The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1907-09-13
CHAPTER vIII.-(Continued.)

- II she must rush madly after him,
but she restrained herself; and fortunate
" she got her fathers permission to re-
turn to her aunt, and try to cheer tia
poor woman up. Roderick was back at
her home, and proved a courteous and
kind friend to his brothers wife. He BE-
sought her not to speak to her father
about the marriage, urging all sorts OF
reasons for the delay. Roderick also ad-
vised her not to confde in his mother ;
and, bearing In mind Franks wishes, she
did all the young man advised.
SO the days went BY. Four months
were spent: the time was drawing near
Tor her fathers annual winter visit t.
the Riviera, and Constance felt she ought
to accompany him, when suddenly the
current of her life was changed by two
events, the 6rst of which brought tho
color to her cheeks and the thrill to her
heart the second Of which plunged the
girls soul into the deepest, darkest mis-
sry = woman can ever know.
Just a. the letter in which she had
written, In timid, gentle words, the ma
ternal hopes abe might assure herself Of,
blow fell upon her which all but
crushed out her life, a. It successfully
broke her heart. One day q woman pre-
scented herself at Lady Anstruther's house
and asked to see Miss Gascoigne. Mar
shall, who guarded and shielded her
young mistress BY every means In her
power, would have refused this woman
admittance, but Constance took the mat
ter into her own hands, and q meeting
followed.
When Marshall went in to look after
tbs girl. thinking she had given the
stranger enough Of her time, she found
Constance standing before the fire. her
face ashen white, her eyes staring and
sxpressionless, like the eyes Of the dead.
Marshall" she said, with tones that
were husky with emotion, "Marshall, T.
have been deceived. I am not Franks
wife!''
"Not Mr.. Franks wife! Oh, come
Miss Constance, you, are altogether
wrong! Why, didn't I see you a-stand-
In before the altar with my own eyes,
and didn't l hear you swear to belong
70 each other"
Constance put out an icy-cold hand.
Dear, true friend" she whispered,
between her pailid lips, and then she
tok up a plecs Of paper and gave 1t to
Marshall.
Read that, and you will see am not
wrong" she said, with a wintry smile.
The wedding you assisted at was only
Farce. Here Is the certificate Of Frank
Anstruther's first marriage, ay, first and
ealy one, for that woman who has Just
Isft me 10 his lawful, legal wife,"
Il will not believe It'll I will not be-
nsve I'll" So cried Marshall over and
ever again, while the poor girl crouched
down BY the fire and rocked herself to
and fro, asking herself in a wild, mad
way. what was to become of her.
Mr.. Roderick will put this straight"
was Marshalls verdict. and for q brief
time flame ofNhope sprung up In the
wretched creatures breast; but alas! 1t
soonA died down and was crushed out for
ever
Roderfck took the matter up immedi-
atcly. He sought out every clew, follow
I'd the truth up to the bitter end, and,
lastly and sorrowfully, had to own his
brother 4 liar and a villain.
Constance seemed turned to stone. She
shed no tears, she made no moan she
bore herself with 4 pride that was some
thing marvellous.
"What was to become Of her7 What
Of her chlQw The question haunted her
day and night.
Fortunately, her aunt's health became
20 bad. she, was permitted to stay buried
In the country house without further mo-
lsstation from her father, who went of to
Monte Carlo and enjoyed himself, dbubly
free from his daughters presence. Letters
arrived from Frank By every mail, but
Mex were tossed into the FIRE unread.
Il leaYe you to communicate with
youf brother" the girl had said In her
one and only interview with Roderick,
and the bot blood Of triumph had surged
Into his veins.
How we'll his evil, Jealous plan had
worked! Better than he could have
hoped or dreamed. Frank was miles
away; he could not stand forth and re-
flute the horrible lies. Constance, bound
up In pride and misery, refused to do
a. she should have done, write to him d.
root, and 70 learn the real truth. His
two puppets worked At his will and hast
sned his revenge.
Revenge on the brother he had alvays
hated; revenge on the woman he had
loved In . Wild, unreasoning, passionate
way, and who had shrunk from his very
friendship In q manner that had chilled
him to the heart. 1t was q cruel, wicked
unmanly act-the act rather Of demon
than that Of q man.
Al day after day went by, the time
approached for the birth Of Constance's
namelsss child. She had mode NO plans.
arranged nothing. Roderick did every
thing. He It was who guarded tho rirl
In her mothers house, where, with no one
about her but Marshall, not even a whis-
per OF her condition caught the wind {:
hs surrounded her with every comfort
every oaSe, but he never saw her, and
she sent him no thanks.
The day her child was born, Marshall
same to him; she had no liking for Rod.
srick-in fact, 70 great was her anger
md hatred toward poor Frank she could
scarcely bring herself to address any one
connected WITH him; but there was moth
ing else 10 do, and even the old woman,
In common justice, admitted that Red
srick was acting with more than a broth
r's love to the unfortunate girl.
"She refuses to SEQ the child. Mar
shall said, "and when I urge her, all she
says In. Let it disl Let it der We
can't do that, you know, sir. What are