
truth. Ethelwynn, believing that I had
cast her aside, had allowed herself to be
loved by another
Who was the man who had usurped nv
place? 1 deserved 1t all, without a doubt
You, reader, have already in your heart
condemned me as being hard and indiffer-
ent toward the woman once loved so truly
and so we'll, but in extenuation I would
suspicious against her-how every fact
seemed to prove conclusively that her sis
ters husband had died by her hand
l saw plainly in Mrs Henniker's yelled
words a statement Of the truth, and after
obtaining from her Ethelwynns address
near Hereford bade her farewell and blindly
left the house.