Bradford reporter. (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, October 01, 1857, Image 1
0:)E DOLLAR PER ANNUM INVARIABLY IN ADVANCE. TOWANDA: 1 (rijnrs&fln ffloraino, October 1, 1857. gtlttlth Calc. MY SISTER'S HUSBAND. I. I was the youngest of a handsome family. .Mv three sisters, eaeh in her way, were very pretty ; but I, the youngest, and with a natu ral right to be the pet of the house, was never either a beauty or a favorite. My rights iu the matter of favoritism were, and from the first day of her existence had been entirely monopolized by my third sister, Caroline. I was not, however, envious of that ; it doubt less, suited her better to be made a pet, than it would have suited me. My lack of beauty { did regret; but as that want could not be remedied, I endeavored to become reconciled to the face aud figure God had given me.— These were both small, and the first sallow and thin. It boasted, however, and boasts still, of at least oue striking feature, a pair of In rare black eyes. >lv two eldest sisters were married while I was still a girl at school. They both became the wives of military men, and both within a vear of their marriage, accompanied their hus bands to India. I have never seen either of them since. My third sister, however re mained at home, and there I joined her when, a <rirl of seventeen, my school life ended. I was fond of Caroliue, and she too, I be lieve, of me, yet her affection was by no means that of an elder sister for a younger.— As I said before, she, and not I, occupied the position of youngest in our household. She was spoilt, while I was left unpetted ; she was flattered and admired, while no eye looked at, and no lip spoke of me ; she was encouraged and almost compelled to lean on other people, while I was left to depend upon myself. I came from school full of a happy plan of life. We had uo mother, and our father was a mill-owner, and for many hours each day away from home. These periods, when Caro line and I should be left together, I meant to turn to good account. I was better educated than she was, and I meant to give herlessous. I cared for study, and I ineaut to make her learn with me where I was most iguorant. I came home primed with my project, aud the tirst domestic tiding I received was the news that she was to be married within six weeks. She gave me the information herself, as 1 stood taking off my bonnet in my room—gave it me with the prettiest blushes in the world, with the smallest, timidest voice—so softly and shyly, indeed, that at the first telling I neither heard nor comprehended what she said. But, for any sympathy that she got, or was likely to get from me, I understood quickly enoiitrh. Had either of my elder sisters been at the moment of this declaration in my place, she would I do not doubt, have forthwith put her arms around Caroline's neck, and conveyed her congratulations to her with much affectionate kissing, and probably some few tears. I grieve to say that in no manner approached any such demonstration. I simply expanded my black eyes till Caroline's blue one's sank before tliein, and broke into one short sentence which I fear was neither affecting norconsola tory. Her lover was in the house, however, at that inoment, and I had to go down stairs and see liitn, as soon as I had smoothed my hair. I found liitn in the drawing-room with my father, and ray father presented me to him. " Ilallam, my daughter Anne." "My daughter Anne" put out her hand, and it was encdosed straightway between a large palm aud fingers—enclosed, but not grasped. I was small and cool ; Mr. Hallam, oq the contrary, large and nervous. What to do with my hand wheu he had got possession of it, or what to respond to the salutation that 1 made him, he seemed equally at a loss to know, lie stood high above me, a tall hand some young man, looking into my face with a strangely-startled gaze, fluttering my hand up mid down with a feeble irresolute touch. ' This is our youngest, oar little school girl," m y f at ' lfcr i "-she is not much like Carry, is Xo, certainly !" His eyes turned to Caroline's face with a 'j Uick , beaming, pleasant look ; his fingers dropped from ray hand, and I retreated to my father's side, taking to myself the consolation at if my own reception had been neither elegant nor cordial, my sister's future husband could at least in regarding her, wear a look of iaaulmess. j As |i>r me I thought it likely enough that 10 would take little further notice of me. In ' lovvev cr, I found myself rather singularly "-taken. He dined with us that day, and (,u "iig the whole time of diuuer I was con- f ous °f the continual movement of his eyes me. I became aware too, that each he detected my gaze upon himself he be ne straugely discoucerted, to an extent that f""":'-'! Nic ; he stammered and grew confused |' at he said ; he even more than once al> • 'ptly broke off his seuteiice. I grew both and perplexed, yet except for this j '-'Uiar nervousness, I liked him. I preferred ; decidedly to cither of my other brothers- ] o[ . AU ' U11( l so I told Caroline before we slept, CODBC ' eDCe smote me for the manner in had received the first announcement of r,p c e "S a s e roent, and some amende for that cool appeared to me called for. . 