A Letter And A Duel

Tb Tron j-n-t o ;r"" niui.vj ITtiixj HluiI bad brought homO bis bride. Sho t,v:w a celebralwd beauty; she bad been a great belle, perhaps sornewhat of a flirt. Although Harry knew that Lucillo had married him from the purest affectioii, lie could never whoily rid himself of the demon jealousy; it haunteu him perpetually, causing him to imagine that every other man was in love with his wiie - which was no wonder, perhaps, considericg how bandeóme slíe was. Lucille did all in her power to make her husband happy, but, liaving no idea how strong his feeling in the matter wps, sometimes unconsciously gave ground for suspicion by her conduct. " How many times has Danforth been herethis week, Lucille?" aBked Mr. Egmont one evening, coming in with a rather clouded brow - for he had met. the obnoxious visitor at the gate. " Three times, I think," said Lucille, hardly turning from the piano at which she had been seated. " Why do you ask?" "Oh, for no reason; only I do not fancy the man much, and I wondered how you could like him so well." Lucille iooked around, now fairly aroused. "Idon'tlike him particularly, " she said, "but he has such an excellent voice, I do enjoy practicing duets with him. Harry, dear, if you don't fancy him, I won't allow him to come here any more. ' As she spoke, she left the piano, and came to her husband's side, putting out her hand kindly. "I am a brute!" exclaimed Harry, returning her caresses. "Have whoever you please to sing with you; I ought not to interfere." " Yes, surely you ought, dear, if you think I am the least imprudent ín my choice of friends. Do you really dislikeMr. Danforth?" " Yes, I do, Lucy. I might as well own it; he impresses me disagreeably; more than that, I have heard to-day that he has had one or two disgraceful affairs with married women; soyou can imagine I was not very well pleased when I met him at the gate." A deep flush rose to Mrs. Egmont's handsome face as her husband spoke. " Mr. Danforth shall not come here any more, if that is his character," she said, decidedly. "But there is no need of quarreling with him." " Oh, no; he will simply flnd me not at home ' when he calis. He will soon understand." Mr. Egmont, however, advised nothing rash or so pointed as to make an enemy of the man; and, after some consultation, a gradual withdrawal of favor was decided upon, rather than an abrupt dismissal. By contriving to be really out at the hours during which Mr. Danforth generally called, Mrs. Egmont avoided seeing him for several days, and fanoiod that the matter was quite settled. She was soon to learn that this man was not to be so easily dropped. One afternoon, however, he succeeded in being adinitted to her presence. "Mrs. Egmont," hedemanded, "have you avoided me purposely ?" "Certainly not, Mr. Danforth- wby shouldl?" "Becansel love you ! Oh, Lucille, it is useless for me to keep silent any longer. I love you madly ! passionately !" and he threw himself on his kneee before her. "Mr. Danforth 1" oried Lucille, starting up in indignation, "how dare you so insult me ! Leave my house this instant I" He rose to his f eet and confronted her. She, with her whole frame quivering with anger, lier beautiful eyes flashing, and he looking at her with a wilder admiration than he had ever before feit. " Oh, listen to me !" hepleaded; "do not reject me so wholly; I will be patiënt; Iwill not frightenyouagain; only let me have a little of your regard - yoü know there is more sympathy between ns than botween you and ycur colilblooded husbaud." "Mr, JJaniorthl" Oxctoimod fruoille, grand in lier overruastering wrath, "if you do not instantly relieve me from your insulting preecnce, I will oall the servante and have you turned out." "Think a moment, Lncy," he said; " it is not well to make an enemy of me. ' ' " Will you go, sir, or must I ring ?" was her only reply. "I will go," he answered, taking his hat; "bnt, Mrs. Egmont, I will be revenged for tliis treatment !" Witliout waiting for a replv he le ft the room, and Mrs. Egmout ank into the sofa, utterly overeóme with the violence of her emotions. If her husband had come m then, she would probably have throwu herself into his arms, and told him all the story of her insult and her anger, her first feeling was so elearly one of intense longing for his sympathies and protection. But as the time went by cooler reflections aróse; why should she teil him? It would only make him wretehed; perhaps even lead to violence. At this new thought, she resolved to keep silence on what had liappened. It wcs surely wiser to guard Shat as a secret which would distress him ïo much. So when Mr. Egmont came home his wife met him with her usual smiies. The immediate resnltof this was aneoessity on which Lucille had not counted. Thiit very evening she and her husband net lanforth at the house of a mutual 'riend. Her first thought was of in;ense horror, and that it was impossible hat fshe could meet him as usual; hen occurred the reflection that slie ïad no apparent reason for doing otherwise, ard, as he saluted lier and lier liusband with liis ordinary manner, she responded, but with so much confusión and such heightened color as attracted the attention of Mr. Egmont and otlieis in the room. This little incident settled the footing upon which she and Mr. Danforth were henceforth to meet. Lncille bitteily i resented the insult she had received, and never saw tho man without an angry I flush ; but she continued to eschange ordinary civilities witk him. In