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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Herald, 1912-05-31, Page 2A UTTLE J i1LD8 PRAYER 1 OR, THE DUEL IN THE GLEN:e CHAPTER XX. "His remorseful ores were terrible to hear in those last days:—'She should have told me the man was her brother,' he would .cry, as he paced the floor night and day. ,When there are vital secrets be, tweet' man and wife, trouble comes of it sooner or later, as sure as the sun shines.'" Tho story had made a deep impression upon Irene, especially the closing words. Frederick, a `it might all- have b elnmavoid- .ed if, as the old lord said, there had been no secrets between them; yes, trouble comes of it sooner or later." Happening to glance casually at Irene's .face, he saw that it was white as death. In a single instant great, dark circles had crept beneathher large, dark eyes and her bands were trembling like aspen leaves. Before he could• take one step forward, she had dropped at his feet in a deep swoon. Esmond bore her quickly to her apart- ments; the signora who had related the story to them, following in apprehension. There is no class of women who have stronger nerves than English women, this one seems to be au exception, however, she thought. ' in "The er signoralloIts alia voice sus she said, sympathizingly over her; "but this is some- thing more than a mere faiuting fit! I feel sure; you see the maids cannot bring her to." Let the doctor be summoned at once," said Esmond, distractedly, 'looking in alarm at the grayish pallor stealing slow- , 1 ever the 1 vQQ y flee, lying so still and white, against the pillow. His order was executed at once. The young Englishman had plenty of gold, and was lavish in "giving tips" as the eervali j' phrased it, and they hastened to obey his , command. It ere. a o Frederick the physician was an age in coming, and as he bent over the still form his face grew grave; there was a look on it that struck terror to Esmond's heart. "Is she• „tell — ger, doctor?" he cried; :;-. me at once—I cannot bear sub- pelise-1• i to and fro, he wit assnot d thoughtful- ly toan- swer rashly; and there was something about this air young woman, stricken down so suddenly, who lay before him that warned him her's was no common ill- ness. When he had administered restora- tives, and the dark eyes had flashed sud- denly open, there was a look in them he o did not quite like, he read in them acute terror. Esmond touched his arm with a tremb- I ling hand. "You do not answer me, doe- s tor," he said, "is it a malignant fever—a fatal disease?" a "No," responded the doctor, shortly, "no - of Me hand which means ,the end of life; and what puzzles me Most is :follow• ing close beside it is , ttSpther marriage line when there is no line' of death across the first marriage line. As both linos are well to the left of the hand, tbat indicates the marriages will take place early in life, I should imagine the events had al. ready taken place, If she has remarried, and the first husband is not dead, then there is but one conclusion, the poor girl has had recourse to the divorce court. "Mind, this is not mere fancy; it is read- ing aright the lines of true science as I find them here. As some people make a study of human faces, so I have made a study of human hands. She will not have a happy life of it. There is dark and bitter trouble ahead of her; and as sure as the sun shines, it will end in a tragedy. Those peculiar points at the end of the finger tips indicate it. Heaven forbid that many people should have such marks on their hand. Anne Boleyn, the ill-fated queen, had them; and one day-, when she was a very young girl, a strolling phrenologist saw them and predicted what her future would be. She threw her pretty head back and laughed aloud; but, when the hour came when she was led forth to the gaze of the breathless multitude, and that beautiful -- head laid on the block, she thought of the old phrenologist's prediction. The lines on one's hand foretell the future as sure as fate; and I find plainly enough .just what I • have told you written on this one." The doctor quietly retreated; he did not care to have the nurses know that he had overheard their remarks. He paced up and down the corridor some minutes, his brows knit in deep thought, and as he so paced the strange notion that appeared to haunt his beautiful patient's brain re• curred to him; of the dark.' revengeful face that floated before her, s1t'-itting out her young husband's face from her gaze