'Uiir husband will have more in him than , er Jane's or Harriet's, Carry," I said, 0 r !l U? il is a P'ty he does not break himself • mi nervous manner." „ *'d you think him nervous ?" over > J eaf an( * ?He seems to get teoil'p i° WCVer ' w ' leu ke ' s accustomed to "father'' k° ws none of it to you or to ray Anne," <hc said, "it is straDge. I THE BRADFORD REPORTER. never saw any trace of such a thing in him before." " Did you not ? Them I suppose I must es pecially discompose him. lam sorry for that; because, if he begins with a strong dislike to me, he probably won't get ever it." " Mv dear he does not dislike you." " How do do you know ?" "He almost said so, Auoe. He came to me after dinner, and said that it must be such a comfort to me to have some one with us now that I could lean upon, and when I looked as if I did not quite understand him, for indeed I did not, he said quickly, "I mean Anne ; can't you lean on her ? dou't you like her ?" " And you said —what, Carry?" " I said you were the youngest, and it seem ed strange to talk of leaning on you." I rose up from the fire over which we had been sitting, and laughed. " Mr. Hallam has seen in one night what you have not guessed in all your life, Carry !" It certainly did appear that Mr. Hallam was deeply impressed with the belief of my capa bilities as a support, for we had not beeu ac quainted for a couple of days before I per ceived that he intended to use me not only to prop up Caroline, but himself. A looker on might have wondered how they had ever got on before I came, so constant now were the appeals to me, so eager the question "what Anne thought ?" " what Anne advised ?" questions, however that they were rarely asked frankly or cheerfully, as though my opiuion was cared for because I myself was liked, but always— strange as it seemed, it was certian- Iy so —as if in a kind of continued incompre hensible fear of me. ID many respects he was a strange man, and as time went on 1 was by no means hearti ly satisfied that he should marry my sister.— he was subject, I soon found, to (its of gloom and low spirits which had, even already, a most depressing effect upon her; the more that, fond of him as 6he was, she was too timid a creature ever at these times to be able to summon courage enough to attempt to rouse him. If she was timid, however, I was not; and when I could not persuade her to interfere with him, 1 at length took that work upon myself. One day, when he was sitting moodily over the fire, I came into the room bouueted and cloaked. " Frederick," I said, "get up and come out with me. Look how brightly the sun has broken over the snow." He looked up, not upon the sunshine but on me. I had expected a direct refusal to my request ; instead of that, with nervous haste he rose ; in two minutes I had him in the open air, trampling the frosty ground beside me. There he paced, for two long hours, gloomy as uight, yet obedient to every word I spoke. Where I went he followed me ; what I bade him do, he did. I brought him home as the sun was setting, and I went up stairs and shut myself in my own room, with a strange chill feeling of dismay. What was I that this man should so obey me? —doing tnv slightest bidding with this aspect of spiritless fear ? After this day I made one strong effort to prevent my sister's marriage. I spoke both to my father and to her. Her I made intense ly miserable by what I said, and my father I inspired with enough anxiety and alarm to in duce him to speak forthwith to Mr. Ilallam. I was present at the interview between them, and 1 shall not quickly forget the ghast ly look of pain that came to Mr. Ifallatu's face as my father told him our fears of trust ing Caroline to his keeping. lie was stand ing up by the fire, and, grasped the mantel shelf with one hand, with a clutch that brought the blood to every vein he listened. When my father ceased to speak, he could only pit eonsly cry— " You gave me your promise !" " I did,'' my father said ; "but I gave it.in ignorance of what I have since seen, ana in ignorance of what I have heard others." " From what others ?" he demanded fierce !y- I came forward and said, "From me." rt From you Anne !" He looked up wildly in my face ; then