The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1907-04-04
CHAPTER vIII-(Coutinued.,

as II she must rush madly after 10,
out she restrained herself and fort .e-
ly she got her fathers permission re
turn to her aunt, and try to cheer the
poor woman up. Roderick was back at
ncr 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 confide 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
for her fathers annual winter visit to
the Riviera. and Constance felt she ought
to accompany him. when suddenly the
current of her life was changed by two
events, the first of which brought the
color TO her cheeks and the thrill TO her
heart, the second of which plunged the
girls soul into the deepest. darkest mis-
cry a woman can ever know.
Just as the letter in which she had
written. in timid, gentle words, the ma
ternal hopes she might assure herself OF,
blow fell upon her which all but
crushed ont her life, as it successfully
broke her heart. One day a woman pre-
scented herself at Lady Anstruther's house
and asked 70 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 4 meeting
followed
When Marshall went in to look after
the 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
expressionless, like the eyes of the dead.
Marshall" she said, with tones that
were husky with emotion, Marshall, L
l have been deceived. l 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 I hear you swear to belong
70 each other"
Constance put out an icy-cold hand.
Dear, true friend" she whispered,
between hee pallid lips. and then she
tok up piece of paper and gave it to
Marshall
Read that, and you will see am not
wrong" she said, with a wintry smile.
'The wedding you assisted at was only a
farce. Here is the certificate of Frank
Anstruther's first marriage, ay, first and
Only one. for that woman who hes just
left me is his lawful, legal WIFE"
Il will not believe it! | will not be-
lieve it" So cried Marshall over and
over 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 MarshalPs verdict. and for a brief
time fame Of hope sprung up in the
wretchec creatures breast; but alas il
soon died down and was crushed out for
ever.
Rooerick took the matter up irnmedi-
ately. He sought out every clew, follow
ed the truth up to the bitter end, and,
lastly and sorrowfully, had to own his
brother liar and villain.
Constance seemed turned to stone. She
shed no tears, she made no moan: she
bore hsrsslf with a pride that was some
thing marvellous.
what was to become of her? What
of her child?" The question haunted her
day and night.
Fortunately. her aunt's health became
90 bad, she was permitted to stay buried
in the country house without further mo-
Iestation from her father, who went on to
Monte Carlo and enjoyed himself, ioubly
free from his daughters presence. Letters
arrived from Frank by every mail, but
they were tossed into the Gre unread.
Il leave you to communicate with
your brother" the girl had said in her
one and only interview with Roderick.
and the hot blood of triumph had surged
into his veins.
How well 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
as che should have done, write to him d.
rect, and so learn the real truth. His
two puppets worked at his will and hast
enec his revenge.
Revenge on the brother he had always
hated: revenge on the woman he had
loved in a wild. unreasoning, passionate
way, and who had shrunk from his very
friendship in n manner that had chilled
him to the heart 1t was a cruel. wicked
unmanly act-the act rather of a demon
than that of a man.
As day after day went by. the time
approached for the birth of Constance,s
nameless child. She had made no plans
arranged nothing. Roderick did eyerv
thing. He il was who guarded the girl
In her mothers house, where, with no one
about her but Marshall, not even a whis-
per of her condition caught the wind.
he surrounded her with every comfort
every care, but he never saw her, and
she sent him no thanks.
The day her child was born, Marshall
came to him; she had no liking for Rod
erick-in face, so great was her anger
ami hatred toward poor Frank she could
scarcely bring herself to address any one
connected with him; but there was moth
ing else TO do, and even the old woman,
in common justice. admitted that Rod
erick was acting with more than broth
er's love to the unfortunate girl.
"She refuses to see the child" Mar
shall said, ''and when urge her, all she
says is, Let it die! Let it diev We
can't do that, you know, SIR What are
we to dor
Roderick had already foreseen this con-
tingency and was prepared.
The child must be removed. | know
a woman who will take it and be thank
full for the money. The mother will
never ask for ii. never wish to see it."
And thus, despite Marshall's longing
to keep the helpless, hapless child, was
the matter arranged. Constance never
asked after her baby, and when she was
told by her faithful maid what had been
done with il, she made no sign, either
by word or look. The doctor who attend
cd her had been taken into confidence by
Frederick, and he pitied the poor young
mother from the bottom of his heart, for
he saw that a blow had been struck
which could never be healed.
Constance was scarcely convalescent
kuof h. 80 L g.