The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-03-05

lay Arthur Calthorpe, white as death, hut
with open eyes, in which cleaned con-
sciousness.
DR.. Tuition was bathing the wound at
the back of his head, DIR. Richards was
feeling his pulse. The crowd had been
banished from this room. There were only
a few visitors present, chiefly young men,,
friends of the earl's heir, one or two Ia
dies, three servants, the poor old earl
crouching in an armchair, and suffering
t~ortures from mingled govt and grief.
II cannot find DIR. Dundas,' said Lionel
to the earl respectfully.
very selfish to go of at a time like
his J" cried the earl, striking his ivory
headed cane on the carpet. i suppose
that woman-tha Mrs. Wycherly has
nerves which must not be upset by the
sight Of blood. Dundas is clever. Our
poor boy can't last till morning, Tuition
thinks"
Then Lionel heard murmurs OF detec-
tives having been telegraphed for. and he
left the room, and resolved to leave the
house. Very angry he felt-very much
outraged: but with whom or by whom he
could not tell.
Passing down a long, lighted corridor,
he saw approaching him a slight, rounded
form draped in white lace. and with
rubies sparkling on the neck and arms.
1t was Ella Wycherly, in the costly dress
and jewels which she despised. Under a
lamp. held by a marble goddess, she paus-
ed and looked at Lionel.
"What has happened, Mr.. Leigh:
In his delight at meeting her, in all
the excitement of a love, rapturous and
passionate as his, the tutor forgot the
tragedy, forgot that rumor popularity as
sociated the names of Mr.. Calthorpe and
Miss Wycherly, he answered:
Mr.. Calthorpe has been wounded in
the head by somebody unknown, and his
life is in danger"
Ella turned white, then put her hands
before her eyes.
I'LL knew nothing of it," she said
vebemently. Il have been watching the
whist players. and listening to the band.
Mamma said 1 must not dance any more.
Miss Worthington was with me. All at
once mamma came into the room and cali
ed her away they told me not to come
out until they returned. l waited and
waited. l had nobody to speak to, for
all INV partners had been kept away by
Miss Worthington; then other people
came in and whispered, and the whist
players went out, and II ran out here;
and now | shall be lectured, scolded 80 for
stirring !"
She looked at him her eyes cleaned,
her red lips parted in a maddening smile:
she held out a small, white hand toward
him. Lionel seized il, and, intoxicated
with his passion, he began to devour it
with kisses.
'Don't-don't-don't :" she cried. draw
ing it away from him, and looking at it as
il it had received some injury. You
think"-she looked at him scornfully-
that because 1 am a poor, ill-used girl,
whose mother is cruel. and whose gov
erness is hateful, that l am a little idiot,
DO your
"Oh, no, Miss Wycherly."
but l tell you you do. she said
"and you will find out your mistake. l
am no idiot, whatever else l am !"
Miss Wycherly, if my life could atone
for my fault
Hold your tongue" she said. stamp
ing again. "Who wants your life? Your
life, indeed, IL you were dead, they
would bury you. l suppose. and your
mother would cry. Most likely she loves
you; mine hates me, Al :: IS a cruel
thing to feed a young heart on scorn and
| severity; it withers il, Mr.. Leigh-nips
it in the bud"
How tender her voice sounded. and the
large eyes shone through tears. Lionel
dared not tell her that his beart and his
re -
terribly capricious. this beautiful Ella,
that he feared she might almos. turn upon
him. and execrate him in her angry scorn,
if he presumed again TO manifest any of
the burning love which was fast making
his soul into an inward Tophet bewilder-
ing his brain; warping his judgment:
causing him to forget the great aims with
which he had started in life, though only
as a teacher of languages, eighteen months
before.
81 shall be so blamed-so cruelty blam-
ed for stirring, for leaving that room but
| canno stay there any longer. l will
notw
Miss Wycherly, 1 really believe that
! the colonel and Mrs. Wycherly and DIR.
Dundas have driven away. have forgot
L ltu lOu Il l ltdcl, Il tduuDl Huu one OIL
your party-not even Miss W~orthington."
Elias large eyes opened. in amazement.
She clasped her hands and the sweet
mouth was prettily puckered up as that
of a child about TO cry.
"Gone-forgotten me. Impossible, Mr..
Leigh
IF you have not supped, Miss Wych-
erly, will you permit me to take you TO
the supper room, and then, while you are
eating s~omething-you must want some
thing:"
Indeed, / do! l am not a heroine in
a story-one who lives on ethereal
thought and excited sentiment; pecks like
a bird at a crumb, and does all sorts of
absurdities. 1 have eaten nothing for
hours. and your offer Of supper sounds
ike the noise of a fountain N a thirsty
land. like the scampering of a mouse be-
hind a wainscot in the ears vf q hungry
cat. VIII you give me your arm, and
| tell me what there is in the supper roomf
| don't care for the gold forks, and the
| flowers; tell me what there Is to eat,
please. Is there cold tongue, and cold
roast chicken?"
II believe there is everything nice in
the supper room, Miss Wycheriy."
Come along, them
She took his arm, and the two threaded
their way to the supper room.
flush, They say he is dead :" said a
thin lady in spectacles. and wearing gor-
geous amethysts, to Lionel and Ella. when
they entered.
"How awful :" cried Ella tempestuous-
~. Here have / been thinking of Moth
ing but myself, and my dull evening in
the. card room. when had expected to be
so happy, and their all going of and leav-
ing me alone. and then | heard poor Ar
thur Calthorpe was hurt. and almost for
got it in my excitement; and now I'm
| certain | can eat nothing-nothing-at
all :"
Looking to the end of the corridor,
Lionel perceived the figure OF a woman
| clothed in scarlet and the figure waved