Show BY I 1 WHOSE HAND by EDITH SESSIONS TUPPER author of by a hairs breadth the blank diamond etc copyright 1889 by hard co coper 1900 by street sm ih CHAPTER V continued but to steal at dead ot night to a slimy loathsome serpent to 3 its awful work god even as looked now in her slumberous or antal eyes could see thai hideous reptile crawling noiselessly to the un conscious victim lured to his bed ty its favorite food could see its hor rid head upraised could see that all firm round throat in agony I 1 turned away I 1 could have struck this woman to the earth I 1 stood uncertainly wiping the per which had started on my brow I 1 was sick faint are you said that soft cal voice no yes that Is I 1 faltered then I 1 sank into a chair and rested my swimming head upon my hand I 1 am really concerned I 1 will get you a glass of water or better still some wine no no I 1 am all right an attack of vertigo that s all have been worl ing pretty hard of late how Is mrs dairy here she Is jo answer your ques alon for herself responded miss capel I 1 turned at the soft brou frou brou frou of trailing skirts and saw my love approaching pro aching she was smiling she looked almost happy as her eyes met mine suddenly she glanced at catane and into the sweet tender face came that awful look again she stared de at her sister and her hands arlly clutched her dress what is it angele cried catane hurrying to her dearest are you illa speak angele why do ou look like that your gown said angele in a low suppressed voice your gown I 1 do not like it why why did you put that on my poor gown gayly responded I 1 abood uncertainly catane is that what affects youa I 1 did not know you so heartily disliked it I 1 will go change it at once do I 1 beg you angele answered look ot relief coming on her face her sleter went into the house then she turned to me am I 1 foolish 9 she asked her voice still trembling ah I 1 see you think I 1 am whimsical capricious I 1 suppose I 1 am I 1 detest that one gown of catane s this Is the first time she has put it on since she left off her mourning and it gave me a start I 1 hould not have allowed my agitation to become apparent should P you are nervous dear I 1 replied 1 I should never dare to call you ca pricious I 1 confess I 1 did not fancy miss capels gown either did you nota she asked in aston lehment you surprise me it is beautiful and very becom ng to her i think but there are painful asso citations ciati ons connected with it or rather with one like it here she broke off for ahe professor smiling and gra olous came up the broad steps CHAPTER VI I 1 mas presently aware of wafts of delicious perfume catane had re turned and the fragrance which al ways heralded her approach was shak en out from her white gown which she had donned in place of ane obnoxious yellow and black going to angele and bending over her chair she said cheerfully well my little angele do you like me bet ter nowa angele smiled and approvingly pressed her hand the conversation at once became general and animated we were soon summoned to din ner at the table the professor was quickly the life of the party he told some enchanting anecdotes of life in the east and the reparto which flew between miss capel and himself was clever and amusing angele said but little and as for myself I 1 was per content to look at her and to think what was it she bad said about kiss capel s gown that there were painful associations connected with it stay with one like ita whose gown was thata who pos hessed a iress similar in texture and colora I 1 must make it my business to ascertain I 1 beg your pardon I 1 awkwardly said to the professor for I 1 discovered that the eyes of all three were upon me did you speak to mea did I 1 speak to you my frienda cried the professor with animation three times have I 1 auf a question to yol bu test were you in the con tern of the intricacies of great case that you have not beard me I 1 must be very isaid rousing myself will you be good enough to try me once morea with all my heart he responded I 1 was speaking of perfumes their significance their influence the per fume of some flower what assoria eions will it not A violet perhaps your boyhood s ee theart loved violets it you pluck one and inhale its odor straightway yoi see her hanging her blushing hing face be neath your kisses by the s atle po tent w tchery of pert anfe all sorts of sweet and sorrowful scenes rise be fore you this perfume fragrance what you will may it not yet have some great scientific mission to per forma may it not et be used tor other purposes than to scent my ladys hair or fana well boileau I 1 answered I 1 am poor witness in this case I 1 should not be surprised however we live in an age in which nothing is ble fancy it continued the probes sor it this intangible fragrance could be caught imprisoned developed into some powerful factor for weal or woe one s imagination runs riot in con tem plating such a