Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-07-09
CHAPTER LxxII.

This would never do. Mrs. Gore
must be silenced or the whole house
would Be reused.
Snatching my hand from her grasp
I seized her by the shoulders. all
thought of what she had told me set
aside for the instant by the impera-
! tive need of quieting her.
"Hush!" I commanded sternly. do
you want Mr.. Norton to know you are
here with me? Can't you understand
that If you don't stop that noise he
will be here in an instant?"
My words had the desired effect.
Che caught her breath Historically,
but smothered her wall.
"I-I-rorgot! she gasped. Just
for moment 1 forgot"
You must not forget" I warned,
more gently. And you must remem-
ber, too, that poor little Grace is not
well. If you wake her she might have
another attack of heart trouble"
Poor little babyw she murmured.
She's the one who will have to suf-
fer for it all-she and 1. Her moth
er's troubles have been handed on to
the poor baby. And she will have to
pay"
There, there" Maybe not!" strove
to comfort her. Grace is a happy
little girl, much loved, and her father
is devoted to her and is very good
to her."
"Yes, and he was the same to her
mother-for while; and then, when
her-her-trouble got too great, he
sent her away-and now he is divorc-
ing her. And it's not her fault. 1t
is not. She cannot help it,
Mrs. Gore" pleaded. forcing my
self once more to thrust into the back
ground of my consciousness these
facts in so far as they related to me-
you are making a mistake some
where. If your sister was, as you
say, not at fault, her husband cannot
divorce her, no matter what he may
threaten. Just try to believe that"
Again She Denies 1t
My words had the effect of divert
ing her mind for a minute from her
distress. She gazed at me in wide
eyed amazement.
"You-you can say that?" she
asked. You can remind me of that,
when you are the woman he's getting
lhc ulNoASc boi-WASh you are the
one"-
1 interrupted her so suddenly that
she started nervously.
That is not true" 1 said brusquely.
Forgive me If 1 seem unkind. But
you are making yourself i'll by all this
discussion. Come, 1 will take you
down to your room and get you into
bed"
She began to cry again. but softly
this time, and when 1 started toward
the door she followed me meekly.
She staggered as she reached the
head of the stairs, and put my arm
treading very softly, we descended to
her room.
Here l helped her divest herself of
her wrapper and slippers, and got
her into bed. Then 1 gave her drink
of water before leaving her for the
night Not until then did she stop
sobbing noiselessly.
AS drew the covers over her
fragile body she caught me by the
hand.
You are a good girl" she faltered,
"a good girl. Perhaps 1 ought to tell
you the reason that Brewster sent
my poor sister away was that she
was ILL.,
"Hushw I said. Never mind about
that now"
She did not heed me. I'll in her
head, mean," she continued Her
nervousness had affected her mind
poor darling!"
1 could endure no more, but, turn
ing quickly. went from the room and
upstairs. like a hunted creature in
my desire to be alone.
Once in my own chamber, with my
door closed, my self-control deserted
me and sank into chair. my teeth
chattering with the nervous chill that
gripped me.
An awful horror grasped me. out of
which several facts stared at me.
Brewster Norton's wife was alive he
had asked me to marry him, and l
had accepted his attentions while she
was still his legal wife.
He was getting his divorce in order
to marry me!
Did Hugh Parker know of this?
Tom knew his father was not q wild
over Did Parker know? II so, what
must he think of me?
A Comforting Ray
Through the darkness that seemed
to envelop my soul one comforting
ray penetrated. 1t was the recollec-
tion of Hugh's tone and manner when
he bade me good night. Yet he had
seen Brewster Norton holding my
hand but a moment before. Then
Hugh must trust me!
There was no other explanation OF
his behavior. / knew him we'll enough
to be aware that he was absolutely
incapable of hypocrisy. Had he doubt
ed me, had he suspected me of any