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80 A DREADFUL TEMPTATION.
He was about to advance toward Mrs. Carroll when he
saw Jack Mainwaring sitting in a position that screened the
new-comer from the ladies, while 1t exposed to full view his
own anguished and tear-wet face.
Howard paused_ instantly and stared at the handsome
sailor with increasing surprise each moment, until that ex-
pression was succeeded by one of fervent pleasure, .
He had known Jack Mainwaring quite well several years
before, and had been sincerely sorry when he had heard of
his loss at sea. .
Now, after one puzzled moment, resulting from Jack’s
long, glossy beard, he recognized him, and his heart leaped
with joy to think that Lora’s husband was still numbered
among the living. . ;
‘¢But I did not come here to bandy words,” continued
poor Jack, lifting his bowed head dejectedly. ‘*Mrs. St.
John, will you tell me how long my wife has been dead?”
Xenie named the date ina half-choked voice. It wag
fourteen months before. .
Captain Mainwaring took a weil-worn letter from his
pocket and ran over it again, while his manly face worked
éeonvulsively with emotion; then he said, in a voice that
quivered with deep feeling: ;
‘*My poor Lora, my unfortunate wife, left me a child,
then. Where is that child, Mrs. St. John?”
A blank, terrified silence overwhelmed the two women. ;
Instinctively Xenie’s arm crept around the child at her
knee and drew him closer to her side. ; Ta
Captain Mainwaring had scarcely noticed little Jack be-
fore, but Xenie’s peculiar action attracted his attention.
He rose and. took a step toward her. oe
‘“*You do not answer me,” he said. ‘‘ Canit be, then, that
this is Lora’s child and mine?”
Xenie caught the child up and held him tightly tc her
breast, while she faced the speaker with wild, angry eyes,
like.a lioness at bay. .
‘*Back, back!” she cried, ‘‘do not touch him! This is
my child—mine, do you hear? How dare you claim him?”
‘Yours, yours,” cried the sailor, retreating before the
passionate vehemence of her voice and gestures; ‘‘I—I did
not know you had a child, madam.”
““You did not,” cried Xenie with breathless defiance.
“‘No matter. Ask mamma, there. Ask Doctor Shirley! Ask
anyone you choose. They will all tell you that this is my
child—my child, do you understand?”
‘*Madam, I am not disputing your word,” cried poor
Jack, in amaze at her angry vehemence. ‘Of course you
know best whose child it is, But will you tell me what be-
came of Lora’s baby?” .
aannneneas