The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-09-13

beauty concentrated on despising him.
 He watched her an hour afterward on the staircase. where he had once seen Florence in the moonlight toil- ing up with little Paul. He saw her go into Florence's room, and he saw her come out again with a face so changed, so altered and softened, that he realized all the more how unable he was to subdue 1t.
 In It's utmost pride and passion Edith's face never knew such dark shadow as fell on his when he saw that change that came on her through Florence.
 MT. Cafker called on Mrs. Dombey the next day to apologize for having been present at the unpleasant scene. He treated 1t as lovers quarrel and enlarged on the beautiful affection that existed between the couple. till Edith, sitting there face to face with him 1 while he rendered her false oath at the altar to her again and again, knew that he was deliberately stab ping her heart for his own purposes.
 From that time he lost no oppor- tunity to show her that he knew her in her true colors; that every degra- dation she had suffered in her own eyes was as plain to him as to her a book. He saw her love for Florence. too, and promptly struck at her through 1t, by warning her that Flor. ence was in the habit of visiting low friends--disreputable old seamen and shopk eepers, said Mir Carker-and that her father already sufficiently ill-disposed toward her, probably would send her away if he knew 1t. as he already mad contemplated doing several times.
 Under the pretense of loyalty to MT. Dombey. he declared that he could ac- quit his conscience only by reposinE the responsibility for keeping the secret in Mrs. Dombey. He long re- membered the look she gave him; but she accepted the confidence.
 When he had gone, the humillated woman hid her face in her hands and cried. "oh. Florence! Florence!" That night she crept to Florence's room and laid her head down beside the beauti- full. innocent face of the sleeping girl In her sense of self-degradation she felt that this was her only and last hold; and that if this the one pure sentiment that filled her heart, were torn from 1t she would sink and be lost.
 Mir. Dombey looked darkling on the friendship between the two. When all his stubborn. insolent pride failed to bend the pride of his wife, he ordered Carker to signify to her that he de- manded a complete change in her be- havlor and also to inform her that her attitude toward Florence was too markedly different from her attitude toward him to be satisfactory and would lead to the removal of the girl from the house.
 To save Florence. Mrs. Dombey swallowed the indignity; but from that moment she hated her husband. and every day her hatred and loathing grew. Mir, Carker. ever with that wide smile. watched her. He knev that she hated him. too. But he led her on by his craft, aided by her pride and resentment, to endure him and to speak to him as one privileged. of her defiant disregard for her husband. He saw her in his mind exactly us she was. He watched her on the danger. ous way that she was going. On that way he followed her steadily. Not footprint did she mark on it, but he set his own there. straight
 When MT. Dombey spoke to him now, with his offensive air of state. Mir. Car. ker smiled as obsequiously as ever; but behind his back he shot glanees of black rage at the pompous gentleman aid thought with leering exultation how presently he would revenge him. self for all the sights and affronts.
 At the time he applied himself to business with even more extraordinary diligence than ever. Night after night found him exploring the tnnermost re" cesses of the iron rooms where the books and papers of the. firm were kept. Shrewd observers in the city noticed that he was calling in his own not uncomfortable investments and said that Jem Carker, long g-headed dog. was looking about him to see what he was worth.
 Thus came the second anniversary of the wedding of Edith and Mfr. Dombey. Carker was at dinner with the two. MT. Dombey was more extensively ar- rogant than usual. Carker demanded that MrA Dombey agree to separation. He refused, immeasurably shocked at the thought of such happening in the house of Dombey. MT. Carker ven- tnred to suggest that 1t would be wise proceeding. whereupon MT. Dom- hey said maiestically: "Carker. you mistake your position. You were em- ployed-"
 "Reing an inferior person. for the humiliation of Mrs Dombey," said MT. carler. quickly. with his widest smile. "oh. yes. It was expressly understood. 4 forgot" And he bowed to her.
 She stood up with a dreadful smile