OCR Text |
Show ' 1 HBSBBY MARION HARLANa8Saj ' " ''' INTERNATIONAL PRESS ASSOCIATION' & CHAPl'DR X.fCoNTinunn.i -jff ft waB early in Marca when Constauce ", percolvotl, or fancied she perceived, a tnarkod alteration in the demeanor of l 'her brothor-ln-lnw. Ho wao not leas - kind, and his fraternal attentions wero S '.rendered freely nnd cordially as ever, I but ho was less gay, and was addicted to fits of abstraction, profound, alii al-ii though apparently notadhjlo his IU absonco from tho famllyclrclejwlth- fi out apology, becamo so common that It vj ceased to provoke Hnrrlot's frivolous H Wonder, and to disappoint Mr. Withers. Constanco had never complained of or romarked upon this. 3flut her mind was tossed night and day upon a tu-tnitltuoua tu-tnitltuoua tide of conjectures, Bho would 'aln havo termed apprehensions, rather rath-er than hopes. Up to this date she hod believed her lovo and Kfr misery to bo unshared and unsuspected by him; had reiterated, In her fllmBy Belf-deceptlon, tlianksglvlngs choked by tears that she was tho only sufferer from her wretched wretch-ed folly. Did she grow suddenly cruel nnd baso tho moment when tho thought jthat tho error was mutual awoke . raptures, tho rcmembranco of tho suf- ' fering ho must also tasto had not tho power to stlll?Was tho salvo to nor self-respect self-respect supplied by tho discovery that iier'dlvlnlty was a fallible man, impotent impo-tent to resist tho subtle tomptntion that (iad overcome her prejudices and sense of right, worth tho prico paid for it? A pow terror, more sweet than any Joy -eho bad over known, soon laid hold of her. It was idle to ignoro tho fact that Edward furtively, but pcrslatont-' pcrslatont-' ly, nought a private lntcrvlow with hor. -8ho might disregard his beseeching , .glances, affoct to misunderstand his signals and his uttered hints, might Book, in constant ministrations to her tiusband's wants and whims, to guard lerself, and to forget these omens of a H bearing crisis. Dut sho comprehended m Ills designs; marked with a thrill, that X roras tho opposite to pain, his chagrin B fLt his failure, and tho augmented rest- B lessness of his mien, botokenlng per- H nloxlty and desire. What was to bo the Jft pnd of this pursuit, and her evasion of W It, when her own heart was tho tomp- ff tor's strongest ally? Sho dared not pear him say that sho was dear to U. . film as ho had long been to hor. Know- Jt ing, as she did, that sho ought to spurn 2 film from hor at tho remotest approach to thlH thomo, sho waa novor able to ft Bay with an honest purposo that Bho irm until i inii'r""""""1" to ,D lu If sUo doubted his ITJJH wiuu nTJutentionB, sho doubted herself yet " $' pioro. I It was by no connlvanco of hers that I tio gained his point. Sho was taking 1 ' ' ier usual afternoon drlvo ono day V'ono, when Bho was aroused from n Toverlo by tho slower motion of the pnrrlago, to observo that the coachman 1 iiad turned Into a business thorough-faro thorough-faro instead of taking tho most direct Touto homeward. "John," sho called through the front window, "where aro you going? What , "brought you here?" "Mr. Edward told mo to call for him fit 4 o'clock, ma'am. I thought ho had ijpokon to you about It," was tho ro-"" ro-"" apectful rojolnder. There was no immediate reply, and ho checked his horses to lnqulro. "Will I go back, ma'mr "No; go on." Sho throw horsolf upon tho back seat again, with throbbing pulscB nnd a feeling that she had spoken tho son-tonco son-tonco which waa to decldo hor fate for Umo nnd for eternity. "Heaven help me to stand fasti" tho tongue cssayod to say, and while tho heart was molting intotondorness, and vibrating with expectation. ex-pectation. I It lacked ten minutes of tho appoint ed hour when they reached tho ofllco, ;but Edward stood upon tho door atop, liat and gloves on. "It Is good In you to submit so qulotly ito my meddling," ho began, by tho jtltno ho wrb seated. "But I havo somo-jthlng somo-jthlng to say to you, ci story to toll whlck I can keep no longor. You must lmvo seen, although you have seemed not to do so, how I havo doggod your ptops for some weeks past, in tho hope jof stealing an opportunity for confession. confes-sion. I havo sometimes ventured to bollovo that your woman's wit and (woman's hoart had ponotrated my so-Icrot; so-Icrot; that what entered so largely into imy thoughts nnd raotlvos, mado up so much of my llfo, could not remain hidden hid-den from your oyes. I wanted to tell you of it long ago, dear Connie, but tho recollection of what was duo to another withhold mo, while I was yet uncertain that my lovo waa 'roturned. I had so little reason for hopo, although hopo haa novcr flagged mino is a enn-gulno enn-gulno naturo, you know that I hesitated hesi-tated to speak openly. Now that I can feol firm ground under my feet, my happiness is mixed with much alloy. I muBt either tnko from ono who Is a hopeless invalid the ablest and most Jovely nurso that over mnn had;, condemn