Evening star., 1907-08-29
CHAPTER XIV.
''Was Ever Woman in This Humoul
WooedP"

| Wooedp"
| 1t was very late when l went below. The
| cabin was deserted by all save Mrs. Ran
/ dolph, who apparently awaiting my
| return. l wondered If she had not come
! up the companion-way more than once to
| ascertain what was OBTAINING me. She sat
by the table and had been trying to kill
| time with solitaire. She had the cards
spread out in little piles, but swept 'them
| into heap when she saw me.
| CARRIED in white as her sister had been
she arose as l entered She must have un-
derStoOd the Impression that dress and
| feminine charms make on man and
! counted on it in the interview she was
| seeking. Yet at the moment there was no
| thought in my mind that the witchery of
| dress and the sweet brightness she had as
sumed were so intended. l saw but her
| beauty. And l thus beheld her / longed
| to take her in my arms and tell her how
| loved her, and that all my mysterious ac-
| tions were based on that love. l had de-
| layed deck that l might not see her
again that night; but now my heart SO
| went out to her that it pleased me to know
| she had waited and that l had not missed
seeing her. Yet l hesitated.
Julian" she said when took the chair
| near her, you were talking of Courtney
Lane?"
| The electric lamp shedding it's white light
| on her face revealed it's hidden anxiety.
This is romantic l evaded; "out on the
rolling deep. with a stanch yacht under us.
a relia BILE captain ans crew, and the wind
| and waves flying. l think 1 should like to
cross the Atlantic in this way
I'VE may again some time she sad,
trying to meet my pretended jocund spirit
in the same mood.
When was it we went to the Mediter-
ranean in the Idler?' l asked, triflins with
the cards.
-Four years ago-shortly after our mar
riage."
How strange that sounded, She had mar
ried Julian Randolph four years ago. And
she looked not more than twenty
"And we had a perfectly splendid time
she added.
She leaned toward me. her blue eyes Shin
ing her lips parted, a spot of red In each
cheek.
'Oh, Julian. Julian
Remorse cut me like a knife.
BE a mani" my manhood whispered.
play your part to the end, advised my
fears.
and that wild longing to take her IN my
| arms and claim her for my very own al
| most overpowered me. T..
NV fingers trembled as l felt In my
pockets for that letter from Asbury Rand
which had startled me in the house on 5th
avenue She was watching me. her attl-
| tude expectant. eager. as we sat there,"e
two alone together. She OWNED for what
I was searching.
"If you don't desire to talk about it.
Julian?" she said with gracious compre-
hension of my trembling hesitation.
My God" l burst out, I've got to talk
about it,
1 felt that she needed better under
standing of the groundwork of my fears.
Here is that letter." l sad. giving 1t to
her. Il have known for some time that
Courtney Lane is my deadly enemy; that
he d;strusts and intends to crush me.
So took steps to cripple his efforts all l
could. But 1 didn't know he was so des-
perate-didn't dream of it; this letter will
cb bnu 70 hn iS yIac
to me by a detective whom I employed to
look up his misdoingss'
You employed a detective?'
She clutched the letter and took in its
contents at glance.
Il employed a detective to shadow Lane"
/ said defiantly. He discovered the fact,
or else became frightened by that interview
in the Mirror; and. as you see there. he
purposes to have me examined by alienists
and declared insane, that may not be able
| to thwart him in the financial raids he is
! making on you under cover of serving
you"
She ignored this; it was not as new as it
had been a few hours before.
You do not believe what that letter
says?'
II believe everything in it," I answered.
Lane pretends to think that l am either
| an impostor or lunatic, and perhaps
good deal of both"
you should have shown me this at the
house." she urged.
Gould you have stopped him?'
I'm sure could. He is very silly. if he
| has undertaken a thing of this kind
He has not only undertaken it, but he
means to carry it through, I assured her.
Il hope you will begin to understand the
| infamy of that man. He has been robbing
you boldly. He knows that 1 know it. and
| from exposing him is some such desperate
| game as this
| Il think you must be mistaken
| But her lips trembled and her face was
| Mrs. Randolph" said. and know my
voice shook, will you let me make con-
| fession to your
Say anything you please, Julian"
'I must tell you the truth again." cried
| huskly. "for the lies I repeat over and
| over and the lie 1 am living choke me-.
am Mortified when 1 think of it, and 1
| seem to think of it all the time"
| She laid her hand on my arm.
| Julian she said earnestly. don't you
| think / understand the situaton?''
| Yes. but 1 must tell you,' 1 declared.
81 must tell you again, for you seem not
| to have believed me or comprehended 1
| did meet Lane that time in Philadelphia.
| He has secured the proofs of 1t. and of
| the fact that I taught in a school there.
| He believes. knows that I am not Julian
| Randolph
Her fingers tigntened in a sharp clutch
1 on my arm.
| You hear what I Say?' l asked.
| yes. Julian"
The very calmness and quietness Of the
answer startled me.
| I dropped to her feet in agony of love
and remorse.
| Mrs. Randolph I said. when I met
you in that strange way ! loved you as
| soon as saw you. and love you a thou
| sand times more now than l did then.
| did not believe such love was possible. To
| think that may now lose you fills me with
| continual terror. And yet l am going to
| confess fully my imposture. even though it
| sends me from you forever"
She bent over me and put her arms round
| my neck. l do not know how it happened
| but the next moment she was weeping In
| my arms. and was kissing her hair with
rapturous. feverish kisses. l drew her to
| me. passionately. insanely; 1 felt that 1
| could not let her go.
Mrs. Randolph" I said. II have been
| from the first base liar and hypocrte. 1
| took advantage of your belief in my iden-
| tity as your husband. j.. Would to God I
| were your husband But am ne. 1 am
| only miserable fraud and pretender. You
| would not believe this at first. and my
| great love for you then caused me to be-
| come weak and villainous that I stopped
trying to make you see the truth. But !
| can go no farther"
| l poured out my confession in that wild
| way l told her of my suspicious against
Courtney Lane and how they were aroused;