forevermore, The doctor believed he held the key to her fatal illness at last; but he was as far from helping lien as ever. The secrets of her life were her own; no one had a right to pry into them. Long and earnestly one of the nuc --aere+d over what her companion li told her, ''It is an ill wind which brews hobo good," she muttered, when she found he self alone; "why shouldn't I make capit out of what I have heard, if it can on be true. I have nothing to lose anyho I may as well try." Slio set her wits el v erly together planning for this one en old girl!" tried Irene, 'elntphi * elle marble mantel, her love) h( to isab "You will find, on the cots za; that 1. mond.evLetmme tell yeo ou mtv lst ? have I r. Say.,, bi tn,. Irene leasted heavily again ]' sthe toR1�''Jj marble and looked at her, „g+igra found out, in any way, the 11 sef,r'et that was wearing her life one;itdlat ,'Keret. of the past which she couj;ti e2 suln+. Icon sulfiofent courage to revert; t•e Pre:dere, Mk Esmond, but whieb ;;erlaleal to have boeu eating her heart out ever nice like blighting canker at the heart s,f-,a, lose.; Ah no! surely not! she had nee a; tua care" fur too guarded for that. "I suppose 1 meet listen,' sate' .Ilene, "but Iet what you. have to seyy.be said quickly. that tale very uz1)leaeent ie rr • view may be over as speedily s•-aossiblo. The maid rose from her chair��cnd, r.lial. ed up to her,' "1 made the die very of.I your secret when I was nursint-' ae?u .i4; aly; signora; when one is delay uta, they babble many things that these would: give their life almost to recall,, It id net el. ways nonsense they talk, 'but ea -'tiiitigre uppermost, and that which vv a Arles° molt heavily on their minds," , e, Irene started. and her face paled to:°a dead white. "Go en," she e lel it'z ,lie girl paused abruptly, looking a4„."./air with glittering triumphant oyes, ' "In the still hoars of the (lax, and in the dead watches' of the night lali,cened to you; there was always the' same err. on your lips, milady,—of •11 we 1' d..ti,t tds, and that dark, revengeful fete th fit al- ways came between you and tri. Es- mond," r 1 Irene uttered no cry,—no moan 1'(ll:;from her ashen lips,—but the desperiazru 1 drror on the white face looking up .a't tea )(need was pitiful to see, She had fancied that story of Alt/Jai past so helsafely secue, and now, cit v 4laven "There is no use in repeatieg nil, ', con- tinued the girl, actually, 'suiSce it to say. I know all, and a pretty erendal it would make to be sure,—Mr l;aln'ond would feel it so keenly. I do net !wish' any harm to come to you, 'Mrs elsznond," she added, quickly; `give me the inoneY I ask for and I will go quietly away.Not a word of it shall'ever pass :my )ii:,., You can trust me." • It was a bold move on the part of the maid;; ' true she had:• heard her patient murmur of some secret with must, be kept forever locked in her o n• and of the face that haunted hhef ' had wrecked the past, and Wheys" t e other nurse related the incident of the' two lines. meaning two husbands, '.dl eernable on the pink palms, with clever° sty tegy she had put this and that together; lyvrking up quite a little mystery about it. If she accused Mrs. Esmond of conceal- ing a mysterious secret and there ryas nothing to it, she could but be "discharged, and elle was •sick and tired of England anyway. CC s:if!. If there was anything to it, le' would shoo anw y terrorforms. at once, and would accede i df' face had fetter betrayed diherrnab e o •knew ari bit he right had shotat dainty was ly henceforth and forever in her;sewer. loss ivy Irene would have died before:tte@ would e * have acknowledged the truth of.iwliat the d. girl had stated. ,; "She is just rolling in gold," she wo ften mutter as she paced the floor of h room•—"why shouldn't she divide .with f it be true that she has a secret to kee I could but stumble on the truth b orae lucky chance," She was a diplomatic woman; she ben 11 Iter arts to one aim—to ingratiat erself so completely in young Mrs. Es- mond's favor, that when she left Italy, he should accompany her as her maid, and this object she readily accomplished, "Of course you shall have your own way bout it, my dear," said Esmond, some weeks later, as they were about to take heir departure; `you always have that "I knew you would rather that I' should er come to you first," the girl went on, "Mr. e0, Esmond would have—" "Stop!" y The voice that broke the simile l silence was like nothing human, more like the thing of that kind; the mind is diseased rather than the body. She has suffered a hermattlasstrain t I believe shieh e has been fight ing hard against this insicluous foe for t moa o tree as ong months. Have you any clew to the a cause of her deep depression?" he asked, t Hing to the wondering young husband. 