The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-05-22
continued from Last Sundays News.
CHAPTER XXI.
A DEEP, DARK MYSTERY.


A DEEP. DARK MYSTERY.
On the return of Mr.. Carter and Mr..
Hamilton, as 1 shall continue to call
him. having phonetic objections to Mrs.
Frye's appellation of t'other one, Con-
stance met them with a face so full of
fear, dread, CONSERVATION, or whatever
the feeling was that had blanched her
face to the color of the white robe she
wore, that they both started back with
alright.
BLESS my soul, child what is it?'
Constance. are you illg
These were their questions, but they
realized the inadequacy of them the
moment they were uttered.
mo, no; but l must tell you both. l
have sent the children away. Now, lis
fen" And with a certain majestic
sternness which robbed her words of all
save the terrible significance of the
manifestly truthful account. she relat-
ed what had taken place at the house
of Mrs. Frye.
BLESS my soul, the mans stark, raw
ing crazy! He'll have to be carried IL
Concord. 1t isn't safe for Mrs. Fry
10 be in the house with him. You
ought to have run home as soon as you
could. Constance. Did you know he
was crazy to begin WITH
Il don't know it now, Uncle Garter.
BLESS my soul! She don't know 1t
now, Vane- she says.
Il think she is right. 1t is something
worse than insanity; it is Scounurel-
ism of the deepest, darkest dye, SAID
Mr.. Hamilton, between his set teeth.
His eyes CLEANED in his pallld face, ana
great drops of sweat stood on his fore
head. 1t was plain to see how great
4 To him in this 1eclaTa
ton of Constance that another man
claimed her as his wife.
They all sat silent after that, as II
words were futile at such a Crisis, at
such an astounding event. Mr.. carter
looked from one to the other, but they
gazed in opposite directions. Mr. Ham
ilton was the first to recover hlmself,
and, to their surprise, he spoke mucn
in his usual tones.
There is no sense in allowing such
man to move us from our usual ways.
1t is worse for him than for US. An
attempt at blackmail so barefaced Is
not to be considered a moment. He
knows all the circumstances OF my
leaving home and of my return; also
what transpired during my absence:
The fact of my having lost my sense OF
personality while away. no doubt
Struck him as a reason why he could
put in the same plea of forgetfulness
But in this he has overreached him
self No one will give the least credit
TO such a statement"
That's so, Vane. A fraud so appar-
ent will not influence any sensible per-
son in the least Can't we have some
dinner, Constance? Vane is in the right
of it, There is no use in wasting word
or thought over the matter.
Matilda has prepared dinner, but
you must excuse me. 1 have no appe-
tite," and she left the room.
"Win wonders never cease, Vane?
Here's this new one of Edes' to cap the
rest. 1t will make a scandal anyhow"
Constance's manifest disturbance re-
calling something of his own.
His story will have to De investi-
gated, and the mar threatened. At all
events, he shall be discharged" said
Mr.. Hamilton. as the two sat down to
dinner together. II have thought him
for a long time more knave than fool"
such men make trouble. 1 wish we
story of his claims get abroad, hey,
Vane?"
ut would not do to offer him money.
though no doubt that is what the fell
low wants; and he is not able to go
now, 1 suppose"
There was no more said between
them about the matter, and the dinner
progressed in silence, though it must
be owned that neither ate heartily.
But they arose to go to the office aft
erwards as if nothing unusual had oc-
Cured.
TN just run up and see Constance"
said Mr.. Carter.
Very well, l will wait for you"
And Mr.. Hamilton did so.
How is she? Does she look much
disturbed?" asked the latter, when Mr..
Carter came down.
She looks as if she had had a great
shock, Vane. l told her not to go near
the Frys."
What did she say?"