The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-08-05
(Continued.)

t0ontlnued)
Marian's eyes met mine afrectionately
II could say no more. My heart was full.
my lips were trembling. In spite of my
self. I was In danger OF appealing to her
rity. i got UP TO leave the room. She
rose at the same moment, laid her hand
gently on my shoulder, and stopped me.
"waiterr she said. II once parted you
both. for your good and for hers. Wait
here. my brother!-wait my dearest. best
friend till Laura comes and tells you
what have done now!"
For the FIRST time since the farewell
morning at Limmeridge, she touched my
forehead with her lips. A tear dropped
fon my face as she kissed me. She turned
fouickly, pointed 10 the chair from which
had risen. and left the room.
sat down alone at the window. to walt
through the crisis OF my life. My mind
In that breathless interval, felt like a
total blank l was conscious OF nothing
but painful Intensity OF all familiar per-
ceptions. The sun grew binding bright;
the white sea-birds. chasing each other
far beyond me. seemed TO be fitting be-
fore my face: the mellow murmur OF the
waves on the beach was like thunder In
my ears.
The door opened. and Laura came in
alone. SO she had entered the breakfast
ing when we parted. Slowly and falter-
irgly, in sorrow and in hesitation. she
had once approached me. Now she came
with the haste OF happiness In her feet.
with the light of happiness radiant in her
face. OF their own accord. those dear
arms clasped themselves round me: of
. their own accord the sweet lips came TO
meet mine. MY darling!' she whisper
ell we may own we love each other
now?" Her head nestled with a tender
contentedness on my bosom.
"oh," she said, innocently. II am so
happy al last"
Ten days later we were happier still.
We were married.
"
The course OF this narrative steadily
bears me away from the morning-time ot
our married life. and carries me forward
= TO the end.
In a fortnight more we three were back
In London. and Marian and were carei Il
10 keep Laura I'm Ignorance of the cause
that had hurried us back-the necessity
OF making sure OF the count. II was now
the beginning OF May. and his term OF &C.
cupation at the house In Forest Road ex-
pired in June. II he renewed IL (and had
reasons, shortly to be mentioned. for an
ticipating that he would, might lie GER
tain OF his not escaping me But II by any
chance he disappointed my expectations
4 and left the country, then had no time
q lose In arming myself To meet him as
test might.
In the first fullness OF my happiness
there had been moments when my reso-
luton faltered-moments when was
tempted to be safely content, now that
the dearest aspiration OF my life was full
filed In the possession OF Laura's love.
For the first time / thought faint-heart-
2 edly or the greatness Of the risk: OF the
adverse chances arrayed against me; OF
AA O.. H.
2 the peril In which l might place the hap
piness which we had so hardly earned.
Yes, let me own II honestly. For a brief
time / wandered. In the sweet guiding OF
love, far from the purpose to which had
been true. under sterner discipline and in
darker days. Innocently Laura had
tempted me aside from the hard path-in-
7nocently she was destined to lead me
back again
{ At times dreams OF the terrible past
still disconnectedfy recalled TO her. in the
mystery OF sleep. the events OF which her
waking memory had lost all trace. One
right (barely two weeks after our mar
riage), when was watching her at rest,
i saw the tears come slowly through her
closed eyelids, / heard the faint murmur-
ing words escape her which told me that
her spirit was back again on the fatal
journey from Blackwater Park. That un-
conscious appeal. so touching and so aw-
full In the sacredness of her sleep. ran
through me like FIRE
The next day was the day we came back
TO London-the day when my resolution
returned me with tenfold strength.
The first necessity was to know some
thing of the man. Thus far the true
story OF his life was an impenetrable mys-
terry TO me.
. began with such scanty sources OF in
formation as were at my own disposal.
The important narrative written by Mr..
Sk ESips (Which Marian had SsS 0o
given 10 her in the winter proved to pe
OF no service TO the special object with
which I now looked at 4. While reading
TO me by Mrs. Clements OF the series or
deceptions which had brought Anne Cats-
erick to London. and which had there de-
voted her 10 the interests OF the conspi-
-racy. Here again. the Count had not
openly committed himself: here. again. he
was, to all practical purposes, out OF my
reach.
next returned to Marians journal at
Blackwatcr Park. Az my request she
read re to me again passage & which Sn rTsfer, Tde
and TO the few particulars which she had
discovered relating 10 him.
The passage TO which in,r ! a1Ipde h ofSHrs Sc,ir
Gates his character and his PERSONAL APP /
pearance She describes him as mot hav- |
Ing crossed the frontiers Of his native
tied in the nearest town to Blackwater
OF odd stamps on them. and one with a
large. officia1-looking seal on IT." She is !
inclined 10 consider that his long absence !
from his native country may he accounted 1
for by assuming that he is a political ex-
lie But she is. on the other hand unable |
10 reconcile this idea with the reception 4
OF the letter from abroad bearing the |
large official-looking seal"-letters from i
the Continent addressed 10 political exiles |
being usually the last 10 court attention |
from foreign postoffices in that way.
The COnaideratiOne thus nTeanDfpH
in the diary, Joined 20 certain surmises OF /
my won that grew out Of them. suggested |
conclusion which 7 wondered I had not \
arrived at before ! now said to myself |