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The Huron News-Record, 1889-12-25, Page 3HER TROTH. 111.1.) TRUST. U ST• first question to the footman. "No, Sir Eustace ; he has gone to the theatre with Mr. Dene." Not by a sign did Clairvaulx betray that the answer startled hint. "Did she go in the broughum ?" he asked. "No, air ; Dir. Deno called for hor in a hansom. They're gone to the Haymarket, sir." "Very well. Tell thein to send round the broughams at once ; I don't require auything, 1 dined at ON ford." mHe went up to the .hawing -room, feeling chilled and disappointed, and something more than disappointed ; not vexed with Reneo for being absent, sine she had no reason whatever to e'cpoct him to -night, still he had hoped she might be at home ; but whatvexed him and pained him was her conduct this evening and her silence concerning shedney Deno. \\ by did she not mention having met hien, cid why did she not go to the theatiein a carriage in. stead of driving nit in a hansom ? Clairvaulx was as far as possible from beiug strait laced but he was jealous for the ntuno of his beauti- ful young wife ; he would not give anyone a loophole for saying she slid when her hus- band was absent what ho would not sanc- tion when at home. But Renee was. eo in- experienced she aright have acted thought- lessly. Dene might have fetched her to juin Lady Laura or some other friend. Clairvaulx loved his wife too truly and had too much faith in her to suspect wrong without, very strong proof, but he was far from (raving each faith in Sydney Dene. His worldly knowledge ta ught Lim not to trust a man who had once been a woman's ,lover not to be her lover still. though she have a husband. He threw himself into a chair in the drawing -room, and almost as he did so, he caught sight of something lying on the floor by the piano. It looked like a letter. With no thought but that it might be some of his wife's she had dropped and would not, perhaps, wish a servant to read, he rose, and crossing the floor picked up the letter, which was without an envelope and folded it as if it had been in the pocket. Clairvaulx never read his wife's lettere, and would not'havo read this had not Ms eye inadverently caught words that sent all the blood to itis heart with a shock that took his breath. "My own precious darling." Does a wo- man write so to a woman ? And this was a man's hand. Mechanically Clairvaulx turned to the signature. "Your fond, true Syd." Then he read it from beginning to end. It was not long—dated Wednesday. " I will call for you to -morrow, as arrang- ed. \Vhat happiness to be with you again— not for the last time, though your husband comes home so soon. Ah ! Reneo, did you not own that you loved me—thatyou dread- ed his coming 7 But there are golden days in store for us yet, only wo must be more careful. Forgive this short letter'; 1 could • not write a longer ono this tii'tne. With un- dying love, "Your fond, true "Stn." Clairvaulx stood quite still, slowly crush- ing the letter in his hand. "It cannot be !" he muttered, with bloodless lips. " It is impossible—such foul treason. My Renee, my darling—who has written to me as she has written ? No 1 I am mad --dreaming. Sho cannot be se false ; itis treason to doubt her." The door opened. " The brougham is at the door, Sir Enstaco." Clairvaulx started and pulled himself together. " Very well," he said, quietly, and the servant retired. Clairvaulx bowed his face in his clasped hands. " Yet she loved hien once," he muttered . " she begged me tg save her from his in• fluence. But the lie—the foul treason to write to me daily those loving letters while she was meeting this lover—corresponding with him ! My God ! I will not believe it unless her own lips confess it, let the proof seem what it may 1" He thrust the letter into his breast pocket and went out to the carriage, and in a few minutes he was at the theatre and directed to Lady Clairvaulx's box. Tho play was nearly, but not quite, over. He was just in time, then, to fetch Renee. CHAPTER XIII. And Renee Clairvaulx, observed of all ob- servers, was not enjoying herself a bit. Lady Laura never put in an appearance, and the• girl kept thinking—"Suppose Eustace were to conte home to -night, and I not at home to meet him?" Sho began to wish she had told therm to send the brougharn for her and she longed for the play to be over, yet dreaded being quite alone with Sydney again. Had she been wrong—foolish ? she asked herself. Would Eustace blame hor? But Sydney