The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-06-09
H..

Mrs. Mark Remsen, the Miss Pruyn that
was, was busy with accounts and letters
in the library OF the big city house. Ac-
counts first, for order was the lady's first
and only law. In her dress, manner and
movement, in the appointments Of her
desk, in the way the lights were adjusted
and the furniture was set there was an &C
curate nicely as competent as sufficient
the skill Of a surgeon.
Accounts first; for many years she had
corrected and approved ~them-years Of
steady advance from the station of govern
ess 10 that OF the mistress. Power now
was hers, and she looked it; unquestioned
power, delegated by a senile and ~uxorious
nan
No wonder she practised order; it had
been the secret OF her success; definite
purpose, logically carried out, without a
shadow Of human turning. Not once In
her tortuous way from the knowledge in
which she should have had no part to being
the prime, indispensable element in keeping
it sacred and inviolate within the big house,
had she missed or omitted a possible move
in the chase.
NotthatMiss Pruyn had not had feelings
OF her own. Even now in the comfortable
sense Of proprietorship which the accounts
gave there were thoughts that disturbed
and hurried the regular rise and fall OF
the lace at her breast.
But whatever they we're they vanished
before the exultation with which she studied
a certain private bank book, showing that
a large deposit had recently been made
in her name. Indeed, she had forced her
enemy not only to suffer but to pay while
doing so.
Letters next in the orderly routine. Now
again the lace ruf1ed with agitation.
How weak even the strongest Of mortals
in resisting the association OF inanimate
things. Time was, and not 90 long ago,
when the vital, enthralling excitement of
his moment had been the watch for a
glimpse Of that handwriting, the fervent
clutch Of the letter to the heart, the read
ing, the rereading, with eyes suffused,
with eyes that glowed and burned.
Oh, the villain. TO have treated her so
lightly; oh, the fool, not 10 have realized
the danger Of his treachery. True, she
had never faltered from her purpose of
becoming mistress Of the big house; but
IL he had only waited, il he had only trusted
In her devotion and daring. he might have
been master OF IL and Of her.
Papers and periodicals next and last.
In the commonplace and familiar task
Mrs. Remsen regained her equanimity.
At all events she had won in an amazing
game. Would any one believe that such a
Transformation could have been made?
There lay her perfect security-in the
utter impossibility Of the thing. She had
won thus far. She wac wife and mistress
OF the big house; the girls money was hers:
and the girl herself, that hated girl who
out OF very wantonness, without the excuse
ever OF attraction, had dared TO draw her
lover from her, she was worse than dead.
she should be a long. long time worse than
dead.
And the lover himself Mrs. Remsen
laughed as blithely. as unpleasantly an
Miss Pruyn ever had in her hour OF deepest
continuance. In what a coil he was in
volved, what an inextricable, fatal coil,
At any moment the news might come that
the inevitable had happened.
Mrs. Romsen opened oarelessly the last
paper Of the mail. II proved TO be- an
obscure Southern sheet directed TO her In
an unknown hand. 6er eye caught a new
item on the second page marked in blue.
IL read az follows:
STRANGE FATALITY AT TIE SMILING Inn
Late one night last week. a series Of screams
brought the management Of this fashionable
hosiery 10 the apartments Of Mr.. and Mrs.
Gordon Prince. q young English couple Of