'Depression I echoed Esmond, "why you - must be mistaken, doctor, Who. in Hea- yen's name la there to depress p • t% px ss he ,ypirits. It -•:.'[�'c Ytave.:bete married and a >;lac3ir#: lima.. : anti since h have ha o bee .,.., ,., never known = n rr married, wlrC blvs eine wish unfnlflll d v been etre ' e,vebave. w h >ttonn v .11 happy, iai i thought." it" l .y t li g !The :cage old doctor :made no only • but a in But in this case, I hope.you will' stop and consider a little.' I cannot say than favorably impressed with her, .I,.� Ito these low -browned women whps..... ^•beut stedliliily, casting £urtfva',glien_ ,. abent. under their lashes. Man a ti hen I leave 'supposed we were alone 10- gether, happening to turn abruptly round, I have found that woman stand g at my elbow," 'You exaggerate it, I am sure, dear," said Irene, laughingly. If a 'woman is no longer quite young or pretty, men see all her faults and but few of her virtues; nember she saved my life—or rather elped to save it—that alone should be a ep claim on your gratitude." ' So it is, Irene," returned her husband continuing, "If you wish to engage her, shall offer no objections. And so Marie ontalti was engaged as maid, and Irene ad cause to rue it all the years of her ter life; for as the serpent crept into e garden of Eden, so bitter woe entered e household AH this woman crossed the reshold. is face grew graver, more thoughtful. That some great, hidden, sorrow prayed upon her mind, which her young husband knew not of, he firmly believed. The next few days were painful ones in- deed to Esmond, for Irene had grown much worse, Dr. Rienzi and two experi- enced nurses were in constant attendance now. Brain fever had set in and her life was despaired of. Esmond scarcely ate or slept, his soul was in such a tumult of agony. Hour' after hour the doctor would sit quietly at his patient's bedside, listening abstractedly to the senseless babblings that fell from her lips. "Such odd notions as the poor young lady leas," the nurses would exclaim, laughingly to each other, "she is always, crying out about some dark, revengeful face. which she fa.neies has suddenly come between her and her young husband, shut- ting him out from her gaze, forevermore." One day as the doctor catered the sick room quite unexpectedly, his footfalls making no noise on the thick velvet car. pet, he found both of the, nuc +:s bending over the patient with rapt atteut:en. Ile was just about to speak when the words that fell from their lips held him transfixed with curiosity. Both had their' backs turned toward him, consequently neither saw him. "We will not disturb her," whispered one of the nurses; "while she sleeps I will make an examination of this little white hand which lies like a snow -flake on the coverlet. Much of one's life and tempera - Some little bt gleaned r sttiillt the ehnurse was studying the white, slim, restless hand she held, intently. "Well," asked' her companion' at length, what do you see there? To ma it is no- tbin more b or less than a ver lovely y white hand, butyou appear ear nn to look of rase aver 11."- "And t ' grave And well I may," returned the other, slowly. 1 have read the lines of life on (many hands, but I never saw them so strangely marked as they are in this. Do you see that line?" she said, pointing to rt delicate line that was like a vein on a ose'leaf, "That is a fatal line;. it is an brupt ending of the marriage line, the ame one, mind, goers on to the other end Gives Stamina. t win benefit your hildren or your rvalid. E-2.12 rel de I M h of th th CHAPTER XXI. From Italy, they journeyed back to Eng- land, and took up their abode in their ele- gant town house in London. There was one thing, however, that puz- zled and annoyed Irene, and that was the great change in the demeanor of the maid she had brought with her from Italy. Marie was no longer deferential to her wishes; there was a look in her black eyes that Irene could not comprehend, and there were occasional hints of secrets she had discovered in the lives of many of the dainty ladies who had employed her, and her words were always accom- panied by a cunning smile and a peculiar nod that almost made Irene's blood turn cold as ie, "Can she suspect? Ah, no, surely not," Irene