sud denly his head dropped, he laid it down upon the mantel-shelf, and burst into tears. Inexpressibly shocked, I came beside him. " Frederick, for God's sake, be calm !" Broken with sobs his voice rose up. " Anne, have mercy on me ! I)o not take her from me ! She is all I have in the wide world !" The tears were coming to my eyes. My father silently took me and put ine from the room. He was a soft-hearted man and he could not stand the sight of Mr. Hallam's misery ; but he had a sense of his own digni ty also, and, in consideration of it, I suppose, he turned me out before he yielded. I avoided Caroline and went to my own room Half an hour afterwards I was summoned thenoe to my father's study. He addressed me as I entered at once. " Anne he has behaved very well, ne has promised to use every effort in his power.— Things will go on better now, I have no doubt." " Then he is to have Caroline ?" " I cauuot break their hearts, Anne. They may have something to bear togtt/ier, but they would have more to hear apart." I saw Mr. Ilallam no more that day. Our next meeting was ou the following afternoon. I met him then by chance for a a few moments alone. What his feelings towards mc might be I could not tell, but I went up to him as usual and extended my hand. At once he took and grasped it in both of his. " I want to see you," he said, eagerly.— " Anne," he cried, "do not take part against us ! For God's sake, be you our friend !" " I did not act yesterday out of enmity," I said. His hands dropped from mine ; he grew even ghastly as he asked me, " Do you mean to repeat what you did yes terday V PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY AT TOWANDA, BRADFORD COUNTY, PA., BY E. O'MEARA GOODRICH. I shook my head. I said—" No." He gave a cry of joy. " God bless you, Anne !" The warm tone pained me. I said, sadly enough. " You have had little cause to bless me, Fred. But, if you are willing, let us be friends now." I gave him my hand again, and it was clasp ed cordially. I believe that, in truth, he bore me no malice. It wanted a fortnight to the day fixed for their marrriage. During that fortnight Mr. Hallam was all that we could wish : there were no more fits of gloom. He was cheerful, [ sensible, affectionate, and my father and Caroline brightened daily. The marriage day came, aud she was wedded to him. I bade farewell to them on a bright crisp February morning, and saw uo more of them for nine mouths. 11. At the close of the nine months, I was suddenly made an orphan. Mj father had long suffered from disease of the heart; one evening, as we sat alone together, I heard a half cry from him, and saw his head drop on his breast. Wheu I reached him he was dead. I sent a telegraphic message to London to the Hallams, begging that Frederick might come down to me. Sometime upon the fol lowing day I hoped to see him and trusting to him to spare me all the arrangements for the funeral, I shut myself up alone that day with my grief. But I waited for him in vain ; the day passed and he did not come. I had to to rouse myself then, and give directions for what had to be done. A secoud and a third, and a fourth day elapsed, and I was still alone. On the fifth morning, when I was in deed utterly alone, for the house was empty now, lat length received a letter from Caro line, with the postmark of a country place in Devonshire, whither they had gone, she told me, oa her husband's account, for rest and change of air. She had neither received my message nor my letter, nor could I write to her now, for she gave me no Rddress. I waited patiently, in my lonely house for a long fortnight. One evening, when that time was expired, at last Frederick came. He came into the room where I was sitting—the blithe bridegroom, whom I had parted from nine mouths ago, changed into a wan, worn, haggard man. I heard his entrance, and rose up. He ut tered my name as I approached him, then seized the hands that I extended to him, and held them in a convulsive grasp. "You have been alone," were the only words that burst from his lips, "alone through this whole time." " It could not be helped ; T knew you would have come if you could have known." " Alone !" he only repeated, shivering, "without a creature near you ! How could you bear it ? I could uot live oue day alone." " Frederick, you have tired yourself with your journey. You arc not strong. Caroline told me you had been unwell." He raised his eyes, with a sharp suspicious look, to my face ; but they staid lifted only for a moment. Suddenly changing into the old, incomprehensible expression of subjec tion, they dropped, lie did not speak a word. " Come to the fire ; I will order supper for you. Come aud take this seat. It is cold to night." He came and sat down ; I seated myself beside him, aud asked for news of Caroline.