Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1872-07-03

that abominable marriage"
She clutched at her heart again, as if suf-
locating.
Pedder opened his eyes widely.
Why, what can we do?" he queried.
E" You wouldn't have me murder Hawley,
suppose? That wouldn't make him your
husband. And, on the other hand, it
would MT do me any good if you were to
kill Clara Aymar.'
that marriage
Pedded started toward his sister, as if
electrified.
do you mean it he demanded.
1" | mean it, and l swear it I'll never
consent to that girls having Hawley I'll
dig a gulf between them as broad as the
ocean I'll undo that marriage, or de ? -
/" Softly Where is Kate ?"
He referred to their single servant
''She's out for the day, answered Miss
Pedder rising and planting herself in chair.
g There was little to do, you know, as did
not expect you home ntil dinner"
Then no one will hear US"
lie drew chair nearer to that Of his sis
ter and sat down beside her.
d" WHAT'S your idea " he asked, in a
whisper.
" My idea is to separate them; 70 turn
their love to hate; to dig pit beneath their
feet that viii remain open forever "
Z" But how .
" Will HawleY is poor, isn't he?
- Certainly: there is no mistake about
that His mother was a helpless invalid for
the last ten years of her life, and Will in
sisted on her using for her comfort every
penny he earned. IL hasn't been six months
since he was relieved of that burden. He's
poor, therefore, as you say-pOor as Jobs
turkey
Then he'll have to leave his darling
Clara" sneered Miss Pedder enormously
He'll have to absent himself from his deary
in order to earn their mutual bread ana
butter. In short, he'll have TO 20 to sea
again ?"
- Well, yes suppose he will y assented
Pedder. . He can get better wages at sea
than elsewhere. He'll sail again soon, no
doubt"
q thought as much. And the sea is full
of terrible dangers When do you sail again
for Australia
. In about two weeks-possibly in ten
days. as the ships fitting up rapidly
/" Hawley is thoroughly com petent to be
your first mate -
Pedder looked wonderingly at his sister a
moment, and then answered
"Of course. | know of no better man
for the post
. He must be your first mate, then. You
have influence enough with your owners, l
hope, to turn out the present incumbent -
Why. the post is already vacant. MI.
Jarding-you have seen him-has Just been
called home suddenly to Ohio, on account OF
his father illness"
-" Good That's fortunate. You must
recommend Hawley for the vacant place To
your owners, and get them to engage him.
The thing can be done? =
Without the least doubt 1t was under
stood, you know, as | just now remarked
that was to help Hawley at the first opp0r-
tnnity. Wen accordingly suppose that be
sails with me as first mate the next voyage.
" hat then
&. You must leave him not dead, but a
prisoner-ou some desert island between
mere and Australia -
Pedjer looked his astonishment.
1T it can be done, he said, after a
pause, % what next -
" You must come back and report that he
Is dead, furnishing full details and good
proofs Those details and proofs will not be
difficult to manufacture. Then you must be
all kindness and sympathy to the young
widow, as she viii suppose herself to be, and
in less than year thereafter She will be
your wife"
e Oh, it this thing were possible - sighed
Pedder, beginning 70 look relieved.
" PJSaje?' It's as simple as kissing
And the moment you are married to Clara,
| will take tri Q u Australia for my health
and naturally enough, stumble upon the
very island where you have left Hayley
effect his rescue tell him his wife is dead ;
condole and sympathize with him ike an
angel and conclude the whole comedy by
becoming his wife and settling in Australia.
You'll thus have your Clara, on. this side
of the ocean, and ! snail be happy with
Hawley on the other
She wa, smiling now, with every sign of
anticipated triumph.
As to Pedder, he twisted nervously IN his
chair, scarcely yenturing 10 breathe.
"a There's Just one difficulty be muttered
-. that of getting Hawley on the desert
island without his suspecting anything
- 1t can be lone, and the lips OF VI is
Pedder came together like the jaws Of vice.
=. There's no difficulty about finding suIta-
bic island -
Not the least. ] saw the island in my
mind eye the moment you uttered the word,
and a glorious one it Is for our purpose.
- 1t will be easy for you TO get HawIey
upon it," suggested Miss Pedder thought
fully. If it's near your route, you can call
there for water 1t it's out of your way
you can be blown there by adverse winds, or
be drifted there by unknown currents, or
fetch up there by a mistake in your reckon
ing or fault IN your chronometcr. And
once there, you can have Hawley seized by
some trusty agent, while be is ashore upon
business, or you can send him ashore under
some pretence, such looking for a deserter
from the ship or for shipwrecked sailor,
and then sail away without him
/" Say no more" interrupted Pedder, with
wild exultation. - see how TO manage the
affair from it's beginning to its end.
" And you now see that we can undo that
hateful marriage"
" Perfectly-perfectly. The affair will
require a little time and patience, of course,
and little expenditure of money, but we are
sure to triumph. Capital glorious What
load you bave taken from my soul, Ruth
What genius you are
lie leaped to his feet and began pacing to
and fro rapidly, with the most extravagant
signs and ordinations of Joy.
a. First, to get Hawley on his island, re
sumed Miss Pedder musingly. &" Next for
you to rescue the prisoner and marry him
And finally for you and me TO be happy, you
in your way and | in mine-yOu with Clara
in New York, and l with Will IN Australia.
You comprehend the whole project clearly -
- From the first to the last. There's just
/ one possibility of failure"
/ &" And that one 2 -
"A refusal on Hawley's part TO accept the
post offered him-a refusal based upon hi:
marriage
4 Miss Peddcr turned pale at the thought.
I /" But be won't refuse she soon declared
recovering her equanimity. " he has long
/ been wanting just such place. Married OF
single, he can't neglect his bread and but
ter"
Well said, Ruth 1 think we can count
upon him. The post he came here to ask me
for is now vacant, and l will accordingly
have it offered to him, just as if nothing hac
! haDpened -