con-demn him, whoso claim tho world would jdeclaro to bo suporlor to mino, to lono-jllneBB lono-jllneBB and sorrow, or consent to a season sea-son of droary waiting before I can pall my darling my own, l you won der that thoughts such as these havo proyod upon my spirits; racked mq with anxiety, oven in tho blessed hour' of nssuranco that my dovotlon was not wasted?" , CHAPTER XI. fIS rapid articulation articula-tion had given Con-, Con-, -stanclFno tlmo for reply, but hor ex-citoment ex-citoment equaled I his, as she bent her J veiled face upon her hands nnd listened lis-tened Itf- dumb nlnrm at the cmo-o cmo-o tions rising to meet his avowal of lovo and longing. To her, what would havo sounded Incoherent In-coherent to a third person, -a explicit and forvent Ho know hor, lj his mate, and would not glvo hor up; asserted his rights with a masters authority, Vfhllc his heart ached at thought of thd wpo In store for her nominal possessor. "I havo startled you by my vchc-monco," vchc-monco," ho continued, taking, tho hand that lay upon hor lap. "I feared lest thia announcement might seem abrupt, but tho Btcamer sallB at five o'clock, nnd I last night obtained Evelyn's permission per-mission to bring you to see her off. Sho owes you a debt of gratitude for your Blsterly caro of my lonely and graceless self. Sho loves you dearly already, as you will her when you have had ono gllmpso of her face. You reminded re-minded mo of hor tho flrBt day of our mooting. I have traveled with her and her sick father for thrco months, and at parting moro than hinted at my attachment at-tachment With candor that would havo driven mo to desperation had it boon less mournful, sho declared her Intention not to marry while her father lived. 'Ho needs my constant care,' sho said. 'Without it ho would dlo lij a week. Ho will novcr bo bettor. Tho kindest service you can do mo, aa the 'wisest you can do yourself, Is to forgot rvn T lifl.rn lionti atnnrillv fltflnhofllpnt to her advice. I told her as much when I found out by chanco two months ago that sho was In tho city. Sho Was very resolute for a time, often refusing to soa mo when I called, and again bogging mo, even with tears, to dismiss all Idea of making hor my (wlfo. It 1b now i fortntfjiyt since her father Unexpectedly announced his determination to return to Europe, nnd, In the anticipation of our second parting, acknowledged that my lovo was roturned. Our engagement would bo an unsatisfactory ono to most peoplo, but she. is tho earthly Impersonation Imperson-ation of tho angel of patlcnco. and I can surely wait a few months, or oven year?, for a gift so precious, Her father Is afllictcd by a complication, of disorders, disor-ders, tho most serious being an organic affection of tho heart She is tho only living child. It would bo sheer barbarity barbar-ity to separate ""them, and with an invalid's in-valid's obstinacy ho will not hear of taking up his abodoin his daughter's house should sho marry. My poor" Evelyn, my gontlo lovo; sho Is a martyr and I can do so llttlo to-lighten hor burdon!" "It is very hard." He had paused and Constance must speak. Too pre-occuplod by his own reflections reflec-tions to noto her thick articulation and Btudlously averted face, Edward took up tho word warmly. "Hard! What could bo harder for both of ua?" Sho Interrupted him by an Impetuous Impet-uous gesture "You aro talking wildly wild-ly wickedly! Think what you would suffer If you loved without hopo of ro-qultal." ro-qultal." Ho absolutely laughed. "As If that could bo. Affection, full and fervent as mino, holds a wltch-huzel that never errs In pointing to tho fount of answei-Ing answei-Ing love. Why, Connie, wo wcro mado for ono another Eva and I!" Was no scalding drop of bitterness to bo spared from her cup? Whoso, then, was tho fatal mlstako which had opened tho sluices of that other fountain that waa drowning her bouI with cruel humiliation hu-miliation and anguish? "Drlvo ua near to tho steamer aa you can, John!" called Edward from his window, and l.n tho appreciation of tho trdth that tho sharpest ordeal was yet before her and fearfully near at hand, Constanco submitted to bo handed from tho carriage to tho wharf. Through a bewildering haze sho saw tho noisy crowd, tho amoko-stack of tho monstrous vessel, stumbled along tho gangway connecting it with tho tho'o yielding posiely t tho mpu . of Edward's arm and regained sight, hearing and consciousness of brain when sho stood In a hnndsomo saloon, a small hand, warm as hers was loy, fluttering in her grasp, and a pair of dark; thoughtful oyos llxed upon hor faco. "You-wero very good to come," said a low voice, fraught with omotlon, yet steady. "Allow mo to present my father, Mr. Pynsont Mrs. Withers, father." Sho looked up nnd spoko tho lady, aud hor father aroso from his divan, sup- i porting-himself, upon a cano, and saluted sa-luted Mrs. Yfitheis with stately pollfe-noee. pollfe-noee. Both wore hl: i brrr, but It was not