— He had nothing to say but that she was well. I tried to make him talk of other subjects but the effort was vain. His mind seemed entire ly filled with that strange hauuting horror of my loneliness ; agaiu and again, as we sat like one who had lost all self-control, he broke out into the same trembling exclamation, " Good God ! how could you bear it ?" I sat at last quite silent, in deep wonder and distress. I thought it was well that I had been alone. I could ill have stocd com panionship such as this three weeks ago.— With a woman's instinctive love for manly cour age and strength, I began to feel a strange pity and coiutemptfor this weak nature—these unstrung nerves. I gave him food and wine, but they did not restore him to himself. He came back when he had eaten, and crouched again in silence over the fire. It grew late ; the clock over the chimney piece struck eleven. Then I spoke once more. " You must be tired, Frederick. After your journey you had better go aud rest." He looked around with a wild shiver. " No, no ; the house is so lonely," he said. " Let me stay here. Stay with me, Anne." " We cannot stay here all night." "It would only be for one night. You will be ready to come to-morrow." " I am uot going back with you, Frederick." " Anne !" He looked rae wildly in the face ; then— " Anne you must come 1" he cried. " All our hope is in you. If yon will not come to us, we are lost." lie seized and grasped my hand ; his manner was excited in the highest degree. 1 drew back and shook him from me. " Mr. Hallam, what do you mean ?" I de manded sharply. " Sit still aud speak ra tionally." He winced strangely, and shrank back. — There was a few moments pause ; then, iu a voice entirely subdued, he asked mc— " Did I give you a letter ? There was one from Caroline." " No." He searched in his breast pocket, and brought it forth. " I beg your pardon ; you ought to have had it before." 1 took it to the light and read it. She had written mostly about her father's death ; but at the end of the letter came these words : " Frederick will ask you to return with him. Ann P, do not refuse Mm! Oh, Anne, if you ever loved me, do uot refuse to come !'' " REGARDLESS OF DENUNCIATION FROM ANT QUARTER." I folded up the letter, and went back to the fire where he was sitting. I laid my hand up on his shoulder. He looked eagerly round. " Anne," he cried "you will come I" " Yes, since you both wish it." " Thank God 1" he ejaculated ; and the first look of composure I had seen came to his worn face. " And now, that this is settled,- Frederick, go to bed." * He rose np in silence : but the ghastly palor of cheek and lip, as he prepared to obey me, so shocked and startled me, that I abruptly cheeked his departure. Unmanly and pitiable as it was, there was no mistaking his intense fear of solitude ; and iu his weak and unstrung state I did not feel that I dared to force it on him. "I am not going away yet," I said. "If you prefer to stay here, I will wheel this sofa forward, and yon can lie down, before the fire." lie accepted ray offer eagerly. " I am not used to strange rooms ; I am afraid I should not sleep," he muttered. He lay down, and I threw a cloak over him. I sat down in sight of him and read, lie was in reality weary and worn out ; and before half an hour had elapsed he had fallen asleep. We sat out together next morning, aud reached London by nightfall. My sister met us at her own door, aud I looked again on the face I had not seen for nine months. It might have been nine years, it was so changed. I could have passed her in the street uncon scious that she was kith or kin of mine. I restrained my surprise and pain until we were together iu my room. Then I stood up and faced her. " Caroline, what does this mean ?" She had been trying to talk and smile. At my question all feigned composure gave away. She burst into tears and answered me. I might have guessed it. She was breaking her heart over the change in her husband. " 11c is never unkind to me, but all day long he terrifies me," she sobbed. •' I dare not leave him—he will never sit alone for ten minutes, from morning to night. He is so wretched himself that it half kills me to see him. Oh, Anne ! what is the matter ?—what is the matter with him ?" I tried during the day that followed to dis cover the answer to that question Alas, when I thought at length that I had discovered it, it was no answer that I could tell his wife. Everything I saw forced upon me the conviction that the crushing weight upon Mr. Hallam's mind was some crushing remorse.— Day by day I tried to forget and thrust it back the more vehemently it forced itself upon me. I began to live under the pressure of a strange, chill horror. "We passed a fortnight miserably enough.