had seemed so frank and friend. ly. How should she dream of harm to him any more than to herself in being with him ? Tho heroine, in the last act, was just denouncing the villian--tho hero was in the wings waiting to rush on—when there was a knock at the box door. Renee started, aim?ply because sho was in a nervous state in whish everything would startle her; but Sydney turned round with a look of unmistakable annoyance as ho said, " Come in." . " Thank you," said a voice to the attend- ant who opened the door—a voice that mane the blood leap in Renee's veins, and rush in a joyous flood to hor brow. She turned her glowing face to her husband as .,.he entered the box ; but the eight of his face froze the quick, happy "Oh, Enstaeel" on her lips—froze the blood in her heart ; the soft flush on her cheek died into deadly pallor. As for Deno, he had to use no small effort to preserve some self.command, anti greet the horribly unwelcome intruder with decentcourteay, but his constrained manner did not for a moment impose on Clairvaulx, though this was neither tho time nor the place to notice it. i Ife declined by a gesture the chair Dene /offered, and said, quietly— "I thought I would come end fetch my wife home. The piece is nearly ovr:r, I be- lieve?" " Nearly over," Deno managed tte say. Clairvaulx must have seen that letter.. 'Well, he was meant to see it, but son ow Mr. Dene did not feel very comforts now that hie plan had succeeded. For one thing, he had not contemplated Sir Eustace, if he should come home to -night, coming so early, or driving down to the theatre for his wife. The green curtain began to descend, and Clairvaulx, quiety ignoring Sydney Deno, took up Renee's opera cloak and put it round her shoulders, drawing the hood over her sunny curls. Sho did not speak a word, sho did not even look at him ; she strove with all her strength to be outwardly) calm, but she could not help the trembling of the little hand he drew on his arm. Still ignoring Dene, Clairvaulx led his wife front the box, Sydney following and feeling much in the position of a hound beaten for misconduct; yet the young man could not re- sent his treatment. Outside Renee paused, turning to Sydney. " Good -night, "she said, offering her haud, thank f r your "a' Clood night,"he said, justrtouvhing hor hand, and raising hie bat to both turned away. Clairvaulx handed his wife into the broug. ham and followed her. and the carriage drove oft: Reneo shrank into the corner, still dazed and stunned, without the power, if sho had had the will, to utter a word. What did it all mean? What had she done? Had someone slandered he to her husband, and that was why he came up earlier than he had said he would ? Oh ! how she had revel- led in picturing their meeting. She would spring to his arms, and whisper Trow elle had lengod for his coming and how she loved him ; and this was the reality. But she had done no wrong ; he would believe her word against a thousand. They would soon be home, and then this' hideous nightmare would pass.away. And Clairvaulx, with burning heart and teeth set close, sat silent and motionless. How he yearned to fold that quiver- ing form beside him to his breast: hut that must not be while even the shadow of doubt clouded hie love. Beaidos, it would utterly break down the self command Renee preserved now, and the servants would see she was deeply agitated. The carriage stopped and Clairvaulx as- sisted his wife to alight. She drew the hood of her cloak more closely about her face as she went with him to the house. In the hall he paused, and asked her in a low tone if Louise was sitting up forher. " No," she said. "I told her not to sit up." " Then shall I come with you now, Renee —or presently ?" He had to bend down to catch her answer. " No—please come now." She loosed her hand from' Ms arm, and went before him up the stairs to her dressing -room, where \ glorious firo burned in the low grate. Renee flung off her mantle hurriedly, and turning, faced her husband as he closed the door. Her dark eyes were wild and troubled, her color went and came, her whole frame quivered. She had never looked more lovely than she looked now in her agony and perplexity. Clairvaulx had never more need than he had now of self - command. • ,. " Eustace !" she said, breathlessly. " What is it—what have I done wrong? It was not my fault to -night --indeed it wasn't !" Clairvaulx went up to hor and laid both hands on her shoulders. • " What was not your fault, Renee ?" he