Show I 1 I 1 I 1 HER GUARDED HONOR 10 ca FROM LAST WEEK 1 to who ino was W as she shei asked askea tho loden 13 active eagerly the other laughed find end answered ealond that actress vlon violi V alere you dont say my so only to think r howl how how Dc De armol arniel robert donham heard tile tho cruel kosala a few days after and whether or no it had the least foul foundation dation ho he kindly resolved that the g girl should only licar hear it first from bim lt it looted looked so I 1 luio like a piece apiece of personal spile era tc so one evening tho the last of nn an extra three nights of much ado about nothing Xo lhing bo be said lio ito must be donnat down at vic the theatre a e earlier arlier than usual i annd if ready site might as well drive down with him adding with a wicked look that cliff morton was happy enough to escort kato fairfax and leave tho the others to follow hut once at the theatre denham brew viola into his private roo room riland and began sit at ono im afraid my dear you will bo be very vexed but I 1 thou thought glit it best to warn you beforehand that some kind bougues tougues in loden have amused themselves by filD hinging ging scandal nt at you yon soothing now new of course lu in our line hue but belt still 9 but still silo sho turned so eo white that he ranted rather startled go on what do they my cay c of f roc me t mr ir denham I 1 want to kno know vv tile the truth someone my dear child has bas a said aid that you are or n were ere the heroine of that story the old man told us about ravens havens place they link your namo name shamefully with that of its own owner er A sir kir 1 austin tho the actress stood for a moment as if the words bild turned her to stone any other namo name to so filled in ill would have simply made her laugh carelessly with her expressive foreign shrug X no 0 actress could hope to ese escalo apo Fc scandal andal but then this was so terribly true tille ait it fell so suddenly it stabbed so deeply that all her stimulation or for acting failed tier her and sho put one hand to her head dizzily when who said it full fell from her tips lips at last and denham felt tile the table shake under the hand she pressed upon it it 64 my dear girl forgive my iny stupid tP blundering lundering I 1 should not have told youl s said aid denham much distressed because lie ho felt at it once that s borne 0 me wound ii had d been touch touched ed sorely it 1 I only heard it in the public reading room 1 and they had heard a lady in tho ill theatre sly say it yow now glicr ter beautiful face changed the blood hushed over it as she placed her land on oil liis his arm there is but one woman who could i na axe TC dared to say say that and it if a she lie is in loden sir mr denham you believed it you thought thou glit it very likely why not you know lio thing of me my poor ivor child as seven years car ties you back to only sixteen I 1 thought tho ugilt j it fos tible that sir austin Ravens wod had been villain enough no nor she brote in passionately in inot not thail ob Oh I 1 never thail it is ail enough without willi out thail heaven knows lie never wronged wron eld niel mcl lie married me be believing lievin t that JR at ids his wife r was 3 dead and then t then I 1 im FF tile the passion died out tho miserable kirl girl covered her face shrinking 0 from his startled pitying gaze it was all a fc fer mistake silo sho had done it to hers herself at if silo sho came to me there at nt at clavens ili yens place while my while A ustin austin was away and elair claimed riM my iny place I 1 tied lied that ight before lie fore he came back ap what exclaimed Den donham barn taking both her trembling Z hands you had hjal the courage to do 10 thata thai a girl of sixteen auteen well might a man love one w who could guard her honor and his so well so I 1 would to heaven more were like your you viola Ira lerel 11 doltl oh boniti it was so fierce a battiel batt lel hut but you child I 1 thaia jou you tor for this confide confidence wee my own story had well iii nigh it destroyed roy my faith in women you have a restored idill it A gleam of light shone in hi her so sorrowful arow f al path but bitty after a pause site sho said qaid jule juletia as she moved to go ind and ill dress ess thank you miss courtnay Cour tuny knows all from his own lips will will they bo be here tonight to night IM my y dear clear yes sir austin himself him self v ode down this morning 0 to take three boxes forthe for alie hall I 1 a am ra sorry I 1 A it I 1 t does docs not matter I 1 must learn to face the wor worlds lets scorn now Maylas I 1 ask kono one thing two things 11 yes she half turned again was ho very young a when lie ho rint first married at only one anc and twenty eighteen eight cen years ago to eighteen years denham repeated repeat I 1 with ailta a start 1 41 I can guc gucas m the 0 old stol 71 my dear if ever lie he is tree free will w I 1 lie marry 3 iou ou 11 yes ile he made me hie promise A world of pathos in that quiet answer a whole story in those five simple words and with that iba went away to glicr ter dressing room the rest of the company had bad arrived now 1 a I bondor 1 muttered denham Den haro setting g his teeth I 1 at whether that woman will dare to c ome como into my theatre tonight fighte to night 0 and at that very moment amongst the crowd filter uterine inq into the dress druc irele circle came that fair haired haimi 1 lady itly in the y yellow ellow slik searf and this time took he her r place in ili rd row back quite it at tile tho left by one of the g gallery allery supports but bow little tho young youn ric actress tres i when sho she came on oil the stage that that night would bo be tho the turning point aliber in r i her lifer W had never ayer a yer played better though william had feared that silo she would ei cither therbe be lang languid tild or overexcited over excited after what hat bad b ad passed but if tho the poor beatt was as if on fire if the dark eyes cyra cliatt a yet brighter gleam mcd iho rich voice s a still deeper more inore subtle ring of past sion anil and pathos in it only ono one being in fit all al that crowd knew it felt it only that tha one man inan who loved her herand and watched wat elied he her every look awl wim iw ortie ut and nil only I 1 ichi 4 I 1 I 1 tl spoke I 1 and moved aen when she he taa olt oft tho