— Mr. Hallara never left the house. Almost his entire time was spent in silence and inaction —stooping over the fire. If he was roused or spoken to, a face of such infinite despair would rise before us, that many a time its expression wrung my heart. Sometime a momentary brightening iu his look would cheer us for a few seconds ; sometimes, aud that, alas, more frequently, his dumb, listless misery would warm into a wild aud feverish excitement. We never left him, for his strongest terror was that of solitude. Day and night Caro line, or I sat with him. He had been fond of music, and even yet he seemed to take some thing like pleasure in it. Heavy as our hearts were, I therefore often played, and his nearest approaches to couteut seemed during the mo ments that he sat listening to me. A fortnight had passed thus : at the end of it one evening this happened. It was dark, but we had no candle ; the fire was burning brightly, and I bad gone to the piano, and sat there playing. Mr. Ilallam had risen from his seat and was pacing the room. Caroline had come to my side. I was playing softly, and suddenly from my sister's lips a cry rung through the room. Before I could speak, white with terror, and with outstreched arms, she started from her seat. I sprang up too. I could see uothing ; the room was all as usual ; but, while gasping out her husband's name, she staggered one step towards him, and then fell. Before she reached the ground I caught her iu my arms, but she had faiuted. " Frederick, help me !" I called. He was standing before an open drawer, looking wild and excited ; but at my call he came. " What is it ?" " She has fainted ; raise her up." He stooped and raised her. I bade him fol low me, and went towards the door ; but when I reached it he had uot moved. Turning round I saw him still standing wildly gazing upon aud passionately kissing his wife's white face. I did not speak, and in two or three mo ments he came and joined me, and we lett the room together. We went up stairs, and he laid Caroline on her bed. Then I rang the bell and summoned help. A servant came to me at once. I bade her see to her mistress, aud leaving them, I hurried back down stairs. Mr. Ilallam had gone a second or two be fore me. I found him again iu the drawing room, when I noislessly re-entered, before his escrutoirc, where he had stood when Caro line faiuted. He was stooping towards the fire, examining the muzzle of a pistol by its light. I stole up behind him and before he was conscious of my presence 1 had caught his arm with the strength of both of my hands. He turned round, wild eyed and furious. " Let me alone !" he shouted "Devil!—let me alone !" He tried to shake himself free. Ido not know whence my strength came, but agaiust his power, I kept my hold. " Lay down that pistol !" I cried. ne kept it clutched fast. " Lay down that pistol." Our eyes were full met, and staid so for a moineut ; then bis dropped. I moved one baoid from his arm, and laid it on the pistol ; he let me take it He stood before me, his wild fierceness gone, shaking and shivering like a child. I locked the weapon in the drawer ; then I could stand no longer. I sank into a seat, and we neither of as spoke again. Some moments passed—l do not know how many—and a hurried hand was laid upon the door. The servant I had left with Caroline entered. " Miss King," she said nervously, "would you come up stairs ? I don't know what is the matter with my mistress." I made Mr. Hallam accompany me, and we returned to Caroline's room. She was still almost unconscious, but moaning in pain. In half an hour two physicians were at her bed side, and that night she was delivered of a dead child. 111. It was four o'clock in the morning, but still dark as midnight, for we were in the midst of winter. The commotion of the last hours was over. Caroline's room was hushed and, mo tionless and almost insensible, she lay between life and death. Iu another room, alone with I its white limbs composed, rested the little form whose eyes had never opened to the light— the human body that had never held a living spirit. Over the still burning drawing-room fire I sat with Mr. Hallam. I had tried to induce him to retire to rest, but he would not go.— Blanched over cheek and lip, his very teeth chattering like a man in deadly terror, he sat! beside me, holding my hand in his with a force ! that crushed the flesh. " How firm the eyes were closed, he kept tremulously muttering. " Did you notice, Anne ?—aud the clenched hands, as if there had been a struggle ! Could it have fought for life ? Oh, the third !