Year: 1874

guests. He never once thought of seeking
rest. All he wanted was air. He felt stitied
he had been prey to such awful mental an
gush all that afternoon and night, that year
ofemotion and passion had been concentrated
into so many hours.


Rising, he staggered out of the room-ou
of the house-and on into the garden. There
he paced up and down the gravel paths-uE
and down-until, weary and worn, be coulo
hardly move one foot after the other. But the
cool night-breeze famed his flushed face ano
burning brow, and in the calm and the free
dom that came to him out of doors, soothed
him and gave him power to think, and to con
template his position in every varying phase
of light and shadow. Two accomplished facts
rose in the espectral midnight air and confront
ed him. One was murder; the other, the in
fidelity of his wife; or, rather, the fancied in
fidelity, for it was not yet clearly established
to his senses and his soul that she was false
and that she really had betrayed his hon
or and his trust.


The first misfortune-the death of the mu'
latto-no human power could remedy. The
consequences that would eventually accrue
from it, when discovered, we're equally una
voidable.


The last But was Cecilia culpable
Never until to-day had he been able to fasten
even suspicion upon her, with an evident JUS
tice. How could he 60 to her and accuse her
if he had not learned the entire truth? Sup
pose she was innocent and could explain away
satisfactorily. the revelations of the mulatto
woman, how could he ever hold up his heac
again in her presence? In what language
could he frame petition for pardon? Blu
if she was guilty the damning thought Sc
his brain on fire! If she acas guiAy-Men h
had punishment! 49,.


When he entered the house, he was sobered
his mind had entirely resumed its habitua
calm. Even Cecilia, who for years had made
his face her study, would have hardly been
able to discover any material alteration in
the expression of his features.


AS he entered the house, he noticed a ray
of light that seemed to come from Damar's
room. Thinking to enter on him unawares
and, perhaps, find him without the wig Zaidee
accused him of wearing, he repaired thither
instantly.


Here he found Dalaval nodding in his chair
and Damar busy writing letters.


As Gadbury entered, Damar sprang from
his seat. Hemet Gadbury with equal reserve
and coolness and his face was cold and still
as stone.


Dalaval dozed on.


II am sorry to disturb you" said Gadbury
stepping into the apartment; II had no idea
that your friend was with you, and thought
would first seek you out and apologize for my
unce's rudeness, and leave it to you to ex
plain the matter to him."


81 shall tell him, sir; but in my opinion
we both deserved the rebuff for imposing sc
long upon your princely hospitality"


"Now, do not pass useless compliments. You
are both welcome Make it all right for me
with Daaval and tomorrow my uncle will
certainly apologize to you both for his rude
ness"


ave really do not desire that he should,
said Dalaval, looking discomposed and awk'
ward.


After having looked for moment at the
still form of Dalaval, Gadbury approached
the table at which Damar had been sitting
and glanced at what the latter had writ
ten.


81 am busily engaged writing importan
business letters" said Damar, in answer tt
his hosts inquiring look.


"Well, will not interrupt you any longer
I am going now to my wife's, room to say
goodnight, and then for sleep and Dreams


The perfectly calm accents in which these
words were uttered, and the polite name
which accompanied them, had something 81
grave in their civility that Damar felt com
pletely chilled by them. He did not under
stand all.


When Gadbury glanced at the handwriting
on the table, his suspicious were confirmed, b.
the mental comparison, with the letter he tool
from the mulatto, and the note he had reat
in the opera box at Pixies.


After leaving the room of the man he nov
knew to be Mcdonald in disguise, he went, a
he said he would, Immediately to the apart
ment of his wife.


There she sat near the window, wide awake
despite the lateness of the hour. The cham
ber was silent, and the lamp that lighted i
was shaded. Her table was filled with books
embroidery and drawings, pencils, rubber ant
easel; but she was not busy with her prett
trinings with art tonight She was deepl,
meditating upon a forbidden subject. Th
soft serenity of her apartment gave no toke
of her unuttered thoughts, and Clarence Gao
bury, as he entered it, felt the agreeabl
change from the smoke and noise and glar
of the other rooms, and wondered, indeed,
the beautiful occupant had ever been guilt
of wrong in heart or brain.


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