the stage rea rend d his heart denham was w as not laying p but near tho end dof of the me last scene ho he was at standing anding in th entrance ranco tit nt the time where the ladles reenter re enter masked just ng as she was going on ho he touched toadied deatrice and whimpered look up it if you can bhe la there them again til in yellow the actress went on but it was not till quito palto at the last that she raised her eyes and gave one look towards the left lef t of the dress circle and for n moment met fall tho the insolent gaze of the woman in that yellow searf scarf great heavens hearen sl was that robert denhams false wife that the actress started is as if she sh oil had ail been struck and trying dizzily t to 0 move at staggered back as robert lain sprang bom forward and catching tho the slight form in ili ills his arms armp lore bore her from the stage as tile curtain fell nate kate fairfax who was 1713 following to violas dressing room said 1 I saw miss courtnay and sir austin ravenswood Ravens wood start up the moment the she fell and leave tho the box go fetch brandy pirl w was tho the short answerus answer as ho be laid his 1118 chaw charge on the little sofa 11 thanks mrs aillon toll to tile utility lady leavo her with me ris a little please ashes not insensible lie ile was right for she raised herself with a wild look round as it if searching for something pressing her hands bands on oil her ter bosom olt oh forgive in roe tell me again y sho she said halt half fr frantically antic illy that that woman in ili yellow was is your wile wife chazulle Chao ulle who left you nna and deceived abnot another her into u t marr marriage 1 ago r 11 I 1 swear it child it if it were my last jast word my iny wedded wifel wife t then before heaven leaven and man inan 7 7 alone am austin wedded wifel 0 la in tl alic to moment that with theeb words the act actress tress sprang to her feet tho the door was nun flur bach ind and followed by helen Cour tinty bood there dolly my wife then hero for e ver ever to thine own shelter my hearts eifel one step forward and tind lie jis had her in ili liia his arnis anna weeping tho the wild mild passionate tears of joy on lits bre brest bres st sti Slick sho know now now she 1 had I jim iho right to bo be there thare but it was some moments i beford afo p even austin stilt holding r herc her could ij lift t liia 1113 liar handsome face to lani himself self to speak looking from helen to denham I 1 1 I cannot unde understand ritana it all till except ami tile loyal rag right ht hand clasped the managers ners 1 that you have taken care of i my n y darling irling I 1 and somehow restored her to me b but ut 46 aw NT a I 1 a said aid icah denham m hoarsely 1 I I 1 only pointed oil out to her the woman my wife beav heaven en licup rr met wl who lef left t me ine eighteen years igo and viola I 1 who take it recognized recognised in ili her the woin woman who deceived you as cruelly cr icely as sho she lind deceived me ie and I 1 tb thank ank heaven for the poor childs wilke sake that the truth has been beelat at last discovered at ab hearted intal it will li bo 0 a 1 bitter to wo mo for ever that even so unwitting un unwittingly aly I 1 live wronged 13 you our PA it 11 0 IF if I 1 I 1 I 1 k CHAPTER TER IX K 41 CUll TAIN ralls FALLS john said the m manager quietly as lie he followed lidy lady ravenswood Eavens Ravens wood into the may lough brougham drive round d to tho the chief police first yes sir john mounted his box and drove off tile actress laid a 1 hand that tha t trembled a little on her companions companio iid arm arin atiat 11 bat are you going to do ra I 1 tho the lamplight 0 flashed ou on his face tet set and stern and pale liale my aly dear anle the first step towards proving your marriage before tile hie world by giving and information which shall cause the arrest ol oi charlotte denham before the she ran can 11 hem ell of all this this and attempt to escape r no no for your sake it must not shall not lot bel why should you suffel so much and be forced to drag all youl trouble before the world sho she had almost seized the shin do but stobert L Den denham linin cra grasped sped both her hands 11 you do not know what you a arc r C doing child in ill your generous gener oms thought thong it for roc me absolute publicity by legal K proceedings dings for liar crime is the only on means of clearing past and overtin uV averting ertin future mischief she deserves not nn and u shall not have any mercy and kir for in me e what matter it is only one more pans a nine days wonder and ill all is over if I 1 did not do ito it your husband would bo be forced to do so she bowed her face on his hands the liot ilot tea tears rs them at olt oil I 1 could weep tears of blood bloo d for t the he misery and shame one false woman C can an work to those whose heart and lionor honor should bo be her first sacred ch charge argel might well say so daull im allou thought ht looking down on the beautiful face at his side sho she who through desperate trial and temptation lind had carried heart and honor iu iii safety when both seemed utterly wrecked wreck ced and lost to ill 4 to ill 40 all sorts of rumors were nvere of course rite rife the nest nat morning especially when about ton two thin bilings Cs transpired ls as facts beyond dispute first that a lady who had been in ill the theatre last 11 night I 1 C lit and was soine somehow how cop concerned ce rr ed in ill tho the matter had just been arrested by WO the police in it her lodgings is as she was I 1 about to start for tilt the station secondly that sir austin r avens wood with lady Mount tano fatio and miss courtnay lidd lip ta driven down to the may hough inn ind and af after ter au an interview with will mr ir denham sent cent for the proud and delighted host ind and hostess and tile company and distinctly informed them that miss valere was A v as lady erswood eus wood aud and would at once return I 1 to 0 tile the hall with her husband and his relatives but tu that at she had bad birran arranged a ki to fulfil fulfill lier her engagement ment with mr denham a tact fact which by eleven cleven posters and sandwiches all over the town announcing 11 plot and passion conlin conlinn nul fd beyond question before five ave all ail roden was ablaze with tile the whole story as acu by the bartic to next mo 1 I |