The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1907-06-15
THE CHARITY GIRL
By EFFIE A. ROWLANDS

By EFFIE A. ROWLANDS

truth, repeated the countess, CuTuy.
Had you been here but few moments
ago you would have seen her with your
own eyes! You would not have given me
the lie in this way! l say again, Jack,
that it is your wife who has disgraced
herself and us this night, who has made
herself the gossip and the scandal of the
place for months to come"
"Gladys, l will not listen to you"
Jack had torn off his mask; his face had
grown as white as ashes. From to-
night, though you are my sister, 1 will
my wife's name. l thought you hard and
cruel, but 1 thought also that, with all
your faults. you had an honorable ma
ture. shall find Audrey, and take her
home. This is no place for her."
Jack was turning abruptly, when a
soft exclamation beside him and a hand
on his arm stopped him.
Lord John, and without your mask
Oh! l cannot allow this, it is against all
rules"
1t was Sheila who spoke.
Have you seen my wife, Sheila?"
Jack asked, hurriedly. He replaced his
mask as he spoke.
Il left her few moments ago. She
was with Mr.. Rochfort. Shall we 60 and
find herr"
Sheila put her hand on his arm, and
Jack moved away with her without an
other word to his sister.
Where did you say you had seen Au-
drey?" Jack asked, harshly.
Sheila's eyes, shining hard and clear
through her mask, were going quickly
round. Where was Alice Fairfax? She
should be at hand now to give the cue
for the last act in the comedy that for
two hearts this night would be bitter
tragedy.
Before she had time to grow angry a
pale-pink domino auttered up to them;
the owner gave a girlish giggle.
"Sheila, is it you? Yes, 1 see it is.
Such fun! l have just seen the loveliest
bit of spooning you ever saw. That very
proper Lady John Glendurwood and
who do you think ?-why, Beverley Roch-
fort! Oh, l assure you they were going
on like anything. They have gone to the
old summer house, and"
Sheila checked her accomplice with so
well-acted an air of anger as to astonish
Miss Fairfax.
alice, how dare you! What are you
saying, my dear child? You must not
it is very wrong" E1e
Miss Fairfax pretended to lose her tenn
per. Really she had been an invaluable
ally, and took as much delight in shar-
ing in this wicked plot as though she
were joining in the purest and best work
on earth.
II am only telling you the truth! If
you don't believe me, go and see for your
self /, for one, am not surprised, after
the way she has gone on tonight" and
with that Miss Fairfax founced her pink
domino out of sight.
Jack Glendurwood had made no sign:
not even the smallest exclamation crossed
his lips. He stood erect and still, like
a statue of stone, as they were alone
again. Then suddenly he turned to
Sheila.
Where is this summer house she
speaks Of? Is it the old one l know"
Sheila bit her lip. She had never heard
anything so terrible as the sound of his
voice, the passionate constraint, the hol-
lowness of acute misery.
"My dear Jack" she said, laughing
nervously, "you surely do not mean to say
you take any notice of that foolish
GIRLS"
Twill you answer me?" Jack replied,
fiercely.
For one moment Sheila's heart failed
her. She began to see her work in it's
full vileness and sin. What if she had
gone too far? What if he should MUIR
der Audrey when he saw her? There
was a sound in his voice that spoke of
rage ungovernable and mad pride.
do not take any notice of such Cos
SIP Jack" she said hurriedly.
All the answer he gave was to begin
to walk out into the grounds, and Sheila,
nerving herself for the last, threw herself
before him.
mo, jack" she said in low, choked
tones, you shall not go y.
what do you meang' His face, from
which he had torn away the mask, was
almost savage in its anger and horrible
fear. do you know what you are say
ing? Why must not go and seek my
wife? Am not the proper person to do
so? Answer me this, Sheila Fraser, why
do you stop me? Do you fear what I
shall see and hear?"
eyes," she said, swiftly, II fear-fer
you, Jack"
''Then be assured, Sheila, I shall not
be harmed. Lead me to this summer
house, that l may know the worst"
Sheila tried to look imploringly at him,
but he simply repeated the command,
and, turning at length she obeyed him.
When they were close to the small rustic
building she stopped.
go on alone" she said, and without
another word Jack strobe down the path.
With gasp Of fear, Sheila followed
him. What would he do, what would
he do? Cold as ice, yet burning with
fever so terrible that it almost choked
him, Jack passed down the path. His
brain was on fire.
Audrey was there-Audrey, his pure
love, his darling, his wife! On all sides
she had been discussed, none had spoken
kindly. What was this awful thing that
had come upon them?
As he reached the door Of the summer
house he was trembling in every limb.
His lips opened to call her name, then