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84 A DREADFUL TEMPTATION.
“Well, mamma?” she questioned, gravely.
Mrs. Carroll smiled encouragingly. ; vee
‘“My dear, you acted splendidly,” she said, ‘‘and so did
your sister. I was afraid at first. I thought you were
wrong toadmithim. It was a terrible test, for the eyes of
hatred are even keener than those of love. I trembled for |.
you at first, but you stood the trial nobly. He was com- | —
letely hoodwinked. No fear now. If you could blind
Howard Templeton to the truth, there can be no trouble
with the rest of the world.” - ;
‘‘ And yet once or twice I was terribly frightened,” said
the girl, musingly. ‘‘ The looks he gave me, the tones of
his voice, sometimes his very words, made me tremble with
fear. It was, as you say, a terrible test, but Iam glad now |
that Lrisked it, for I believe that I have succeeded in blind-
ing him. All goes well with us, mamma. Doctor Shirley eee
fe 0 Ua a lan GO FA ES a ong mt oe nee Fe
. we : . mm
and Howard Templeton have been completely deceive
The rest will be. very easy of accomplishment.” ms
a “as
peep! ie freee meme nore teaoerhs
CHAPTER XI.
THanks to the gossiping tongue of old Doctor Shirley, the
interesting news regarding Mrs, St. John speedily. became
a-widespread and accepted fact in society. bade e ot eS
It was quite a nine days’ wonder at first, and in con- :f
nection with its discussion avast deal of speculation wags
indulged in regarding the possible future of Mr. Howard
Templeton, the fair and gil ed youth whose heritage, might ©
soon be wrested from him, leaving him to battle single-
handed with the world. poate
Before people had stopped wondering over it, Mrs. Eger-
ton added her quota to the excitement by the information .
that her niece, Mrs. St. John, had gone abroad, taking her ~~ |
mother and sister with her. eee
She had wanted Lora with her that season—she had long =|.
ago promised Mrs. Carroll to give Lora a season in the city |;
—but the girl was so wild over the idea of travelthat Xenie >
had taken her with her for company, acting on the advice |.
of Doctor Shirley, who declared that change of scene and »
cheerful company were actually essential to the preserva: —
tion of the young invalid’s life. Sige
The old doctor, when people interrogated him, confirmed.
Mrs: Egerton’s assertion. Pe Dee Te
He said that Mrs. St. John had fallen into a state of de
pression and melancholy so deep as to threaten her health...
and even her life. | So Pe
He had advocated an European tour as the most likely = °
means of rousing her from her grief and restoring her