The Evil Genius: A Domestic Story — page 70: what you’re looking at

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THE EVIL GENIUS. OY tween them until the unbarring of the doors was heard in the stillness of the morning, and the smoke beg&n to rise from the kitchen chimney. Then he returned, and spoke to her. ‘‘You can get back to the house,” he said. ‘‘ Go up by the front stairs, and you will not meet the servants at this early hour. If they do see you, you have your cloak on; they will think you have been in the garden earlier than usual. As you pass the upper door draw back the bolts quietly, and I can let myself in.” She bent her head in silence. He looked after her asshe has- tened away from him over the lawn, conscious of admiring her, conscious of more than he dared realize to himself. When she disappeared, he turned back to wait where she had been wait- ing, With his sense of the duty he owed to his wife penitently present to his mind, the memory of that fatal kiss still left its vivid impression on him. ‘‘ What a scoundrel I am!” he said to himself, as he stood alone in the summer-house, looking at the chair which she had just left. CHAPTER X. KITTY MENTIONS HER BIRTHDAY. A CLEVER old lady, possessed of the inestimable advantages of worldly experience, must submit neverthless to the laws of nature. Time and sleep together—powerful agents in the small hours of the morning—had got the better of Mrs. Presty’s resolution to keep awake. Free from discovery, Sydney as- cended the stairs. Free from discovery, Sydney entered her own room. Half an hour later, Linley opened the door of his dressing- room. His wife wasstill sleeping. His mother-in-law woke two hours later, looked at her watch, and discovered that she had lost her opportunity. Other old women, under similar circum- stances, might have felt discouraged. This old woman believed in her own suspicions more devoutly than ever. When the break- fast-bell rang, Sydney foundMrs. Presty in the corridor, waiting to say good-morning. ‘‘T wonder what you were doing last night, when you ought to have been in bed?” the old lady began, with a treacherous amiability of manner, ‘‘ Oh, Iam not mistaken! your door was open, my dear, and I looked in.” ‘* Why did you look in, Mrs. Presty ?” ‘*My young friend, I was naturally anxious about you. Iam anxious still, Were you in the house? or out of the house ?” ‘‘T was walking in the garden,” Sydney replied. ‘* Admiring the moonlight ?” ‘Yes; admiring the moonlight.” ** Alone, of course ?” Sydney’s friend suggested. And Sydney took refuge in prevarication. ‘‘ Why should you Wloubt it ?” she said. Mrs. Presty wasted no more time in asking questions. She was pleasantly reminded of the words of worldly wisdom which she had addressed to her daughter on the day of Sydney’s arrival COMICOO® S (E() mn