assured herself over and over again; get the very thought terrified her. The girl's manner was becoming inter- erable to her, and she concluded to lis• pease with her services at once. Marie M ontalti received her dismissal s seal with a sneering smile "I have something to say which may change your views, signora," she said, and Irene was more than surprised to see the girl glide swiftly across the room and turn the key in the lock. Why do you do that?" asked Irene, in- dignantly. Because I have that to say to you which must be said—and listened to without in- terruption," Irene glanced np with haughty pleasure. "You behave very strangely," she said, "I do not like it," and she looked fixedly at the girl whose face was not t pleasan to see. There e was a lurid light in her eyes, an air of cringing, yet of de- fiance in her whole manner, "You must listen to me, Mrs. Esmond, whether it pleases atm to do so or not," she said, impertfneritly, continuing in a shrill whisper:—"I hold a secret of yours signora, and it is not well for you to make an enemy of me. I intended to leave your service long ago, but I shall not go away empty handed—you must pay'me %yell if I keep your secret!" Irene recoiled with a startled, terrified ory; for one moment the room seemed to whirl around her; she recovered herself by a violent effort, she turned slowly and faced the girl, and no one who witness- ed her calm face would have dreamed thater heart Was beating in great,' strangling throbs- X4u 1111 , know he Scores of mine," she tattiir„dw bravely, but the shrewd rriald detected the terror in her voice. , "How dare you intimate such a thing!" "But I do," persisted the girl; "I could easily convince Mr, Esmond that it was a very dark secret, too, If you want it kept from him, you must pay inc two hundred pounds for it." You have taken leave of your senses, n that one sometimes hears among the s. top!" cried Irene, again, thoughthis time there was the recklessness sae despair in her tone. She felt that' she' flatlet tem: porize with this girl at wvhatev r, oast. "I—/—will give you the money on. ask for," she said, speaking with ., effort. "not because there . is anythiis at' -1 have ever done that the w' d. au - case mo for.; 1-1—do not ad is' a secret, but' I do not', avela ;l heilyd ,story l$ il, �b MAIM NS t)1P,•" ... . 4Ii4ee you %vliat you asic 16r',: "You aro wise, miladit tame .take a sensible , view of the turned the girl, and the covert mean in her words made Iretre's eyes •flash" her cheeks glow with - hot auger. She pointed to the door; and without another word. the maid glided frbm the room, satisfied with her work. The golden sunshine in all. its 'rounds since first the flight of time began, surely never fell upon a sadder sight that the beautiful woman, standing alone in that luxurious room. Let me try to realize what leas han- pened to me," she gasped. "While I rest- ed secure—believed myself safe -my fate was silently tracking me down; my doom was seting darkly around me 'like a funeral pall. Let me try to thiuk clear- ly what has happened to me. The world will soon know. ' :Iy hus- band will soon know that I am net what I seemed,—that I have been actiegea, liv- ing lie—that—before I wedded Frederick I was—a, convict's bride!—and-•-and-•-hie ' widow i" What a Savory morsel the scandal mon- gers would make of it! But for this she cared little, her sole thought was of Frederick—his horror and amazement and the very natural question that would spring'Iing bis lips: a..Why in Heaven's name have you .keit this from me?' How could she answer him; what could. she say, that would palliate what she had done? in t at muomentvshefwo found out thee, for ever; his love for her would die, 'then and there. And standing there, i the drifting sunlight, the memory of theight when Frederick Esmond had asked, her hand in marriage, came vividly, .back- to her, and how, standing there by the faun twin she had debated with herself wfie- ther she should tell him or not; when, he, himself, had settled the mater by saying if she had ever had any other, lover even though g e had (Fred- erick) he l'xed ori ek would marry him; believing, though asked ther lover lay in his grave Ms memory 'would; always come between them. Ah, how in. deed could she have told him the fatal truth, after bearine that; and when .slab',' was so sure, too. That dark past whic'lr had always' seemed to her like same hideous dream, was buried in Leon For- rester' grave. And now, it would all come to light; if she made an enemy