The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-09-12

; A TERRIBLE TEMPTATION {
\ by
CHARLES READE <
: ,
A~
CHARLES READE

I fenced for q moment At last she said, II
| feel II must seem harsh To you. You don't
know how wicked II was TO tempt me.
But II Is not as II you had done anything
wrong l do not feel bound TO mention
| mere words; I shall give you an excellent
chara cter Mary--indeed I have.
II think | have got a good place for
you. ! shall know tomorrow, and when
II In settled we will look over my ward
robe together"
This proposal implied a boxful OF pres
ents. and would have made Mary's eyes
fash with delight at another time: but
she was past all that now. She inter-
rupted Lady Bassett with this strange
speech You are very kind. my lady:
will you lend me the key OF your medicine
chest?"
Lady Bassett looked SURPRISED, but
said, Certainly. Mary" and held out
But. before Mary scould take them.
| she considered a moment and asked her
what medicine she required.
only a little laudanum.'
mo. Mary: not while you look like
that. and refuse to tell me your trouble.
I am your mistress. and must exert my
authority for your good. Tell me at
| once what is the matter"
I'D bite my tongue of sooner"
you are wrong Mary. I am sure
I should be your best friend. feel
| much indebted TO you for the attention
| and the affection you have shown me,
and i am grieved TO see you 50 des-
pondent Make friend OF me. There
think IL over. and talk 20 me again to-
morrow"
| Mary Wells took the true servants
| view OF Lady Baseetts kindness. She
| looked at II as a trap: not. indeed ret
with malice prepense. but still a trap.
| She saw that Lady Bassett meant kindly
a m hlI he NJ
that II she told the truth. her mistress
| would turn against her. and say, "Oh,
| I had no idea your trouble arose out OF
| your own imprudence. ! can DO nothing
| for Vicious grl !"
She resolved therefore to say nothing.
or else TO tell some lie or other quite wide
! OF the mark.
Deplorabie as this young .woman's
situation was the duplicity and coarse
ness OF mind which had brought her into
1t would have somewhat blunted the
mental agony such a situation must In
| hict: but IL was aggravated by special
| terror: she knew that II she was found
| out she would lose the only sure friend
she had in the world.
The fact II. Mary Wells has seen a
great deal OF life during the two years
she was out OF the readers sight Rhoda
| had been very good to her: had set her
up in a lodging house. at her earnest re-
threw Il up In disgust. and begged Rhoda
TO put her in the public line. Rhoda
| complied. Mary made a mess OF the pub
| hc-house. Then Rhoda showed her she
| was not AT 10 govern anything and drove
| her into service again; and In that condi-
tion having no more cares that a child.
| and plenty OF work to do. and many
| present, from Rhoda. she had been happy
| But Rhoda. though she forgave
[, blunders. incapicity for business. and
! waste of money. had always told her
| plainly there was one thing that she
! never would forgive.
Rhoda Marsh had become good
Christian in every respect but one. The
male rake reform is rather tolerant: but
| the female rake reformed is as a rule,
bitterly intolerant OF female frailty; and
Rhoda carried this female characteristic
to an extreme in word and in deed.
| They were only half-sisters. after all:
| and Mary knew that she would be cast
/. of forever II she deviated from virtue
so FAR 20 be found out.
J Besides the general warning, there had
been special one. When che read
Mary's first letter from Huntercombe
! Hall, Rhoda was rather taken back az
! first: but. on reflection. she wrote to
Mary. saying she could stay there on two
conditions: she must be discreet. and
| never mention her sister Rhoda I'm the
4
| renew her acquaintance with Rishard
| Bassett. Mind" said she. 'if ever YOU
speak TO that villain I shall hear OF IT,
| and shall never notice you again.
This was the CALLING present and the
dark future which had made so young
/ and unsentimental a woman as Mary
| Wells think OF suicide for a moment OF
two: and II now deprived her OF her rest
and next day kept her thinking and
brooding ali the time her leaden limbs
were carrying her through her mental
duties
The afternoon was Sunny and Sir
Charles and Lady Bassett took their
usual walk.
Mary Wells went a little way with
them. looking very miserable. Lady Bas-
sett observed, and said kindly. MARY
4 you can give me the shawl; | will not
keep you; go where you like till five
! o'clock"
! Mary never said so much as Thank
you She put the shawl around her mis-
tress, and then went slowly back She
sat down on the stone steps. and glared
| stupidity at the scene and felt very miser-
able and leaden
She seemed 10 be stuck in sort OF
slough Of despond. and could not move In
While she sat in this somber reverie a
gentleman walked up tc the door and
Mary Wells lifted her head and looked at
! eyes rested on him with some admira-
! ton; for he was a model OF a man. six
feet high. and built like an athlete. His
face was oval. and his skin dark but glow
ing; his hair eyebrows and long eyelashes
black az Jet. his gray eyes large and ten
der. He was dressed In black with a
| white tie. and his clothes were well cut.
and seemed superlatively so. owing TO the
! Importance and symmetry of the figure
they covered n was the new vicar Mr..
| Angelo
He smiled on Mary graoiousiy, and ask
ed her how Sir Charles was.
She said he was better
Then Mr. Angelo asked more timidly
I was Lady Bessett az home.
she is Just gone out. sir.
! A look Of deep disappointment crossed
I Mr.. Angeles face. II did not escape Mary
/ Wells She looked at him full. and lower
ing her voice n little said. she n only In
the grounds with Sir Charles. She will
be NJ homo about s O'Clock"
Mr. Angelo hcsitated. and then said he
would call again at 5. lie evidently pre-
/ ferred n duet 10 trio lie then this nked
! Mary Wells with more warmth than the
/ occasion seemed TO call for and retired
] -.