asked, gently. " About Sydney. Are you angry because 1 went with him as I did ? I did not think there was any harm --and I thought Lady Laura was coming." " Yes ?" " She wrote some days ago," Renee went on, more bravely, though she did not look up, " to ask me to go to the theatre with Sydney and her, and she would call for me in the carriage ; and while I was waiting Sydney came up in a hansom to fetch me. He.eaid Lady Laura had a bad headache ; she hoped to join us later. I suggested that I should order the brougham, but Sydney said we were late already. So I went. Was that wrong, Eustaco 7' " No." He dropped' his hands and turned away, or he must have flung his arms round the trembling form, and forgotten every- thing but his love and her suffering. " No, Renee—if that were all 1" "If that were all !" she repeated, blankly. Fora minute there was dead silence. - Clairvaulx leaning on the mantelpiece, gazing into the glowing fire, but seeing nothing; Renee with hor hands clenched over hor heart, her eyes wide with horror and won der. "You think," elle said at last ; but hard- ly as it she grasped tho idea, " that I am deceiving you. I never spoke of meeting him in my letters --and so --you think I was afraid to speak of hint—" She stopped. Clairvaulx, not daring to lift his eyes to her face, lest, looking at her, he should lose the self-control that even now seemed ebbing from him, said, in a low sup- pressed voice— . " You asked me not to bring hint here becau >u feared your own heart if you .met im again ; yet, so soon as I.am away, you set hist, not once but teeny times ; how is this ?", 'Renee turned her face aside, the crimson creeping over cheek and brow, a sweet soft light shining through all the trouble in her eyes. " 1 wap wrong then," sho said, in a half whisper. " I knew—afterwards, I was not afraid to meet him. . I never loved him ; I only thought I did—" " Renee I" with what passion in face and voice he turned to her—"you madden me 1 What aro you saying to me ? Oh, God, what is the truth ?" He took tho letter from his pocket, and flung it at her feet. "Tell me," ho said, through his teeth, " what that means!" Surely the utter amazement of Renee's look—first to the letter, then to her hue• band's face; and back again, was elumost 1J aiaawer euffloient to the question, or never wore guilt the garments of innocence with such cousummate art. " Is it ranine t" she actin, involuntarily. " God help me 1" Clairvaulx said, " I cannot believe that it is !" Ile picked the letter up, and held it before her. "You know the writing t" he said, watching her face. She glanced at it, and raised hor pure eyes to his. " It is Sydney's," she said, at once, " but it cue t he mine ; he has not written to me." " Renee, my darling "—he put his hands on her shoulders again—his voice was hoarse and broken—"I asked you when you wrote to me to speak from your hearts I ask volt, for both our sakes, for the love of Heaven, to speak to me from your heart Dow. Road that letter, which I found to- night in the drawing -room, as if it had ac- cidentally fallen. If you have read it before, confess the truth, and I will be patient with you. Mind, my wife, I have no doubt of your honor ; I cannot bring myself even to think you are unfaithful in thought, but that letter must be explained. Once more, tell me the truth 1" Again he turned from her. Renee look- ed clown at the letter through a scarlet mist, but site knew her husband was waiting in agony for her answer. She struggled for self-control, and at last she in some measure gained it : and not moving front where she stood, began the letter. The first words caused the hot blood to flame into her face. She made a qui ik step forwards, and opened her lips, as if to dis- own the shameful lines, but crushed the iia - pulse, and paused. Sho would read it to the end. Then it fell from her handa to the floor, and she stood erect, her dark eyes blazing, her whole fraute quivering with a noble passion. "It is a lie 1" she said, in a clear ringing voice—"a base, coward scheme to rob me of your faith. I never saw that letter, Eustace, till you threw it at nay feet. There was no arrangement but the arrangement I told you of ; Sydney Dene never wrote to me as he implies there t he never spoke to me or treated nye save as a friend, and so I treated him. It is a lie that I loved him, or told him Idid ; a lie that I dreaded your corning home. I longed for it day and night —and stow—" She broke suddenly down, and would have fallen on