Year: 1869

she and Charlie trst met at Pau, she was
the governees In au English family that
WAS staying there the courtship lasted
but few days and one fine morning
they met by appointment. and walking TO.
gether to the church, were married be
fore breakfast. Violet Danvers had no
idea of the position, pecunisry or other
wise, that attached to Charlie but her life
had been full of troubles, and all she
knew was that he had been very kind and
good to her,


Friends and relations, she had none,"
she said and then as she rested her head
against his breast and looked up into his
eyes, Charlie felt that Heaven had sent
her for him to love and cherish. He told
her of his past life, and his wanderings in
distant countries, and sought to engage her
confidence in return; but she always
seemed to avoid all reference to her own
past, and would hurriedly turn the CONVEX
sation into quite another channel. Charlie
was not of suspicious nature, and had
far too much love ard confidence in his
wife to fancy that she was concealing any
thing from him.


And so Violet came to her new home
to the old home in which generations of
Forresters had lived and died


1t was not so very long after they had
taken up their abode at "The Lions" that
l. received the invitation before alluded
to and as the long vacation had already
commenced, and my pecuniary resources
were not in condition to stand trip
even to the seaside, l thought the best
thing | could do was to accept the hospi-
tality that my old frienI offered to me.
A few days more saw me comfortably in
stalled at "The Lions" thoroughly enjoy
ing the fresh air and strong exercise that
followed in pleasing contrast to the heat
ed atmosphere of close courts and con-
tinuous sitting in dingy chambers. l
found Mrs Forester most charming and
amusing companion, though / could not
help being struck by an air of constraint
and reserve that at times settled upon her
A very brief acquaintance satisfied me
that there was some mystery attaching to
her which she dared not reveal


One morning at breakfast, Charlie, after
reading letter he had just received by
the post, informed us that it was from an
old Paris friend of his whom he had met
in his traveller days, and who, in pursu-
lance of a long-standing invitation, had
| written to say that he proposed coming
on - visit to THE Lions" and would,
without waiting for reply, put in an ap-
pesrance that very evening. Charlie was
delighted at the prospect of seeing his old
acquaintance, and in the course of walk
over the farm he informed me that the
name of the coming guest was Murray,
and that he was blessed with great deal
more ready wit than ready cash.


"Though he is a bit of an adventurer
in his way" said Charlie, "he is capital
fellow, and the best company in the
world"


1t was very late when the expected
guest arrived. Mrs. Forester had retired
to bed some time before AS for Charlie
and myself, we kept the new conner COM
pany while he supped and when he had
done ample Justice to the good things be-
fore him, it being already in the small
hours, bed was voted and carried unani-
mously. 1 was very sleepy, and beyond
uttering a mere commonplace or two had
taken little or no notice of the stranger;
but when he came across the room and
held out his hand, which oddly enough
was encased in light-colored glove of
some sort, to bid me goodnight, as Hook
ed him full in the face, he seemed to start
for a moment. Although his features
were hidden by heavy mustache and
huge beard, there was something about
them that appeared familiar to me. Where
on earth could | have seen him before?
When / got up stairs into my bedroom l
puzzled my brain with inquiries, but all
in vain: co Id connect the face with
nothing, and nothing with the face, and
with that l got angry with myself ana
with that went to sleep.


The next morning l awoke early, and
feeling a strong inclination for walk be-
fore breakfast, tumbled headlong into my
cold tub, and in a very short time after
had completed my toilette" and was out
in glorious fresh air An hours stroll
brought me back to the window of the
breakfast-room, which opened into the
garden, and with the appetite of tiger
was on the point of entering, when my
step was arrested by the sound of Mrs
Forrcster's voice, tremulous with emotion,
exclaiming, "Say it is not true for PHYS
sake, say it is not true"


What could this mean? Being of a
curious turn-my conduct may have been
disgraceful, but hereafter | hope to stand
excused for it-I moved into a position
where l could see into the breakfast-room
without being seen, and hear all that was
said. In an armchair by the table, her
face buried in her hands, and her elbows
resting on her knees, Mrs. Forester was
rocking herself to and fro in q way that
showed her to be laboring under deep
emotion. Close to her, in a strangely
cool and insolent attitude, stood the new
conner of last night, stroking his mus
tache with his glOved fingers


Upon my word, my dear Violet" he
replied to her entreaty, with a measured
slowness of speech that made me long to
kick him, Il regret to say that it is true ::
Arthur Bernard is nc more dead than
am. Like Norvaps father, he at the pres
ent moment feeds his flocks, not, however,
upon the Grampian Hills, but in the
neighborhood of the good city of Otago."


"But they told me he was dead" al
most shrieked Mrs. Forester; "the people
who were with him when he died wrote to
me-"


"Wrote 20 you" interrupted Murray,
with suspicious eagerness. Have you
got the letter."


"No, dared not keep it," she replied,
lest it should fall into my husbands
hands Listen" she continued, hurriedly
Z" he knows nothing of the psst,-n even
If my first marriage-I have kept it all,
everything from him for PHYS sake leave
this place, where, save for the thought of
that, | have been so happy and let him
remain in ignorance still"


, Gently Violet, gently" responded the
man, unmoved in the least degree by
( her appeal Firstly, let me observe
that, having promised myself short stay
in the country l can hardly terminate 1t
| so abruptly as you desire me in the next,
as in addition to the agreeable change OF
air, have met, quite Unexpectedly, with
an old companion for whom | have been
/ searching ever so many years, and 20
} whom have a good deal to say, it would
be9uite impossible TO do as you wish"
, She mede no response, only kept her
lace still buried in her hands as he went
on; AT last, Violet Bernard, the game
is In my hands. You laughed at my love
]eered at my protestations of devotion fol
you, curled up your proud lip at me and
| dismissed me from your presence with
, contempt when | asked you 70 be nv wife
= | have not forgotten that, and never shall
{ never, never But sooner or later you
> must hear me-mark, you must Else
DE paused an instant, and continued, 81
t won't threaten, but remember Arthur