—the third !" he gasped. " How many more 1" He chilled me with his wild whisperings, until my heart grew faint. I asked him at last, sharply, " What do yon mean ?" My question brought a scared look from him, but no response. He ceased, however to mutter to himself, and for a minute we were both silent; then, touched by the half con temptuous pity that constantly awoke in me when I perceived him quelled by my voice or look, I said more gently than I had spoken at first. " Why do you keep whispering these things to yourself, Frederick ? What do you mean by them ?" He turned his face around to me as I spoke, and a wild fierce light spraug to his eyes. " What do I mean by them ? Do you want me to tell yon ?" he cried. His changed aspect startled me ; but I con cealed my fear. I said, calmly, " Yes—or I would not have asked yon." lie held his gaze steadfastly upon my face. As he sat gazing at me, something dawning in that look made my blood curdle. " Shall I 1 tell you ?" he said, sharply. The fear was creeping over me with no will of mine. Trying to crush it, I answered quick ly and contemptuously— " Mr. Hallam, we are not a pair of child ren If you have anything to tell me, tell it at once. Do you mean to speak V " Hush, Anne !" he said. " Anne," he whispered, "bend nearer. Oh, it is horrible to tell you !"—he was shivering from head to foot—"but I must tell some one. I cannot bear it longer ! Are you ready ? Anne ?" he cried. " I have shed blood !" " Mr. Ilallam, yon are mad !" I leapt to my feet. I cast his grasping hand away from me. High above his voice sprang my cry, and he answered with a wild shout of agony. " Oh, that I were mad 1" he cried ; "that God would have that mercy on me, to strike me mad ! Anything, anything to escape this torture ! Oh, Anue, turn your face away ;do not look at me with those dreadful eyes 1 You have got my secret. Have mercy on me, have mercy on me now 1" With limbs that were turning into stone, with pulses that seemed ceasing to beat, 1 stood, pity crushed out of me ; all emotion concentrated and hardened into one unuttera ble and incredulous horror. I could not speak ; my cold lips would not unclose to ask one ques tion ; but perhaps he read my face, for he came after I do not know how many moments had elapsed, and passionately cast himself down at my feet. " You do not believe-me ?" lie cried ; "you cannot believe me. But it is true, Anne ! As God sees me, is true ! Stand still—you shall listen ! I had a friend—Frank Hillyard —and we quarreled. I took up a pistol that lay upon his table, and shot him dead ! Again I met the woman who was to have married him, and she suspected me, and threatened me. 1 put my two hands around her throat'' —he looked up, and his eyes were like devil's, glaring at me from the ground,—"and stran led her ! Ah ! Stand still, Anne !" he cried. It was the last word that I heard. His voice had riseu to a shriek. Trying to move and fly, 1 fell. A mist was over eyes and brain, and recollect no more. We were still in the room alone together when I awakened. He had raised and laid me on the sofa ; he himself crouching like a wild animal, was again at my feet. I lifted myself up, and slowly and fearfully the recollection of what I had heard came back to me, —hideous, unreal—like the memory of a nightmare. I rose up ; pressed my hand upon my forehead, and tried to clear my voice. I went forward and stood above him. " Arc you mad ?" I faintly asked him, "or is what you have told me true ?" He lifted his haggard face, and broken and toneless came his voice— " As I stand before God it is true !" I staid to hear DO more. Breaking from him, I fled from the room and through the unligbted ball, into which the dim winter dawn was stealing. My life, thank God, has given me no second experience so terrible as that of the week that followed Mr. Hallam's confession, f would not live it again for a king's ransom. VOL. XVIII. XO. 17. During tbat week I had him with me in my sister's sick room for the greater part of erery day, and for the whole of every night, for when he slept he only lay down on a sofa by his wife's bed, and he scarcely slept three hours out of the twenty-four. JJutyet, wake ful as he was, I was more wakeful still. Fear gave me an unnatural strength. For seven days and nights 1 never closed tny eyes for one entire hour. TV ith a restless, feveiish, undefined terror, I watched over my sister, driving sleep from me. Mr. llallam never came near her bed, never looked at her, uever spoke to her but niy eyes were on him. He foieir, too, that I watched him, and possessed as I was of his secret, the fear he bad always had of me became this week uuutterable. But I rejoiced iu that fear now. It was my strength. This misery, I say, I endured for seven days. At the end of that time the tidings were