The Morris County chronicle., 1909-09-07

while listening to the plausible story.
| Suppose, after all, it were true,
should she have spoken of it to me?
And know it is not true-it is false!
False and cruel! She forgot that /
have seen tAis Ian; that took that
message from her, and there was no
| thought of Gervais in his anger; it
| was all against her. / shall never
| forget it, never; and Dorothy has
| lied to me, as she has lied to her hus-
| band Oh, cannot remain here;
| the misery Of it will be too much for
me-" She clasped her hands together
so tightly as almost to hurt them.
ITO live day by day, and see him SO
deceived, wasting his great love, for
Dorothy does not really love him;
| she could not love him and treat him
as she does; yet, can go when there
| is such trouble around? Perhaps be-
fore to-day is out, Dorothy's name
will have been dragged into this!
The shame would almost kill him!
What shall / do? / am so helpless.
so powerless to avert this danger!"
1t was thus she had gone on all
the morning, she had touched no
food; her head swan and her limbs
trembled; but her brain lived keenly
and acutely through her bodily weaka
ness, working and struggling with
the mass Of troubled thoughts that
seemed to gather in multitude each
minute.
The day dragged slowly away.
Dorothy and Enid met at luncheon,
but neither spoke, and each was
grateful that Gervais had been called
away, and could not be present.
Enid's eyes wandered every now
and then to her cousins face. She
was astonished to see it so calm, con-
sidering the share Dorothy had had
in the affair.
There was annoyance and selfish
fear expressed in the steel-gray orbs,
and round the cold mouth, but be-
yond that Enid could trace nothing;
self was the one strong feeling in
Dorothy's breast, and she betrayed
that feeling in her face.
'Has-has anything happened?"
she asked, abruptly, as the meal
ended.
II have not heard; but have been
upstairs all the morning"
They reIapsed into silence again,
and the afternoon wore away in the
same painful fashion.
Dorothy brought her books into
the drawing room and Enid pretend
ed to do some work; but the books
were not opened, and Ends needle
lay untouched in the embroidery.
Perhaps Gervais' wife OWNED that
the girl did not believe that ready lie
she had invented; at all events,
strange though it may seem, Dorothy
grew uncomfortable alone with Enid.
She was not wont to let conscience
trouble her as a rule, but Enid's
great, truthful eyes always seemed to
gaze into her heart.
Gervais came in about five o'clock.
Dorothy was too frightened to speak
as the door opened and he came in.
What If they had found the man, and
it was proved that he had seen her?
His first words dispelled that fear.
THE search is positively hopeless"
he said, as he took her in his arms
and kissed her; 'they can find no
trace. Myself, / am beginning to
question whether they have not been
on the wrong scent altogether, and
that your poor old pensioner has been
terribly maligned. BY the way, my
darling, what is he called? You
never told me"
Dorothy moistened her lips, and
thought wildly for some answer.
She had never heard this mans name.
II have always called him old
old Joe, dear; don't know what his
other name is"
"Old Joe! That is not very dis
tinct. And where does he live? Was
he one of your poor people when you
were at Knebwell?"
"Oh, no! He-he was a poor old
man / helped at Weir Cottage"
Dorothy laid her head on his
shoulder to hide her pale, vexed face.
'At Weir Cottage. Then, doubt
less, he has gone back to that neigh
borhood. l suppose / ought to give
information of this to Reynolds"
"Oh, don't!" Dorothy pleaded,
clinging to him with what he thought
was tenderness, but which in reality
was sudden fear. Poor creature,
am certain he had nothing to do with
it. Don't you remember how thin
and miserable he looked when he was
caught by Virginie; he could not
have killed spider, much less
man"
with you as his defender he must
be guiltless," Gervais said, with a
| fa int smile; then he sat down in
chair as she loosed her hold and
passed his hand over his brow.
(To be continued.)