of this girl; her fate was in the maid's hands; hereafter site: would never know one happy hour; she Would feel as though a sword hung over her head, suspended by a thread, expect- ing it to fall any day—any hour—and slay her. Better, far, better, had she told Fred- erick all then; and if he had not loved. her sufficiently to have wedded her In ' the face of it all—to have parted from him then and there oven though her heart broke, secret f ossa him had ff uttdiheertout after all. Ti ,{�O$ UN'I' ;SECURITIES quAgmLy. ^ LIST A booklet giving completearticulars p of our current ° offerings: GOVERNMENT BONDS To yield 8.90% '.MUNICIPAL DEBENTURES To yield .4% to 5M% RAILROAD BONDS To yield 4%% to 5% PUBLIC UTILITY BONDS To yield 4X% to 5%% 'PROVEN INDUSTRIAL BONDS To yield 534% to 6% A copy sent on request. T1 1,„- LMI DOMINIONSECURITIES PORIATZOlN LIMITED �,,ED ESTABLISHED 1901 EAD OFFICE 26 KING ST EAST TORONTO. ,J ONTREAL;' LONDON, E C. ENdj .carasosocer,rxmcs II anemia )1, •s - but when weeks lengthened `into months and months stretched out into . years and she `xlid, net hear froui her, fear at last ed out'ol her heart. '' a i whapstt ati� i f �#, rx tail 17y had ght great • changes to the Esmond ;househa l Th o a oaciou s ., ro om s e hoe a d with the Bound of chilli h 1 1 ing and a ang Iter, and re- the apodous corridors with dancing child- ish feet. A lovely romping child of four, with a merry laughing roguish face, eyes liko blue pansies, and a head tumbled over with short, fluffy flaxen curls, calls Irene mamma, now, and Frederick Esmond, papa. Little Ruby is the darling and the 'pride of the entire household, and the de- light of both her father andmother's heart. The years that have passed have touch- ed Irene bat lightly. adding to her beauty; to the depth and lustre of her eyes—to the perfection and grace of her figure. They ha ve nIrrsh magnificent feneiteee-u-1 n-ty now. theirbeautifulwant s called, andnwho saw or knew Frederick Esmond and his theirs was Pone laughingly g,happiio declared rriages in the world. They had been married five Years and were lovers stili; and Freder- lek Esmond declared they should always be lovers. On the morning when this, the second part of our story opens, Irene was sitting alone in the apartment known as the oak room—a large, square, oak panelled room with an immense window which occupied one entire side of it, that looked out on the lawn, there was hardly such another window in England; round it grew white jasmine and 'white purple wisteria. To sit in the deep recess of that grand Window ndowv was always a pleasure to Irene. She lilted to watch Ruby at play ort the lawn with the tame doves and the pea- cocks; she liked to watch the aun shining over the trees and tiro flowers. thIrene deepvrecsitting, s t f rthe old mullioned thought, watching the wind -stirred jasmine, that she did not hear her husband as he entered, ' Her eyes had travelled out on the lawn; no wonder the picture she saw there caught and held them. roses, with the lovely Little Ruby—the spoiled darling' of the household—was sitting on one of the gar. den chairs beneath a blossoming lime tree, her chubby, dimpled fists dug deep into her eyes "doing her beat," as nurse Nannette often phrased it, "to get ue a good cry." Nanette stood some little dis- tance from the child doing her utmost to coax her into good humor, "Now, Miss Ruby," she said, coaxingly, "f4 you are a very good child, this afternoon perhaps, I Your mamma will let me take you to I see Humility Dumpty" "I don't want to see Humpty Dumptv, I want to go riding with mamma,' sob. bed the spoiled baby. stamping her foot. "But you don't know how nice it is go- ing to be," persisted Nanette; "lots of lit- tle monkeys, riding on the backs of trained dogs; parrots saying the oddest things; and ob, so many wonderful funny men. Now, Ruby. do be reasonable, you can't go riding with y0111' mamma; there's no room in the victoria. I Beard her say only a little while since that it would be quite impossible to take you with her to -day," (To be continued.) CHAPTER XXIi. According to her promise, on the mer- itow Irene gave the maid the money, which': was to purchase the girl's silence feeee- ermore, as she believed, and on the . imam day, much to Irene's relief the girl tools' passage on all outgoing steaamee beeeee for Italy. "Farewell for a time, reiladi," the, girl muttered, as the blue line of shore fact, ed from her view in the. distance, "you think you have looked your last, upon Marie afontalti; all, so