a week or two they met at a large party. In the crash, Mr. Danforth approached Mrs. Egmont unobserved, and said to her in a low, quick whisper, " Can we not be friends ?" She turned, and seeing who the speaker was crimsoned to the temples, and was so evidently agitated that the gentleman on whose arm she leaned released her, fancying, not unreasonably, thot she wished to hold some private conversation with this man, whose mere presence so oxcited her. " Will you accept my escort ?" asked Daufortli, pressing uear to her. "No," she replied, recovering herself ; "certainly not." And she drew back deoidedly. "Wait one moment," he said, pelliog lier to listen. "We are observed. I see you do not wish to créate a uublio scandal. Tnn li'1 hattE Ke iny arin ior a few moments. Ouiif ueu una annoyecl, I-iioillf fy3uuuu up hastily. Half a dozen pairs of curious eyes were looking at her ; and staê, deeming tbat this was the way tosilecce ! remark, rested her fingers on his arm. ! Alas ! . Her whole manner had betrayed so much feeling tbat gossip had already seized upon the pretext for discussion ; I and among those who were watcbing her most intently was her own husband. All unconscious of this, Lncille walked on with Danforth, every line of her expressive face showing to the most casual observer that this was no mere indifferent conversation. " You havo done "wisely, Mrs. Egmont, in not giving cause for remark, by ! visiting me with your displeasurc in pub lic. May I hope that you have also been kind enough to forgive me for my imprudence ?" "No," replied Lucille, impetuously. " I have reirained from insulting you in public, becauso I did not wish to iufliot pain upon those I love, not from any lorbearance toward you." Danforth set his teeth tightly as she spoke, and there was an ugly flash in liis black eyes. , y f. n r m f O O B "I shall not forget yotir kindnrss," lio said, with intense bitterness. "I will relieve you from your attendance," ehe replied coldly. " I have no wish to extend our acquaintance beyond merest formal salutatiou. You will please remember this in future." "I shall forget nothing," he said, significantly. And, with a formal bow, he resigned her to a gentleman who approached. The scène at the ball created very much comment, and Mr. Egmont himself was not happy when be thought of it. He could not fancy Lucille in any manner disloyal ; and yet her agitation, while talking with this man, was certainly very remarkable. Tho expression of her face, as she met Danforth, haunted him, and he watched her elosely whenever after they encountered him. He noticed that her color always changed as she retumed the salutation of this once-favored friend, and hc grew unhappy. One afternoon in June, Mr. Egmont came home unusually early from his business. As he approached his house he saw a boy lounging about the gate. Now he had noticed the same person more than once of late prowling near his premises, and bis snspicions were strongly excited by his presence. He paused a moment, resoïving to watch the lad, who did not appear to observe him, and his apprehensions of some sinister design were seemingly confirmed. The boy stood at the gate a moment, then walked out in a line with one of the windows and looked anxiously up, finally leaned against a tree and then once more went to the gato, this time holding a note to his hand. Mr. Egmont strode up to him. " Now, sir, what do you want?" The boy was apparently much alarmod at this. "I - I," he stammered, "was justa waitin'." "So I saw. Who were you waiting for?" " I ain't to teil," in great confusión, and dropping the note. Mr. Egmont picked it up - it was addressed to his wife. " Were you waiting for Mrs. Egmont?" he asked, sternly. "Ye - es, sir." Poor Harry had seen tho address, and be was as wbite as a sheet as he handed the boy a shilling, and said, "Now teil ine the truth ; havo you brought otber uotcs like this?" "Yes, sir." " And who have you given them to?" "ToMrs. Egmont; she watches for me, and comes out and gets 'em." " Tliat will do, sir. You may go." Indeed, he feit as if he should faint away and gink down groaning aloud iu his agouy if he rernained there anofher niomont. Tho boy departod with a cuuaing loor ou his face, aud Mr. Egmont took tbo lo to his etudy, imd, lockiog himseli' in, tore it open. He knew th handwriting from the flrst glimpse of il there was no need of any signature t teil him that it was Danforth's. Thu ran the sliameful communi.ation : My Daeling Lucille : I canuot meet yoi to-night without exciting too nmcli suspicion Oh, my love ! how I long for the lime to com whfita you will bo wholly mine, and we nhall n louger fear these wretched restraints ; bu until then, for your sake, Bweetest, I will b prudent. I live on the memory of oiir last de licious interview, on tho hope of that happy day when we shall escape together to a life o liberty. Until doath, your own devoted, D. It is liopeless to attempt to describe the mad ïniseryicto which the latterly happy husband was thrown bythis mos infamous note. For a while he sat al most stupeüed ' by the weight of his woe ; and tiien, starting up, he rushei into the room where his wife sat plaoidly sewing, and flung it at her feet. "What is it?" she asked, looking up amazed at his strange entranoe ; anc then, Beeing how white ho was, she soon turned pale, repeatiug in alarm, "Oh, Harry, what isit ? What is the matter?" " Bead that !" said he, pointing to the note. She looked at him, frightened at his fixed, stern face, and