The Tragedy of the Chain Pier

on our return, the first

u will just have time to say a few words to F

utiful furniture, and such superb hangings of white and gold. I was struck as I had never been by any room before. The long

st my attention was concentrated on the golden hair, the blue dress, the white flowers; then slowly, as though following some irresistible magnetic attraction, my eyes were raised to her face, and remained fixed there. I have wondered a thousand times since how it was that no cry escaped my lips-how it was that none of the cold, sick horror that filled my whole heart and soul did not fi

For an instant my whole heart was paralyzed with horror. I felt my blood grow cold and gather round my heart, leaving my face and hands cold. She came forward to greet me with the same graceful, undulating grace which had struck me before. For a moment I was back

, Mr. Ford. My husband wil

clear, limpid eyes-how could it be? No sweeter mouth ever smiled, and the

a little at my cold

to see you, and Lance has thought of

ild off the Chain Pier." It was only the sight of Lance's face that deterred

e, impatiently. "The sight of my wife'

a desperate effort to recover myself. "I could al

frankly, and sh

es," she said; "and I do not

any effect at concealment; she did

laughe

ful face produces such a strange effect on you. You must deal gently with him, Fr

sing voice thrilled my very heart. "I think," she continued, "that Mr. Fo

l," was the

pitifully on me, a grown man, drown a little child in the deep sea? Were those lips, littering kindly words of welcome, the same that ha

h the sweetest smile, and Lance stood by, looking on with an air of proud propri

my arm, but I could not refrain from a shudder as her white hand touched it. When I saw that hand last it was mos

ith us,

arm, and we all three walked

nothing subtle in it. I must be mistaken. I felt as though I should go mad. She was a perfect hostess-most attentive-most gracefu

h curdled my blood. Without any fuss-she was so anxiously considerate for me-without seeming to make any ceremony, she was so gracefully kind; she would

in the drawing-room again, she

ay," she said; "but I find the early summer

plunged the little child. I looked at her; there was not even a fleet

was utterly impossible that my suspicions c

f their husband's friends-some might be jealous of you. I want to tell you that I am not one of that kind. I love my husband so utt

ing me to like her for her husband's sake-the sweetest, the most gracious, the most graceful picture I had ever seen. Yet, oh,

id. "Well, Lance and I are one; if you like

ing in my heart if she had been but half as good t

w now with what I had seen on the Chain Pier, though outwardly the same woman I had seen on the Chain Pier and this graceful, gracious lady could not possibly be one. As the evening passed on, and I saw her bright, cheerful ways, her devotion to her husband

or crime. Her attention was given always to what was passing; she was not in the least like a person with anything weighing on her mind. We were talking, Lance and I, of an old friend of ours, who had gone to Nice, and that led to a digression on the different watering places of England. Lance me

raight in the face, so that no expression of hers coul

y depths of those limpid eyes. No shadow came; the beautiful, atte

th and Eastbourne very well

m it, yet with such seeming unconsciousness. I laughed, yet, I

d. "It is not often one meets an

h the most charming

he said. "From the little I saw of

autiful pla

nguid grace and

said. "I am chill and cold in spite of