Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-06-17


it. without a word he turned upon
his heel and strode toward the house.
With lips parted. Selma stared be-
fore her Her fingers were clenched
SO tightly the pink nails had scarified
the flesh. Her lips moved desperately
in denials she knew her soul was bat
tering to bits speedily as her tongue
could utter them. She knew now
that the great. Debtor had come to
her with his demand for payment in
full. And she knew that evasion of
the debt was
The rustic of petticoat caused her
to look up in quick anger. Mrs
PRESLEY stood before her, an accus-
ing, righteous expression on her face
that told the young wife instantly
the scene that had just transpired
was no secret to the companion. In
fit of anger, Selma dismissed her from
her service and she went straight to
the husband, with her story.
Dwight looked up from the note
Mrs. Presley had just thrust into his
hands, a little puzzled. He had not
known before that the suicide broker
had notified Selma of the embezzle-
ment of her fortune. Still, what of it
now? And why was the usually good
natured lady in such a towering rage?
But, my dear Mrs. PRESLEY, why
do you give this to me?" he queried.
"It merely states what you and and
all the world know = that Mrs.
Dwight's fortune was embezzled. Oh.
I see." he cried, a great glow on un-
note reached your hands and you kept
IT from Selma, fearing the shock"
"The note, Mr.. Dwight came before
you asked Mrs. Dwight to marry you,"
the companion interrupted sharply.
You had written a trifie earlier that
you intended proposing that evening.
Miss Ashton told me that she intended
refusing you. Then came this word
from Leed-and she married you."
Dwight smiled incredulously though
grim lines had formed about the COR
ners of his mouth.
"You-had = better - go-immed-
lately" He clipped off the words
turned in her hurried retreat but there
was something in those eyes that
checked her.
For a long time the millionaire
stood there. his arm rigidly out
stretched as though he would drive
from the room the evil thoughts the
departing woman had left behind.
tempt at lightness. The crumpled
ball of paper fell to the floor from his
hand.
Slowly, slowly he reached down and
picked it up, tucking it in his pocket
carefully. Then he sank back in the
big chair, thinking, thinking.
DR.. Holland came into the house
and passed hurriedly to his apart
ments, then, later. Selma entered the
hnndA ~ zhay
twinge of jealousy shot through him
as he told himself they had entered
by the same door, they had been in
the gardens at the same time. And
again he laughed at himself.
Yet the poison was there, infiltrat-
ing the very soul of him. He caught
himself constantly on guard, glancins
at his wife and the doctor from un-
der the shade of his brows, furtive,
even though he knew they demeaned
him.
1t was a month after the discharge
of Mrs. PRESLEY that he stealthily
moved from his chair in the library
as Selma slipped cut into the night
air, followed shortly by DR.. Holland.
He had tried to convince himself that
the change in manner toward him on
his wtfe's part was due to some intui-
tional reading of his thoughts. Even
now he fought against the impulse
which caused him to spy on the pair
Clearly silhouetted against the night
he made gut her figure. Her face was
covered with her hands and he could
see she WAs sobbing silently to herself.
DR.. Holland was strolling toward her.
yet Dwight was aware that the physi-
clan had not seen her. He slipped
quickly behind a stone pillar, every
human impulse urging him to close
his eyes to the scene, yet every i'm
pulse from outside making those eyes
twin points of light, rivalling in
shrewdness the long-wicked stars
above. az they fastened upon the
couple
He caught the uncertainty, the sur
prise of the doctor as he caught sight
of the woman. He caught the impulse
of the man to comfort her, saw the
fighting down of that impulse. Then
DR.. Holland placed his hand upon her
shoulder, his voice but the gentlest
whisper of a sound as he called her
name. She turned and looked up at
him, then swiftly, some iron band of
self restraint within her snapped and
she flung her arms about his neck
With her head resting upon his
chest he murmured words which
thundered back 30 the millionaire be-
hind the pillar, killing something in
side the very soul of the man, even
as it quickened the life in his body.
Suddenly Selma drew away, crouch
ing, fearful, as she regarded the man
toward whom she had gone in her
hour OF weakness Dwight leaned for
ward the better to listen. Her voice
was broken. wild with a passionate
despair as 1t rang in his ears
"No-No-You must not You
must so. I will must be true to
him while he lives. You must GO
you must"