then took up the letter and slowly read it, the blood rushing back in torrents to her face as she went on. " What an abominable thing !" she exclaimed. "Where did you get it?" " How dare you ask me?" he cried, furiously. "Yon know, madam, how you have received these love-letters. Unfortunately fcr you, this feil into my hands - for I am undeceived. You will return to your i.ther to-night." "But, Harry," she exclaimed, going toward liim, "you surely do not believe - " "I believe that you are au infamous woman," he replied, harshly; and, before she could say inotlier word, he left the room and, a moment after, left the house. In another hour, Mr. Wentwood, Lucille's father, sent word to.her room that he awaited her in ihe parlor. Short as was the time since her husband left her, a terrible chango had come over Lucille; and the haggard, pale-faced woman who met him seemed to her father scarcely recognizable as the fair young daughte'r who had left his house ro happily a year ago. She met his stern questioning only wïth passionate protestations of her innocence; these wtre hard to believe until she told thewhole story of Danforth's insultiDg addresses to her, andhisthreat of vengeance. " I understand how it is," sobbed Lucille; "he has Britten this horrible lotter on purpose to coinpron-iso m But, oh, papa, liow can I persuade Harry of my truth ?" She was in suoh an agony of distress that Mr. Wentwood speedily becamo, instead of the judge, the consoler, and promised to convince ;L,,SO],"Án,'}íw of Luoille's innocence, OOHig nu ..il,,. r, „„.._.!„,! of i(. 1,;oO]f that, lio imo-f o f-oy ; this an oasy task. Somewhat consoled, Iiucifie and he awaited Egmont's return with what patienee they could, but the evening passed awayand still he did not come. Lucillo grew very anxious, and then desperately alarmed. Mr. Wentwood himself was apprehensive of some calamity, and, at last, started off in search of the missing man. His first iuquiries were. at the Albany, where Danforth lodged. Yes, Mr. Egmont was there, in the chamber of Gapt. Brooks. Mr. Wentwood immediately sent up his name, and, after a long delay, Oapt. Brooks appeared. His face was very grave, and Mr. Wentwood feit that his worst apprehensions were to be verified. There was a long and anxious consultation between the two, aud, when they parted. Mr. Wentwood took a cab, and drove with what speed was possible back to his daughter's house. Lucille came forward to meet him, wan and worn with her long and terrible night vigil. " Wrap Romcthing warm about you, Lucillo, and come with me," said Mr. Weitwood, hastily. " Harry," she gasped, " is he lrart ?" "No; he is well, ard we may yet be in time to save him. He and Danforth are to flght at sunrise. " It seemed as if Lucille could not grow any paler, and yet a shade of ashen gray bverspread her face ; with a mighty effort of self-control, she restrained all outward manifestation of her agony ; and, seizing a large cloak, went out swiftiy to the cab. In the gray dawn of the summer morning, on Wornvwood Scrubbs, stood four men, their purpose in utterand horrible contrast with the peaceful scène around them. The seconds measurcd the distance; and, just as the first golden rays of sunlight stole from the east, Egmont and Danforth confronted each other with murder in their hearts. They were both very white - Danforth, who had not ealculated on such a result of his folly, looked uneasy and alarmed ; Egmont's espression was resolute, while a flerce fire glowed through the hopeless misery of his eyes. " One, two, three - fire !" The fatal words dropped out one by one; and as the lant was pronounced the sharp sound of two pistol shots broke the stillness, followed almost Bimultaneously by a woman's seream. No one heeded that, for Danforth liad fallen. The two seconds went up to him; his face was convulsed with agony, and he lay lividly haggard on the grass, his eyes glazed, his hands twitohing. "My God! havo I killed him?" Egmont groaned out the words in anruíhIi; a moment ago he longed for tlu. man's life-blood; now that'he saw it flowing he was distressed. At the sound, Danforth opened his eyes. "It was a written lie," he gasped. "Listen all of you - you especially, Egmont. I am a dying man; and Í swear to you, as I hope to be forgiven, your wife is innocent." He puused a moment, convulsed with pain. "No, don't go; you can't help me, and I want you uil to hear. Stoop lower. I wrote that note to compromiso her ; she gave me no enconragementr- butl lovedher, and hoped to force her to come to me. God forgive me !" Unnoticed by al), Lucille had approaohed the spot, nnd paused by her husband's side. Danforth was the first to see her. "She is there!" ho said, Ftirred to sudden life. " Lucille, will you pardon me ?" Egmont turned and lookod at his wife. In the deep earnestness of that glance all was explained, all forgiven; and he drow his arm around her as he answered for her. "The punishment is heaviest on you, Danforth. God knows we both forgive whatover harm you have done. " But the falloij man wns alrealy unconscious; and, leaving him in charge of the seounds, Hnrry returaed with Luoillo and hor father to kis own homo. He hail thouglit uoYor to re-euter it witb hor ; but, as ho prcssed his wife to hi heart in recovered happinesn, she wa denrer than over beforo. Danforth did not die; the woum proved not even to be very seriouá; anc so woll was tho affair mauaged that th secret of the cause of his illness was un known beyoud a fow faithful friends.