The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1909-05-10

ATHLYNE
Copyright, 1905, by BRAN STOKER
Entered at Stationer's Hall-An rights reserved


| cachinration was almost uncomfortable.
| Colonel Ogilvie was furious. Well was
| it for the possibilities of peace that
his peculiar life and ideas had trained
| him to be tolerant of woman's weak
| ness. and to be courteous to them even
under difficulties. For had he given
| any expression to his natural enough
feelings such would inevitably have
brought him into Observation-Disclosures
If not physica1-with both Ath1yne and
| the Sheriff; and either was to be de-
| plored. Joy was in her heart indig-
nant for several reasons. 1t vas too
! hard that, just as things were possibly
beginning to become right and the fine
| edge of tragedy to be turned her faith
| er's mind should be taken back to an
ger and chagrin. But far beyond this
| on the side of evil was the fact that
| it imperiIled afresh the life of-of the
man she loved, her her husband.
Even the personal aspect to her could
not be overlooked. The in-timed
| laughter prevented her hearing more
| of of the man who it now SEEM
| ed was already her husband. However
| she restrained and suppressed herself
and waited. still silent, for the develop
slider looks as movements: she raised
| her eyes to Athlyne's adoringly. and
kept them there. He in turn had been
| greatly upset for the moment: even
| now. whilst those wild peals Of hyster-
! ical laughter continued to resound. he
could not draw any conclusions from
! the wild whirl of inchaote thoughts.
| There was just one faint CLEAN of light
| which had it's origin rather in instinct
| than reason. that perhaps the Interrupt
| ton had it's beneficial side which
would presently be made manifest.
| When JOY looked toward him there
| was balm for mis- troubled spirit In
| the DEPTHS of her beautiful eyes he lost
himself-and his doubts and SORROWS.
and was content.
The only one unmoved was the
l Sheriff His 9tttJfnda allowed
| him to look at things more calmly
| than did those personally Interested
With the exception of one phase-that
| Of concern that this particular woman,
| who had already impressed her charm
| ing personality on his heart, should be
| in such distress-he could think, un-
| troubled. Of the facts before him. With
\ that logical mind OF his. and with MS
| experience Of law and the passions
| that led to law-invoking. he knew that
| the realization of Athlyne's name and
position was troublesome matter
| which might have been attended with
| disastrous consequences. To a man OF
Colonel Ogilvie's courage and strong
passion the presence of an antagonist
| worthy of his powers is rather an In
centive to quarrel than a palliative.
AS to poor Judy she was in no posi-
ton to think at all. She had to all
| practical intent, except for the noise
she was occasionally makinE-her
| transport was subsiding-as one who
| is not. She continued intermittently
her hysterical phrenzy-to laugh and
cry. each at the top note-and com
| mingling eternally. She struggled v1o-
| lently as she sat on the chair into
/ which she had fallen when the attack
began; she stamped her heels on the
| floor. making sound like gigantic
movement made an embarrassing
milieu for the lucid expression of law
and entangied facts; but through 1t
all the Sheriff. whose purpose after all
II S1rrf- an nit n
his statement. By this time Joy, and
Athlyne. whom with appealing look
she had summoned to help. were en-
deavorfng to restore Judy. One at
either side they knelt by her. holding
/ her hands and slapping them and exer-
cising such other minstratiOnS as the
| girl out of her limited experience of
such matters could. happily to sooth-
as calm voices will. came through the
disturbance seemingly unhindered:
\ Thus you will note in all this trans
action the Earl Of Athlyne had made
| no disguise of his purpose. To the
| police who arrested him he at once
| disclosed his identity. which the
| sergeant told me was verified by the
| flame on his motor-driver's license. He
/ telegrarned to the hotel by his title
| as is fitting and usual; and he gave
| his title when he arrived. AS I have
| already said. he stated to the police,
at first on his own initiative and later
/ point, that the woman in the motor
/ was his wife. And the identity of the
| woman in the motor and the woman
| in the hotel can easily be proved Thus
| on the mans part there is ample evil
dence of that matrimonial purpose
| which the law requires, in which he
/ stated bis wish and intention to marry
| her.
Now as to the woman-and I must
| really apologize to her for speaking of
the matter in her presence.-Here
| Athlyne interrupted his ministrations
| with regard to Judy in order to ex-
| postulate:
"Oh, 1 say Mr. Sheriff Surely it is
not necessary But the Sheriff shut
him up quite shortly. He had a pur-
pose in doing: he wished in his secret
| heart to warn both Athlyne and Joy
not to speak a word till he had indi-
Gated that the time had come for so
| doing.
There is nothing necessary. my
Lord; except that both you and the
/ young lady should listen whilst I am
] speaking! am doing SO for the good
! of you both: and I take 1t as promised
| that neither of you will say single
word until I have told you that you
| may do So"
"Quite right" this was said soto
voce by Colonel Ogilvie-
"You. young madam. have taken up
| on yourself the responsibilities Of wife
hood; and it is right as well as neces-
| sary that you understand them; such