Year: 1873

them Richard, they have had enough
now"


But Mr. Bertram has ordered it
ma am cannot disobey him"


She sighed. "I suppose not; but Rich
ard" laying her hand timidly on his
arm, and looking eagerly into his face,
"he wont get intoxicated will he? You
have known him all his life, and surely
ought to know"


The kind-hearted servant man paused
and gazed with pity at the fair young
creature at his side, who waited anxiously
for his reply. There was struggle in
his mind between the dread of telling a
talsehood, and his dislike of telling the
truth The latter was victorious, forcing
a laugh, he said lightly: Certainly not,
Mrs. Conway Young gentlemen are
always gay this way when they are to-
gether. They know just how much wine
to drink. But 1 would advise you to
retire ma'am, as they will stay up late,
and it is of no use for you to lose your
rest"


Kate slowly retraced her steps, and
now divested of her fears, followed Rich
ards advice and was soon in drean-land. J..
Her husband was unusually irritable the
next morning, and his eyes were blood
shot, which was owing to the fact-he
said-that he had terrible headache.


"The question is" said Richard to one
of the other servant, "what gave him the
headache ?"


Kate expressed a great deal of anxiety
concerning him, and feared that he was
going to be ill., while Conway smiled Sc
cretly at her simplicity, and rejoiced that
she was ignorant of the condition in
which he had been the night before.
But the next time he was destined not
to get off so easily. One evening when
Kate was regding in the library, Conway
came to the door with his hat in his hand
II am going down street to meet some
gentlemen Kate" he said, land will prob
ably be out late. You need not sit UP
for me-"


She had intended to obey him, but be
came so interested in her book that the
clock pointed at the hour of two before
she knew how late it was. Hastily clos
ing the volume she was about to retire
when her husbands latch-key turned in
the door and he entered the room.


"Halloo Kate; thought told you not
to sit up for me-" he said, throwing him.
self into chair.


"Bertram, are you ill?' she, asked in
alarm, noticing something strange in bis
manner


''Not at all Mrs. Conway, why should
you imagine such a thing?" he asked
with sudden assumption of dignity.


Somewhat astonished at this Kate
made no reply, but he became so reck-
Iessly gay in his conversation, and withal
SO different from his usual self, that his
wife could not be blind to the fact that
he was intoxicated. This conviction
came upon her with shock that almost
checked the pulsations of her heart,
Having been taught to consider this one
of the worst of vices. she shuddered with
horror as she gazed upon the man before
her, who growing indignant at her silence,
which he considered an insult to himself,
left the room, banging the door after
and moaned. The wife of drunkard,
was she that2 Or if not, was not her
husband taking the first steps on the
downward road. She did not doubt now
that her worst fears had been realized on
the evening of the dinner-party although
she had been unconscious Of it at the
time. How utterly desolate and misera-
BILE her life seemed. "And no one to
comfort me-" she moaned. Alone !
Aloner The night passed away and the
early gray of dawn crept over the earth
ere sleep visited her eyelids.


The house-maid coming in next morn
ing to put the room in order, found her
young mistress still in the dress she had
worn on the previous evening asleep with
her head reclining on the velvet back of
her chair, and two great tears glittering
on her long lashes Poor young thing"
thought the girl. "She must have some
deep trouble on her mind. but it won t
do for her to sleep any longer in this
cold room" She touched Kate lightly on
the shoulder, who awoke with start and
exclaimed:


"What is the matter? What do you
wish Rachel ?"


Nothing na'am, only 1 was afraid
you'd take your death in this cold room;
the heat haven't been turned on yet"


"You are quite right. 1t tcertainly was
not my intention to remain here all
night but sleep overlook me unawares,"
rejoined her mistress, with a faint
smile.


(7o be C5ntinued)