The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-07-11

y
wouldn't have me murder Hawley, suppose!
| That wouldn't make him your husband. Ano
| on the other hand, 1t wouldn't do me any good
| if you were to kill Clara Aymar"
"But there is way, Luke, of undolng that
marriage"
Pedder started toward his sister, as if cleo
| tri6ed.
| "Do you mean IL 2" he demanded.
81 mean it and ] swear it I'll never con-
sent TO that girls having Hawleyl I'll dig a
gulf between them rs broad as the ocean III
| undo that marriage or die ~
"Softlyl Where is Katc?"
He referred to their single servant.
| "Shes out for the day." answered Miss Ped
| der, arising and planting herself in n chair.
"There was little to do, you know, as did
not expect you home until dinner"
"Then no one will hear u.s."
He drew q chair nearer to that of his sister
and sat down beside her.
| whats your idea ?" he asked, in whisper.
| My idea is to separate them to turn thelr
love to hate; to dig pit beneath their fectth
will remain open forever"
| But how 7"
| "Will. Hawley is poor, isn't p"
| "Ccrtanly; there is no mistake about that.
| His mother was helpless invalid for the last
ten years of her life, and Will insisted on her
using for her comfort every penny he earned.
| it hasn't been six months since he was relieved
of that burden. He's poor, therefore, as you
say-poor as Jobs turkeyp
"Then he'll have to leave his darling Clara"
| sneered Miss Peddcr venomously. "He'll have
to absent himself from his deary in order to
earn their mutual bread and butter. In short,
he'll have to 90 to sea again."
"Well, yes; l suppose he will" asscnted
| Pedder lie can get better wages at sea
than elsewhere. He'll sail again soon, no
doubt"
| 81 thought as much. And the sea is full of
terrible dangers When do you sail again for
Australia ?'
ain about two wceks--possbly in ten days,
as the ships filling up rapidly"
" Hawley is thoroughly competent to be your
first mate Z"
Pedder looked wondcringy at his sister n
moment, and then answered:
"Of course. l know of no better man for
the post"
"He must be your first mate, then. You
have influence enough with your owners, |
hope, to turn out the present incumbent ?"
"Why, the post is already vacant. Mr.. Jar
ding-you have seen him-Mr. Jarding has
just been called home suddenly to Ohio, on
account of his fathers illness"
"Good That's fortunate. You must rec
ommend Hawley for the vacant place to your
, owners, and get them to engage him. The
: thing can be doneY
"Without the least doubt. 1t was under
l stood, you know, as | just now remarked, thai
l was to help Hawley at the first opportunity
: Well accordingly suppose that he sails witt
c me as first mate the next voyage Wha
them"
"You must leave him-not dead, but a prs
! oner-on some desert island between here ant
= Australia !"
= Pedder looked his astonishment.
S eff it can be done" he said, after a pause
h what next 2"
G "You must come back and report that he i
dead furnishing full details and good proofs
: Those details and proofs will not be difficult t.
manufacture. Then you must be all kindnes
and sympathy to the young widow, MS she viii
suppose herself to be, and in less than a yea
= thereafter she will be your wife"
y "Oh, if this thing were possible" sighc
i. Pedder, beginning to look relieved
Possibief It's as simple as kissing. An
IL the moment you are married to Clara, wi
take trip to Australia for my health, and mai
n urally enough, stumble upon the very islam
d where you have left Hawley; effect his rescue
tell him his wife is dead; condole and symps
Il thize with him like an angel and conclude tn
whole comedy by becoming his wife and SCI
/" ting in Australia. You'll thus have your Clar
u ON this side of the ocean, and l shall be happ
with Hawley on the other"
d She was smiling now, with every sign of al
If ticipatcd triumph.
As to Pedder, he twisted nervously in hi
rs chair, scarcely venturing to breathe.
A., "Theres just one difficulty" he muttered-
d that of getting IIawley on the desert islam
is without his suspccting anything"
ID at can be DONE" and the lips of Miss Pee
lie der came together like the jaws of Wis
At "There's no difficulty about finding a suitab
NJ island !"
n "Not the least. l saw the island in m
x. minds eye the moment you uttered the wor
n and glorious one it is for our purpose"
TO at will be easy for you to get Hawley upo
~ it," suggested Miss Pedder thoughtfully '
it's near your route, you can call there for W
~ lal l1N,.
We there by adverse winds, or be drfted there |
ly unknown currents, or fetch up there by mi
ID take in your reckoning or a fault in your chr
" nOmeter. And once there, you can have Ha'
id ley seized by some trusty agent, while he
r. ashore upon business, or you can send hi
~ ashore under some pretence, such as loollir
for a deserter from the ship or for n shi
ii. wrecked sailor, and then sail away witho
IT. him.
n "Say no MORE" interrupted Pcdder, wi
lv wild eXultation. 81 see how to manage Il
he affair from its beginning to its end"
lis "And you now see that we can undo tn
Dl hateful marriage"
is Perfectly-perfectly. The affair will
quirc little time and patience, of course, al
rr. n little expenditure of money, but we are su
NE to triumph. Capital! glorious What lo
Nv you have taken from my soul, Ruth What
ira genius you are"
he He lcaped to his feet and began pacing
anu liO WIN tilC ihool SAtio'os5'
nj signs and cXclamations of Joy.
First to get Hawley on his island" !
le. sumcd Miss Pedder musingly. "NeXt for y
to marry the pretended widow. Then for /
mr. to rescue the prisoner and marry him. A
lin finally for you and me to be happy, you
he your way and inf mine-yOu with Clara
r New York, and l with WIZ. IN Australia.
I'm comprehend the whole project cleary?"
.ir. "From the first step to the last. Thcr
me only just one possibility Of failure"
1se Sand that oney'
"a refusal on Hawley's part to accept I
on post offered him-a refusal based upon
marriage"
ra Miss Pedder turned pale at the thought
of But he won't refuse" she soon declar
TO recovering her equanimity. He has 10
on been wanting just such place Married
SINGLE he can't neglect his bread and butter
of "Well said, Ruth. l think we can COZ
"I upon him. The post lie came here to ask
me tor is now vacant and will accordingly III
as it offered to him, just as if nothing had h
l pened."
MS. Exactly. You needn't speak of his III
lrt- riage, or seem to know anything about it.
get can simply offer him the post in question,
:" accordance with the old understanding. A
ter he will accept it. He can't possibly have {
yell suspicion of anything wrong. Outwardly .
i'm. apparently we are all on good terms with {
another, and will remain so. Let the wa
he offered him be liberal. Possibly he may
L ect to leaving his young bride so soon but
)ok next voyage after this one"
Pedder interrupted the remark by gest
of impatence. He was all eagcrness noN
ed. all determination.
lgs. "That next voyage after this one will
ded answer" he declared. Hawley shall acc'