possibility through certain odors persons might be ford bay influenced either to good or evil who knows T A perfume might lay bare some revolting crime do you recall the play of diploma cyb I 1 asked yes where the guilt of the count ess Is detected by means of her favor ite perfume that was a clever turn what started this topic was the rare tra granc miss capel always carries about white hiack is it not sa tanea yes the perfume I 1 like best she anavi ered caiane Is so luxurious interposed angele her gowns are all lined with sweet scented powders angele s perfume is violets cried catane myself I 1 like more heavy penetrating odors but angele the senonita do you remember the strange oriental perfume that woman always carried about so subtle so sensuous she stopped abruptly angele s glass fell her hand and shivered to pieces on the table the wine flow ing here and there upon the spotless damask mrs dalrymple was pale as death she made a violent effort to compose herself but I 1 could see she was ex agitated my dear said catane you can t be quite well I 1 fear you are so nerv ous I 1 am very clumsy angele an m hands seem to refuse to obey my bidding the conversation lagged somewhat after this accident and we all seemed relieved when she rose from the table and led the way to the drawing room As the professor and I 1 strolled up and down the grounds with our cigars t marveled much at mrs dalrymple a extraordinary ettra ordinary agitation at the table who Is the I 1 suddenly asked little marcelle s former governess A strange weird creature as ous and as snaky as my cobra an the professor 1 when was she herec she was summarily discharged by mrs dalrymple about a year ago why just after death he an alered as he carelessly flung his cl gar into the shrubbery what was the troubled 7 oh she talked too much kept telling the child her father bad gone away never to return and that sort of thing mrs dalrymple wouldn t have it I 1 think she was wise to send her away she was an uncanny creature Handsome 9 iso not exactly fascinating pos sibly might be the better term she was the most woman I 1 ewt she moved always in curves was e a dancer a slow languid serpentine woman an elsie vennera fila bah I 1 don t like to think of her do you know sever ance I 1 believe that creature used to toy with my cobrac with our cobrac I 1 slowly repeated yes he said and then gave me a description of the scene he had wit in his room prior to the seno ritas departure from the house where did she goa I 1 asked to the devil I 1 hope he quickly responded tor ever a woman belonged to the infernal regions it was surely this one ghe has completely disappeared from our sight how did she chance to come to mrs I 1 m sure I 1 don t know she was here when came and though she had a certain attractiveness I 1 must say I 1 was heartily relieved when she went V e now entered the house and spent the remainder of the evening listening to miss capels singing she had a rich contralto voice which had been well cultivated and her singing was a treat the professor leaned ore the piano and looked all sorts of able things at his cousin I 1 sat bv angele s side in a retired cornel and some wai found a lar little slim hand in mine she had quite recovered her self possession and seemed very well satisfied with m companionship I 1 see you soon I 1 whispered unde aver of the music are ny things I 1 wish to say to you come to morrow morning she re piled I 1 shall be disengaged at 11 then you must stop to luncheon this 1 ping eminently satisfactory 1 soon after took my leave arriving at sea view I 1 found a telegram from my partner urging my am mediate return ta new york on im legal ti stress it was ing but wae no help for it but to a and return as quickly as pos sible so scrawling a hasty note to angele took the midnight train to the city CHAPTER VII I 1 was so impatient to return to sea view tha I 1 fretted and chafed under the enforced delay of three days in new york at last however the bust ness for which I 1 was summoned was concluded and 1 made ready to go back to the seashore I 1 was to dine at my club and take the last train down strolling into the smoking room at the club I 1 saw tallman converse and reynolds sit ing in a corner by themselves hello severance converse called where have you been old mah I 1 haven t seen you for an age I 1 ve been down at sea lew a good deal this summer I 1 answered as I 1 took his outstretched hand came up from there three days ago and am going back to night oh said reynolds Bey you re settling up poor dalrymple s estate I 1 remember I 1 heard you were his law yer jove said tallman bending to light a fresh cigar I 1 cant hear that name without getting the horrors it I 1 live to be a hundred I 1 shall feet 01 er the awful feeling ahat seizes me when I 1 hear the name of dalrymple goda severance do you remember that morning 7 broke off and an expressive shudder finished the sen tence to be continued |