her knees at his feet but he caught her to his breast, wrapping her close, close to him. "Renee," he cried, in passionate anguish, "my wife, if you can forgive me. Ah ! no no; I did not doubt you ; I was mad to torture you—to wrong you so 1" She clung about his neck, sobbing for very happiness, and he, in bitter remorse, bent over her, kissing' the golden curls with devout passion, the while she struggled for strength to speak to him. But by•and•by she lifted her face a little. "Eustace," she whispered. "I have not told you all the truth—nok quite all." He drew a quick breath. How wildly his heart throbbed against hers! His trem- bling lips touched her brow. "Will yon tell pie the rest now?" he said. "In my arms.?" "Don't you know it, Eustace?" "I think," the words were hardly breath- ed, "I think I know, my wife, but tell me with your lips on mine." "She lifted her radiant face to meet his kiss ; to give to him the lover's kiss. . "Eustace, I love you 1" Half kneeling, half reclining at her hue - band's feet as he eat holding her in his arms her bright head lying on his breast, Renee made her confession. "I Loved you long ago," she said, very softly, with a half sorrowful wistfulness in her tone, as having made him suffer needless- ly, "only I was foolish and did not know it. I think that even that first night, when you spoke to me under the limes, and took me is, your heart and kissed me, 1 think that even then you more than half won me. I don't know, but looking back I seemed to feel. more clearly than I dreamed of then that I was happy with you. I knew there was rest and trust, but it was more than that— a feeling I bad never had for Sydney Dene. I could never have loved him, Eustace ; it was only a girl's fancy, and there is no power in him that could make fancy ripen into love." "Clairvaulx's brow grew dark at the men. tion of Sydney Deno's name: "Base traitor I" he said, sternly, "I have an account -to settle with him, and he will not forget the payment. There has been a plot Renee, to make mo believe you faith- lesa in thought if not in deed, and that let ter was written and placed where it was for me to find. Ono of the servants must have beon the tool here, and I know who was the moving spirit." "Eustace ! Not Lady Laura ?" "Aye, Lady Laura. Years ago, Renee, she was at no pains to hide from me that I had but to ask her hand to win it, and she had never forgotten that I was blind and deaf to her preference. She hates you for my sake, she hates me for hor own ; she seeks to wound mo where the wound would be deep- est. But enough of her now and of the. hound who shall soon taste my horsewhip. Speak to mo again of your love, Renee. I think," he said, very low, and his lips sought ' hers again, "1 enuld never weary of hearing you say over and over, 'I love you, I love you."' Renoc smiled softly, but there wore tears in her eyes., too. "Ah 1" she. said, '• 1 was very creel to you, but f II i,1 npr.t know, and you were always so patient 11tt11 MO. \n;1 somehow I could not tell you when I wrote that I loved you ; I Lis Then be clasped her with emotion, Drew the maiden to his breast, Whispered vows of true devotion, The old, old tale,—you know the rest. From bis circled arms upspringing, With a tear she turned away, And her voice with sorrow ringing, "I shall not see my bridal day." • This dramatic speech broke him up bad- ly; butwhen she explained that her appre- , hensfons were founded on the fact of an inherited predisposition to consumption in her family, he calmed her fears, bought a bottle, of Dr. Pierce's Golden Medical Dis- covery for her, and she is now the incarna- tion of health. Consumption fastens its bold upon its victims while they are un- conscious of its approach. The "Golden Medical Discovery' has cured thousands of cases of this most fatal of maladies. But it must be taken before the disease is too far advanced in order to be effective. If taken in time, and given a fair trial, it will cure, or money paid for it will be refunded. For Weak Lunge, Splitting of Blood, Shortness of Breath, Bronchitis, Asthma Severe Coughs, and kindred affections, it is an efficient remedy. Copyright, 1888, by WORLD'S 1)18. SEED. AWN. $500 REWARD offered for an incurable case of Catarrh in the Head, by the proprietors of Doctor Sage's Catarrh Remedy. Only 50 cents. Sold by druggists everywhere. think you must have seen it in my lettere. But the words would act enure, and I want- ed to tell you with rity own lips, and I did not like to speak