you have while,. the gold lasts; after that you shall sce' me soon enough," For many a long day after her' dory,u', ture, Irene had been haunted by tiho tate. prehension that the girl might .retufu, cceetastermessorsozeareseaseseere tkk (744 n[4. Uti1U Ye Oodfsimgaa THE CANADA .S THE newest thing in sugar —and the best --is 'this 5 -Pound Sealed Package of Extra Granulated. In this carton 5 pounds full weight of Canada's finest sugar comes to you fresh from the Refinery, and 'absolutely free from any taint 14 • or impurity. Ask your 'Grocer for -the OfegEK 5 -Pound Package. CANADA SUGAR REPINING COMPANY, LIMITED, MONTREAL. NEWS FROM SUNSET - COA WILtT THE WESTERN P:EOPI4 ' ARE DOING. • Progress of the, . Great'West To1+It In a Ecw- .Pointed items. Several new houses have bee built in Naleasp, Pete Swanson wi it put upa P $GO,- 000 hotel in Princeton. The new Regina public library - was opened recently, At present there is no doctor in. the Chilcotin district. A,modern hotel, costing $15,000,,,- has been opened at Marcus. Butter from New Zealand has A,. large sale in Vancouver. Telegraph poles are being shipped. from Rossland to Albertan towns. There are" only twenty-four regi.s-^• tredrm, property owners in Port Al.. b About 6,000 fruit trees have bee set out this spring at Deer Park B.C. For the summer months ICelown has pushed its clock ahead on hour. North Vancouver's streets will ba„ - treated -with oil to minimize the, dust nuisance, • Recently 45 deer were seen feed.: ing at the mouth of Ashnola, creek,' in the Similkameen While digging a trench at Payor couver last week, C. P. Martha picked up an $8 nugget. A joint stock company has bei formed locally to erect a $25,000.fsesa. tel at Cumberland, A pioneer of Nanaimo died re. cently after a residence of forte , years in that town, in th•e persona' Mr. Samuel Drake, at the age e1 seventy-four years, Granite Road is the location of one of the first vineyards planted is the Calgary district, In the vicinity of New Denver - and Silverton about 50 men oxer, working on the wagon roads.. There were 33 patients treated at the Isolation Hospital, Victoria* during the past month. Cranbreok's tax levy this year is. 30 mills in the dollar, includinj five mills for school purposes. During 1909-7.0 the catch at Naar. aimo, the headquarters of the hers, ing industry, reached 25,000 tons. Three carloads of pure bred ninth cols have been shipped into, Olds district, stn ict, Alberta, in the two months Nelson., Recently t y near 'sew{n deer, fleeing from cougars, sough protection among a gang of men a waile upon a pile driver. The copper cent has made its ap- pearance at Vancouver, having: been introduced by James Stark & Sons for change -making purposes. The fiat has gone forth that *Net... son merchants and business mt have agreed to close on each 'Wed- nesday afternoon during June, Jura, and August. The wedding of Mr. Milton 11. - Porter `Porter and Miss Florence 13eeirn was celebrated a few days ago in the heart of one of the big trees in Stanley Park, Vancouver. Vancouver is to have • its Coney Island, The British Columbia amusement Company, Limited, iu going to make of Hastings Park & veritable paradise of pleasure. A settler arrived in Keremeos the other day who had driven all they way from California. He brought with him, in two wagons, his family, ducks, chickens and other effects. The Northern Anthracite Syndi- tate, recently organized by Andrew Laidlaw, of Victoria, B.C., will ex- pend $12,000,000 in developing 12,- 800 acres of coal lands in the Groundhog mountain district, 100 f ;S miles east o Stewart. t. POINTED PARAGRAPHS, And the louder a man talks the - - less it amounts to. ' How narrow minded most people are who argue with us 1 Some people lie because they are too polite to tell the truth. It's surprising how many griev antes most worthless men have. You can sometimes do a friend; a ,-• , favor by refusing to give him ad vice. It doesn't take a very clever we - man to. make a man make a, fool et himself, 'And many a woman has lost eg good friend by leading him to the matrimonial altar, - When the average man hag a1 ohanee to say agood word for hive ncighbor.hc is apt to go lame. It's an easy thing for a married man to understand why, as a bailee lor; he didn't understand women,, Maize, which is largely grown in ,. the Argentine, yields one ton of corn per acre grown. It's difficult for a than to practice economy and be. popular at the same time, trHE Rees a He • o Deo ing ale imp ,dnf. reri the