The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1883-05-05 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

CHAPTER XVII. CHARLEY'S EYES ARE OPENED. Charley stood motionless, holding the open letter in his hand, with a blank look on his face. A little way from him, also silent, but watching him keenly, was the handsome woman whose presence had worked all the mischief.  _ Her eyes sparkled with an inward satisfaction, but her features were composed. "My God !" ejaculated Charley at length, sinking upon a chair, " can this  be 'true ?" His expression was a heartrending one. Now that she had gone it was brought home to him with cruel clearness how deeply he loved her. What was all the world to him if Grace had left him ? There was such acute agony at his heart that surely he would die! What bitter desolation seemed all around him now. If he could only bring her back—if he could only bring her back. " What a scoundrel I have been," he muttered, " my darling Grace, my darling, if you only knew how I always loved you—curse my wicked folly.' "Has your wife gone ?" asked Nina, in a low, soft, sympathetic tone. " She has !" he cried fiercely, starting to his feet, " and it is you who have driven her from me, and from her home—driven her, mayhap, to a suicide's grave; would that I had never ' seen you, would that you had never thrown your shadow across my darling's heart." " Poor boy, poor boy," said Nina, drawing nearer him, " I do not like to see you suffer so. It is a bitter blow to you I know, and I can forgive you for your momentary passion, or you do not know what you say. You have done 1119 a great service. I will not desert you in your affliction. I am your true friend, Charley, you don't know what I Would do for you." She placed her tawny hand upon his should6r, and bent her beautiful face to his. "We must find her, Charley, we must find her, and bring her back." He sprang from her as though he had been stung. " We find her! he cried in bitterness and rage. Every word t speak to you now is an insult to my darling's memory; every instant we remain in this house together raises another barrier to my lov's return. For you I have neglected ; her; it is you who have driven her out ,It into the world. What atonement I can • make for tn,y heartless conduct I will make at once. We part—now—instantly—fur ever." . ▪ You do not mean it, Charley, my poor maddened boy : I know you do not mean what you are saying," she said softly. • Mean it!" he echoed, his expression growing blacker, "ay, I do mean it. Do not deceive yourself, Mrs. Racksford. My resolution is fixed. Whether I find my darling or whether I go through the world lone and desolate, we part for ever. I cannot bear to look upon you now: your face seems. to mock my bitterness and to increase my anguish. What I say now with the heavy load of my sorrow fresh Upon me I shall say when time has numbed my grief." She regarded him sadly. " I cannot bear to part with you," she said, her voice trembling, "I cannot bear to lose you. Do not turn from me, Charley; you are the only friend I have in this world." "D ) not dare to talk like this to me now!" he cried. "You will drive me mad. Silence, womsn! Good heavens he ejaculated, a light breaking upon him , " can it be psssible that my own love had even stronher reason for the course she has taken than I supposed ? Women see farther than men. Surely it cannot be that the devil has prompted you to love me? No, no. Let me be spared that degradation. Had I known—had I drearnr—poor'dar.ing Grace, she saw it all. Heaven grant that she may see my innocence, too !" Nina's head dropped Upon her breast. "If I have sinned in thought," she murmured, the crimson creeping into her richly coloured cheeks, and two heals of dew glistening on her long la "you have made me do it : I could not help myself: a: d—and—Oh, Charley, .do not send me from you in your deep affiction. Let me stay and comfo"ou—you will want someone. Oh, how could she leave you—how could she—l could not do it--I could not."  _ He listened, to her now, with his face buried iii his hands. A low groan escaped him then ; he was silent. " ll.ve you no pity for me ?" she murmured. "Do not be so hard to me. AIV only sin is loving you ton dearly." tose up without a word and placed  his hat firmly on his head. With a stern expression on his face, he slowly buttoned his coat across his chest, then he walked to the hall. She followed him.  "Do not go like that," she cried. "Do not leave without a word. Say one word of comfort to me. One little word." He turned towards her, and the look on his face made her shrink from him. "For God's sake," he said in a hard, relentless voice "Avoid me. If chance should ever again throw you near me, fly from me or I shall kill you." He walked from her, the street door closed behind him, and Nina Raeksford , stood in the broken home alone.  For a little time she remained just as hr. had left her. Then the flush died from her cheeks, leaving them white and dull-looking. She compressed her lips, and a cold shudder shook her frame. He shall never find her," she cried huskily, " never," and after this she devoted her time and money to the discovery of Gr.,ce's wherabouts. (To be Continued.)