Year: 1875

answer my note but when / went
to the copes behind Ringwood
house, where l had implored her
to meet me, she was there. She
came, she said, only to beg me to
come, and write no more. She was
a poor dependant, and the least
suspicion falling on her would cast
her homeless and friendless on the
world. l will not dwell on this
stale love story; it was perfectly
commonplace of its kind, except
that the dupe was not for once,
the humble beauty, but the gentle
man from London. She consented
to be my wife and at the summers
end, without asking her a single
question as to her past without
knowing more of it than the farm
folks had volunteered to tell me
the first day saw her. brought
this girl to London and married
her. That's what came Of being
too good for this world, incapable
of evil, or the comprehension Of it.
/ had written to tell my father of
my intended marriage to Il frankly
confessed) a perfectly obscure and
penniless young woman, that had
of course, everything but position
and wealth to recommend her. /
wrote a respectful letter which /
received back in a blank cover.
Yet my heart yearned to the cross
grained old man, and from the glory
and Joy of my fools paradise, I
emerged voluntarily, before the
honeymoon was over TO seek q re-
Cancellation with my father.


"When | got to the door, he drove
me away like beggar, like strange
dog, with his lifted stick, with his
mouth full of curses. This is the
last / ever saw of him. He died
six months after, implacable.


81 hurried back to town, to be
comforted by the angel in my house.
l returned sooner than ] was looked
for. opened the door by latch
key, and went softly up stairs to
surprise my wife. 1t was about 2
in the afternoon. Our little draw
ing-room had folding doors, which
were now ajar. No one was in the
front room, but l heard-l heard
my wife's voice in the other. /
heard her voice and o mans. /
had but to step forward, ,and l saw"


1t was quite dark by this time,
and here the voice that come out of
Urquehsrt's black corner suddenly
broke into an awful sob.


"Don't go on" said I, much dis
tressed.


"Let me alone," gasped Urque-
hart, savagely.


In less than a minute he resnm-
ed, steadily:


81 saw my wife with her arm
round a mans neck. She was pas
sionately entreating him MOTTO leave
her; he was trying to release him
self. The next moment they saw
me, and started apart. Then, in
stantly, my wife, that tender angel,
flung herself at me like wildcat.
She did not scream, but through
her shut teeth she said I'll kill you
IL you touch me- Her blue eyes
glared much like yonder blue light
ming that keeps flashing out there,
and something glittered close to
my face. She had sDatched up her
scissors, and l verify believe would
have dug them into my temple if
the man, her lover, had not come
and pulled down her hand. She
was going to fall into his arms again,
but he put her from him, not very
gently, and told her to sit down
She obeyed him instantly. I can
not in the least describe my state
of mind all this time, which was
only minute or two, suppose
My impression is that I had ceased
to feel, that, If my brain and heart
had been scooped ont, could not
had been emptier of emotion and
thought, that was not conscious
Of any vindictive rage, or any trans
port Of despair. Some people may
think / ought to have kicked that
man down stairs. / neither did so,
or felt any desire to hurt him. 1t
was he who took the initiative, and
made me a sign to go into the front
room with him, which did. Then,
when I stood there face to face with
him, I said suddenly, and, as Il