Year: 1870

have been selfish. knew it and
ought. But-oh, Frank, knew you
loved me; and my loveless life seemed SO
bitter-so bitterl And -


And here she broke down sobbing.


My willful, passionate darling. She
was trying to persuade herself that she
was acting nobly and disinterestedly and
being noways fitted for such self-martyr-
dom, was falling signally. She ought to
have nipped this love of mine sharply in
the bud, but lacked the will And now
she was trying to sacrifice it and her own
love on the shrine of duty-now when
she was my own, when she had rested
her head upon my breast, when she had
given her lips to mine.


didn't repeat my folly of attempting
to argue with her. Her hand was strong
enough against me as it was without such
strengthening. didn't take her in my
pleading with kisses. ] let her say her
say. And then, when she had sunk back
into the low, deep fauteuil, weak and
trembling and defenceless again, knelt
beside her; and, holding fast in mine the
little soft white hand never meant to let
go, told how it must. needs fare with me
if she had her way. And I was conquer
ing what I knew all along was my own of
right; and the violet eyes were full of
happy tears; the words l looked to hear
already trembling on the fuH lips that
had grown meek again, when there was q
rustic of woman's draper1es; and, through
the chialoscuro of the room, Lady Oswes-
try bore down upon us.


And Helen rose, and before could stay
her, had fed away swiftly upon her feet,
leaving me to face my lady alone.


The which did as best I might.


For a while Lady sOswestTy looked
grave and indicisI then, by degrees, be-
nignant, but mildly reproaohful; when I
took my leave, protective and honestly
propidous. 1t was arranged between as
that should come to Parklane early the
next day.


At q fr1ghtfully undue hour I drove
there. A hanson had just pulled up at
the door the late occupant was speaking
to the groom of the chambers in the hall.
was Just in time to hear the functiona-
rvs answer to the question put to him:


"No, sir. My lady and Mrs. Wybrowe
left town for the continent last evening"


The other swung round on his heel
with fierce "c0rajo" and again ] stood
face to face with alvarez Smith, the man
with the evil face.


~.


That night, some twenty minutes past
eight of the clock, my hanson, turning
the Bruton street corner at q sharp trot,
was nearly cut over by another hanson
charging furiously down Bond street.


The two drivers exchanged broadside
of double shotted blasphemies, fogged
their horses clear of each other, and
started again, the offending Jehu leading.
] was bound to Charing Cross, en- route
to Dover, Paris and Lindenbad, in the
track of Lady Oswestry and Helen Wy
browe; and, in consequence of this delay,
only saved the SO mail by about two
de-
closer still. A man in . fur lined travel
ing robe, and a peaked cap pulled over
his eyes, took q through ticket to Linden
bad after me, and followed me on to the
platform, half dozen yards behind.


Iheard him hurrying after me; just as
the guard had opened the door of the
empty carriage he caught me up and got
in too. The door was slammed, the
whistle shrieked, and the Dover mail
started.


/ had dropped into one corner my
companion rolled himself in the opposite
one. lit cigar; so did he; and we
cleared London, and had run q dozen
miles down the line before I looked at
him again was thinking what Helen's
sudden departure boded me; whether /
was so sure OF winning her, after all I; and,
deep in speculations of this sort, / had no
eyes or thought for anything else.


Besides, that shRpeless travelling robe,
and that peaked cap that kept his face in
an impenetrable shadow, would have
puzzled me, even If had had suspicion
as to who the man in the opposite corner
was. And in the preparations for my
sudden departure I had forgotten all about
him. ~


So that it was not till he tore off his
cap and flung aside his wrapper that I
knew that Alvarez Smith and I were
alone together in that carriage of the
Dover mail train and that he was glaring
at me with all the furious hate he felt for
me in his evil eyes.


looked at him TRANQUILITY enough, I
think, but couldn't help feeling that the
rencontre was by no means an agreeable
one; that the express stopped nowhere
between London and Dover, and that
Alvarez Smith was probably as mad as
any inmate of Hanwell.


However, am not easily put off head,
and as say, returned his glare with q
tranquil stare, and went on smoking.
Whether he had expected this melodra-
ma to produce more effect, and was dis
appointed; whether my calmness irri-
tated him afresh, I don't know. Certain
1t is that he rose and came toward me
with an oath.


1t struck me forcibly that he was dan
gerous, and I gradually slipped my hand
into the inner breast pocket OF my travel
ing jacket, and unfastened the loop which
kept useful little revolver de pOche steady
there.


There seemed likely to be q necessity,
disagreable but imperative, for shooting
this man before we got to Dover. And It
so happened that felt in no humor to
run any risk by the exercise of an unwise
forbearance toward mad brute like this,
If it came to fight.


It appeared, though, that he had some.
thing to say before he began, for he seated
himself exactly opposite to me, and NUT
tered hoarsely:


"Se we are alone at last; you and ]" =


$50 it seems" returned. saw that,
If he meant 10 have row, he didn't feel
quite up to the mark yet, and wanted to
talk himself into the necessary fury; so
I thought Imight venture to light another
cigar, which did, loosing my grip on the
pistol but for moment, but keeping my
eye on my man the while.


He actually gnashed his yellow teeth
at me. He looked so unutterably hideous,
and at the same time so intensely fidi-