The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-08-27

3 A TERRIBLE TEMPTATION (.
CHARLES READE
LN
CHARLES READE
(Continued.)


person went anu toiu the young iauy .
iatner the senlIeman was ia me napil %
vlslting tnal lazy, ana wvLId wIln ner
at a certain hour ANA 10 he Was, Dal !.
was the lawyer appointment, yOu KIioN.
4 ou seem aSItaleu.
mo, no; not agitated," said Bella,
but aslonisnso, IL Is 80 line a s.S.y 4
know. A youns iaoS, fIl.nd Oh nine,
haa an anony letter, IeIiIng ner l.iat
one size loved anu esteemed vac ua-
worthy. But wnat you nave lUiu me
SHOWS me now oeceitIul appearances may
De. W nat was your paliei., naiaeG
1t Is against our lules ~ tea ,nal. But
YOU salo an anonymous letter " as your
triend so weak as 20 uei.ese an anvAy
nous letter. Ine wrILer OF sucn let,c.
IS coward, ana a coward Is Always d
mar. ehow me your Iriend anony iiiOI Is
letter. 4 may. perhaps. be able 10 tniow
. light on H.
..tne conversation was interrupted by
Aamiral Bruce, who hau approached
them unooserved. EXCUSE me, sald ne,
but you ladies seem 10 have nit upon a
very interesting theme.
Yes, papa, sala bella. II took the lib-
erty TO question TINS lady as To ner exle-
rience OF sick-Deds. anu she Was svod
enough 10 give me some OF them.
Having uttered this with "A s0oden ap-
pesrance of calmness that nrst amazed
the Sncn maze nef Sftlile, sUt Nooh
her fathers arm, bowed ponteiy, anu a
little stiffly to her new friend ana drew
the Admiral away.
oh" thought the sister II am not to
speak TO the old gentleman. lie Is not IN
her confidence. ret she Is very iona or
him. How she hangs on ms arm! SlmplI-
city! Candcr. we are all tarred with the
same stick-we women
That night Bella was a changed girl
exalted and depressed by turns and with
DO visible reason.
Her father was pleased. Anything bet
ter than that deadly languor.
The next day Bella sat by her father 5
sice In the square. longing 10 go 10 the
sister, yet patiently waiting 10 be order
ed.
AT last the admiral finding her dull and
nstless said, why don't you go and talk
to the sister? She amuses you. Ill jein
you when have smoked this cigar"
The obedient Bella arose and went to-
ward the sister as II compelled But when
she got to her her whole manner. changed.
She took her warmly by the hand. and
said trembling and blushing and all on
are, II have brought you the anonymous
letter"
The elder actress took Il and ran her
eye over it-an eye that now sparkled
Hike diamond. "Humph!'' said she. and
fung of all the dulcet tones OF her as
WIN mighty Dltle CeTe-
nony. This hand is disguised a little.
but ! think / know IL. l am sure | do.
The dirty little rascal.
Madam cried Bella, aghast with sur
prise at this language
III tell you / know the writer and his
rascaily motive. You must lend me this
for a day or two"
Must I?' said Bella. Excuse me! Pa
pa would be so angry"
Very likely; but you will lend II 10 me
for all that; for with this | can clear
Miss Bruce's lover and defeat his enc
mics"
Bella uttered faint cry and trembled
and her bosom heaved violently She
looked this way and that like a frighten-
ed deer, But. papa? His eye is on us"
Never deceive your father said the
sister almost sternly; but" darting her
gray eyes right into those dove-lilse orbs
give me i've minutes start-if YOU really
love Sir Charles Bassett"
With these words she carried off the
letter and Bella ran blushing. painting
trembling, 10 her father and clung TO
him.
He questioned her. but could get moth
Ing from her very ineligible until the
sister was out OF sight and then she told
him all without reserve.
Il was unworthy OF him 10 doubt him
An anonymous slander I'll never trust
m
Darling. what he must have suffered ~ he
loves like me-" Then came shower OF
happy tears; then a shower OF happv
kisses ff'
The admiral groaned but for a long
TINE ne could not get word in When he
did II was chilling. "My poor girl said
ne. this unhappy love blinds Won who,
dont you see the woman Is no nun but
some sly hussy that man has sent 70
throw dust I'm your eyes7"
Nothing she could say prevailed to turn
MIN from this view and he acted unon 4,
with resolution: he confined her excur-
sions to little garden at the back OF the
mouse and forbade her on any pretense
TO cross the threshold.
Miss Somerset came to the souare 4,
Information.
But no Bella Bruce apeared to meet
her
All this time Richard Bassett was han
py as n prince.
SO besotted was he with egotlsm. and
so blinded by imaginary wrongs that he
rejoiced In the lovers separation. re-
5oiced In his cousins attack
Polly who now regarded him almost
as lover told him all about IL: and al
ready In anticipation he saw himself
and his line once more lords OF the two
manors-Bassett and Huntercomh he-on
the demise Of Sir Charles Bassstt. Bart I:
deceased. without issue
And. in fact Sir Charles was utterly
defeated. He lay torpid
But there was a tough opponent in the
way-all the more dangerous that she
was not feared
One fine day Miss Somerset electrified
her groom by ordering her pony carriage
70 the door at 10 a m
She took the reins on the pavern nj.
like man. Jumped in lieht as q feather.
and away ratified the carriage into the
city The ponies were alive the drivers
eve keen as a birds; her courage and her
Judgment equal She wound In and out
among the huge vehicles with perfect
composure. and on those occasions wnen
the traffic being interrupted the ora b
torical powers were useful TO hll up the
time. she shone with singular brillancc.
The West End is too often I'm debt to the
city. but In the matter of chaff Il was
not so this day. for whenever abe took
n peck she returned tushcl. and so she