of styilney, you !night n is understand are, perhaps ; and then it would seem as if I thought you mistrusted ole, and then--" "What, sweetheart 7" "Why, Eustace, you are my husband, and he had once been my lover--" She paused ragain. Clair.!au1x laid his hand on the fair young head. "I understand, dearest," he said, gently, "So there are'no more shadows, my Renee, are there "No, none ; only sunshine, too much sun- shine, it almost blinds mos and yet I cannot feel afraid while yier are with me, Eustace.' • "And I," he said, "canuot put you from me, even for a little while, not yet." And Renee, nestling closer. to !Hiro, ans- wered in act, though not in words, " Not yet." Assuredly Lady Laura Harwood had made a grand mistake for once in hor life. CFIAP'I'ER XIV. Renee bad told her husband that the ser- vant most likely t., bo Lady Laura's tool in regard to the letter was Louise, her maid, who was already under notice for discredit- able conduct, of which facts Lady Laura was aware. So Louise Ira; sent for to her mas- ter's study and sternly questioned. The Frenchwoman confessed that she had placed the letter where it was found. "Lady Laura," the maid said, "wrote to me and told me to go to her, as she heard I was to leave my lady and she wanted a maid. When I went, any Lady Laura gave me a large sum of money and she gave me the let- ter you found, and told me I was to take it out of the envelope and lay it on the fidor, that it might seen any lady had dropped it that was in case you came home last night; but if you did not, I was to give it to you when you came as if I had found it. That is all the truth, monsieur." "Now listen to me, Louise," Clairvaulx said. "You have committed an act, not only base, but criminal. Yeti leave toe house in two hours' time; but inark this 1 if you say a word to any of the servants concerning this matter, or to anyone else, I care not at what distance of time, I will have you arrested for conspiracy, and your punishment would be very heavy indeed. You understand me? Now go 1" And Mdle. Louise withdrew. That day her ladyship received a letter which made her grow white. She had fail- ed then, Eustace Clairvaulx knew the whole truth, and threatened her with criminal pro- ceedingsif he breathed a word against the woman she had tried to ruin. She sent at once a messenger with a not• to Sydney Done to call upon her ; but the messenger returned, reporting that Mr. Deno was ill and was not likely to be out for days. "What is the matter—an accident 1" ex- claimed Lady Laura. The servant hesitated. "Well, my lady,' it seems Sir Eustace Clairvaulx called, and he gave Mr. Done a dreadful horsewhipping; the servant of the house said he thought Mr. Dene was doad when he found him. But he's awful bad, my lady." Sydney Deno, when he could get about again, founts it convenient to throw up his poet at the Foreign Office and go abroad ; but Lady Laura, though she escaped' with- out bodily punishment, had her punishment in the knowledge of her rival's happiness, and of her own utter humiliation in the eyes of the man sho had once loved. And Renee says to hor husband, Vvith a sunny smile— "So it was a golden day for me, Eustace, when you won my consent to be your wife— for you carried the position by storm, I seemed to have no power to refuse you. Only 1 th night myself unhappy, and_ told you I didn't love you ; butit was not half true—even then." Diamond Tea. The Only Genuine, Sale Cure. 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HARNESS EMPORIUM,'BLYT1l, ON T. • a a Cc al 41 C10 1.4 C. Q 131 fi tA4 Li cs' �E e Oen - icc 3IO � m cm -4 e1 -4 Za BUSINESS ANNOUNCEMENT. CORRESPONDENCE. We will at all tunes be pleased to receive items of news from our sub- scribers. We want u good corres- pondent in every locality, not already represented, to send us RELIABLE news. `U8SCItIIRERS. Patrones who du not recciue their paper n'eyularly from the carrier or tier rash their local post otjiees will conifer a favor by reportinag at this office at once. Subscripbious mad commence at any time. ADVERTISERS: Advertisers will please Clear in mind that all "cleanses" of advertisements, to ensure insertion, should be handed in not later than MONDAY NOON of each week. CIRCULATION. THE NEWS-1E00RD has a larger circulation than any of/ger paper in this section, and as an advertising mediums has few equals in Ontario. Our boors are open to. those who mean business. It JOB PRINTING. The Job. 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