Evclyn'smity tint had won her lover. Her ejes an a moi h wero her only really good features Constnnco know hcrsclffio be ;ho handsomer of tho two, butjtho pirauaslon added to tho hopelessness of her ill fated love. Tho qunlitlcsthat had unit to thia girl's heart that of the man who had seen tho beajjtteH of two linnlBphores, which had kent'hlm true to her and her nlono, nlthoughTol'i o d b ab ence, dls. couragomentjand tho vlii-s of scores of othor women? la beoml hor power of nnalysls and counters harms. She began to understand how It had come to pnss when she had commanded her wits bo fara8"U6 talk live minutes with Edward's betrothed, owned leluctantly, that had sho'niet her as new acquaintances acquaint-ances generally '"wot sho would havo beon Irresistibly attracted by her winning win-ning ladyhood and the countenance thnt unltod so' much sweetness with senso and spirit Thore was tlmo now for llttlo beyond tho kindly commonplaces suitable to their meeting In a public placo and their proBpectlvo.'partlng, and even theso Constance abridged ostensibly, nnd tho others deemed considerately, that tho last precious moments with his affianced might bo all Edward's. Without verbal protext, she aroso from her placo besldo Evelyn nnd passed around to Mr. Pyjisont's side, engaging him In conversation about his voy-,ago voy-,ago nnd destination Tho atmosphero was a degree less stilling there If sho moved, smiled and talked mechanically, it niattored nothing now that tho penetrating" pen-etrating" eyes sho most dreaded nevor loft their re8tlng-placo upon tho vlsago of which thoy wcro" taking a long farewell. fare-well. Thero was llttlo to be appro-hohded appro-hohded from tho rich man's restlesa ro-garda, ro-garda, which w wandered incessantly from her t'ovtho botrothed couple, his gray evobowa contracting with pain or mental disquiet as he did so. Had Evolyn been free to maintain hor usual watch upon him, she would have taken alarin'at theso Increasing symptoms of dlstrosa and the livid huo settling upon up-on hia complexion. Constanco did not notice these until, simultaneously with the clanging of tho bell ovcrhoad and tho rapid rush of feet toward tho shore, ho throw bqth tinr?rutward, with tho aimless clutch of U sightless man, and foil agalnBt her as she sat by him on tho sofa. Tha utmost confujslon reigned In, tho I saloon for a few moments exclama- I tlons, inquiries and orders loud, I varlod and useless. Then Edward'B I Btrong volco recommended, in strlng-ont strlng-ont torm8, that tho room bo cleared of all oxcopt Uio iciitato attendants of tho sufferer, includina gontloman who had Introduced himself as a physician. phy-sician. Tho spasm passed into a swoon so deathly and protracted that Con- J stance waB ready to bollovo tho pa.-tiont pa.-tiont waa beyond the reach of earthly aid, notwithstanding tho doctor's assertion as-sertion that ho would probably revive, and oven Evelyn murmured once whon Edward would have confirmed tho cheering aBSuranco; "It may bo. I hopo so; but I never saw him qulto so ill before." Finally life fought its way back, inch by inch, to tho worn heart;tho fingers relaxed from their rigid clinch, the lips wero less purple, and tho eyes wcro unclosed un-closed feobly upon tho anxious group. When ho could move Edward nnd tha physician supported him to his stateroom, state-room, followed by Evelyn. Constance, left to herself, hnd Iclsuro to observo what had not until now drawn her attention. at-tention. Tho bustlo or embarkation had ceased, but through tho almost desort-ed desort-ed saloon sounded the measured throb of the powerful engines as they urged tho boat through tho water. Sho throw open n window nnd looked out Thoy were already far down tho bay, tho spires of tho city lessening In tho distance, dis-tance, and tho vessel under full 'headway. 'head-way. Sho met Edward at tho stateroom state-room door with tho startling intelligence intelli-gence For an instant ho looked as aghast aa herself, then ho recovered hia solf-possos8lon with a Bmllo. She must composo herself and tnmt him to oxtricato them both from tho predicament in which hia thoughtlessness hnd placed them Tho worst that could befall them waa a fow hours' delay in roturning homo Ho would Beo tho captain forthwith' and request him to signal the flrst homoward-bound pilot-boat or other vessel they might espy. Constanco did as ho bado her resumed re-sumed her Beat, and seemed to await tho result of tho affair patiently. "I am afraid your brother may be alarmed atwr continued absonco," was her only on-ly remark. "Ho will understand at onco what haa happened when John goes homo with tho nows that ho drove us down to see tho steamer off," roplled Edward, confidently. con-fidently. "Wo Bhnll havo a merry laugh tomorrow nt breakfast over our ndvonturo. So long aa you aro not unhappy un-happy or angry with mc, I am com-fortablo com-fortablo on tho score of Elnathan'a displeasure" dis-pleasure" (to ii a covtikued.) k |