gi* ven to me that my sister was out of danger. To me they were given, not to Mr. Uallam, for throughout her illness, by tacit consent, all communications from the physician who at tended her had been made to me. Mr. Hullam had scarcely seen him Vet to-day it happened that while Dr. Kane talked with me, he for a moment entered the room in which we were. Dr. Kane had his face to the door and he perceived his eutrance and went forward to him. " Hr. Ilallam," he said, cheerfully, "we have good news for you to-day. I think we may call our patient out of danger." Mr. Ilallam stood still. His eyes glauced up and flashed. " Out of danger—who ?" he cried. " Frederick !" I said. lie looked at me, seemed startled, pressed his hand upon his forehead. " Ah, J. forgot. I beg your pardon. Out of danger—is she ?" he said. There was a moment or two's strange pause. Then, with an effort, I turned Dr. Kane's at tention back to me. 1 trusted that while we spoke Mr. Ilallam would leave us, and he did. I)r. Kane took up his hat—his hand was extended to me. Suddenly he brought his eyes np to my face. Mr. Ilallam is not well," he said, abruptlv. I felt my color flushing over cheek and brow, but I answered calmly— " lie does not complain." " Is he in good spirits ?" I trembled at that question with a sickening dread, the horrible terror of discovery that continually haunted me. My eyes fell "before they answered ; they could liot bear the keen gaze that confronted them. " lie has not high spirits." Dr. Kane looked at me sharply. He stood still for several moments, but "he spoke no more. His hand was again extended. " Good morning, Miss King." He turned from me, and I breathed again. Alas, he was not yet gone ! He reached the door, then paused, hesitated, finally came back, and again addressed me. " Miss King," he began abruptly—and if the color had come to my cheek before, it left it now as white as marble—" I do not know you suspect—l half think you do ; I feel, in any case that I ought to speak to you about what you may be forced to hear soon. Mv dear young lady, I am afraid it will not be possible to keep it concealed much louger, if, indeed, it is concealed now. I aut very much afraid some steps must soon— " So far, as I stood frozen, he spoke ; but his sentence reached no terminatiou. " Anne I" suddenly shouted Mr. Hallam's voice from the door, —and I broke from Dr. Kane and fled. 1 tried to rush straight up stairs, but my brother stood in the hall and caught me by my arm. He caught and shook me, his "face white, the wildest fury iu his eye. " You were betraying me !" "he hissed into my ear. " I was uot, so help me God !" " You devil, if that is a lie— !" His face was close to mine ; he had his fin gers round my throat. A cry—a sort of gasp —burst from me, and in another moment Dr. Kane's figure was between us. " Mr. Hallain 1" With a guilty start the fingers unloosed ; I sprang from their hold and rushed up stairs ; a few seconds afterwards the hall door was opened and closed, and I heard Dr. Kane's carriage drive away. I went back as soon as I was able to my sister's room, and I sat beside her undisturbed for several hours. Happily for me—for the emotion, whose entire signs I could not sup press, might else have betrayed me—during these hours she slept. Where Mr. Hallam was I did not know. It was past mid-day when, sitting in silence, through the door that was not quite closed my car caught the murmur of voices whisperiug in the hall. The sound might not have not at tracted me ; it did not at first ; but suddenly I heard, or thought I heard, within it the voice of Dr. Kane. At that I rose up silently, and crept from the room. I descended the stairs midway, and, unper ccived myself, looked dowu. I was right ; Dr. Kane was in the hall, and with him ano ther gentleman. Both were speaking in a low voice to the servant who admitted them, but the parley was almost at an end ; while I looked, the two gentlemen went forward along the hall, at ond end of which was the dining room. I saw them stand together a moment before that door ; then with one look at each other, Dr. Kane softly turned the handle. They entered the room, but almost at the same instaut I was beside them. Before the opened door could be closed agaiust me, I stood upon the threshold. They both saw me and paused. They aiadp one hurried effort to bar my entrance I stood, wild-eyed and determined, aDd they let me alone and passed in. They advanced in silence to nhw, befora the fire, Mr. Hallam sat. Tbey did not speak, nor he perceive them till they were half across the room ; then suddenly he heard their steps, and turned. I saw the first look he gave them, haggard anfl wild with fear ; another moment and he had leapt upon hie feet, a c