WHY DID HE LOVE HER ?

Thames Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9830, 31 December 1900, Page 3

WHY DID HE LOVE HER ?

CHAPTER XVI. THE DEMON AT WORK. Fanny left the room and Isola ato a fragment of biscuit and drank a small portion of the »inc. Miss Carleton observe her, while sho talked with her. She sawwtith pain the delicate complexion from which every bloom had vanished, the weary outlook from the large dark eyes, and the drooping lassitude of the slender figure". After a. pause, she said: "May I speak with you, Isola, and advise you as freely as I did in your childish days?"

"Surely, you know to yon I always look as my mentor, for next to my father you have bten my best friend."

"Then suffer me to use the privilege of friendship to probe your heart. Isola, is disappointed love wrecking the promise of a. life as I hoped jours would be? Speak the truth, and know she who asks the question has known enough sorrow to comprehend yours."

"Sorrow to you! I thought that you had always bloomed in the sunshine, cousin Carrie," said Isola.

"I have had my struggle with disap pointment; but I have not permitted it to destroy my usefulness, nor- to mar my enjoyment of the blessings left to me. But you don't deal frankly with me." "I can lay my hand on my heart and assure- you, that the passing fancy I had for Philip Vane has nothing to do with my illness. At first I suffered; but my feeling did not affect my health. There must •be some defect in my constitution, which has developed itself as I attained maturity. I overheard Mr Summerton tell my father such is the case."

"And is Mr Fontaine satisfied Mr Summerton is a better physician than Dr Sinclair?.l wish he would call in to see you."

"I am not ill enough to require two physicians, iind fntber says there is less safety in such a course. He has reason to confide in the skill of Mr Summerton."

"Perhaps Mr Fontaine is right, but I wish Dr Sinclair could see you. Are you sure that jealousy is not lurking in some comer of your heart—for Philip has joined Savella's admirers?"

"I have declared from the first my ill ness has nothing to do with Philip. If he were to many Savella to morrow, I should only feel it as it affected my father; but he has this idea firmly fixed in his brain, and if I die, I shall have the mortification of knowing that those I best love will think I was weak enough to give up life because a heartless man proved faithless. Oh! think better of me for I deserve that you should do."

Her earnestness called a flush to her cheek, and Miss Carleton drew near her; and said:

"I am satisfied, Isola, that you are not perishing of a broken heart, and I have the hope that we can bring you back to health again. We will lavish such care on you that you must revive." Exhausted by the short drive to the Vale, Isola went to bed, and soon fell into a slumoer, in which she moaned as if in pain. Miss Carleton maintained her watch beside hrr, though Fanny came quietly in and placed on the dressing stand the vial she had taken away. *

Though full of glee at the feat she had performed, she did not betray what shehad done. Every drop of SummcrtonV potion had been thrown away, the via washed thoroughly, and spring water substituted.

Fanny believed Summerton to bo a quack, -whose plausibility had imposed on Mr Fontaine, and she wondered at hi; infatuation in allowing the life of his protegee to be risked on his skill. When Isola found her drops restoredshe continued to take them, and the im provement made in her health by ten daystay at the Vale she partly attributed ti their efficacy. Every member of the fan ily showed the kindest solicitude in hei recovery, and at the close of the second week' she had gained strength to ride out

- Every day Fontaine came over, acconi panied by Savella, to inquire after her and he was thankful to see a faint tingt -of rose blooming on her cheeks; but Isol; 1 observed that a shadow had fallen ovei him. Ho was self absorbed, and she won dered if the knowledge of Philip's atten tions to Savella had thus affected him.

Fontaine rarely attended evening par ties, and when he was present, Pbilij was- careful not to make his devotion t< Savella so marked as to attract his atten tion for it was his policy to conceal hitplans* from her uncle till they were ripi for execution.

Isola made efforts to wile him from hi? sadness, but she saw that she failed, though he made an effort to talk as usual One morning, on parting from her, li< said: ,> "I- must soon claim you again. I canno 1 live without you much longer, and it i; my resolve to keep you under my- owr roof." His expression was so strange, so dif ferent from his ordinary one, that Isoli looked at him in surprise. "Nothing opposes my return, father, and if you miss me so much better thai Ino longer need the care that has beelavished on me.' "No, no—not.yet—not-yet. Remain at the Vale till you are stronger, for—"

He kissed her brow, and offering his thanks to Miss Carleton for "her kindness to his child, mounted his horse and rodi away. Both were struck with his preoccupied manner, and a fear fell on the heart of Miss Carleton that some weight was pressing on his heart. She would hot believe him capable of crime; if cvi! had been done, he must have been the victim with the brother who had s«. mysteriously "perished, and she felt' the certainty that Senora Roselli was cognisant of what had occurred in Italy; that she had participated in the scenes which had left such an impression of sad ness on »ontaine. '.-'. That this woman came to his home for any good purpose she could not believe, but she was; far from suspecting the turpitude which those two hypocrites were consummating. ,';■ (To be continued.)