Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-06-28

Pedder opened his eyes widely.
"Whv, what can we dor" he queried.
"You wouldn't have me murder Hawley,
| suppose? That wouldn't make him your
husband. And on the other hand, it
wouldn't do me any good If you were to
kill Clara Aymar."
"But there is way, Luke, of undoing
that marriage. =.
Peddler started towards MS SlSleT, us u
electrified.
'Do you mean it9" he demanded.
~ mean it, and / swear it! I'll never
consent to that girls having IIawley! I'll
dig gulf between them as broad as the
ocean! I'll undo that marriage, or dier'
"Soltlyl Where is Kate?"
He referred to their single servant.
"She's out for the day." answered Miss
Pedder, arising and planting herself in n
chair. "There was little to do, you know,
as did not expect you home until din
ner."
"Then no one will hear u.s."
He drew n chair nearer to that of his sis
ter and sat down beside her.
whats your idea?" he asked in whis-
per.
"My idea is TO separate tbem TO turn
their love to hate; TO dig a pit beneath their
feet that will remain open forever"
"But how?"
"Will Hawley is poor, isn't he?"
"Certainly; there is no mistake about
that. His mother was helpless invalid
for the last ten years of her life, and VIII
| insisted on her using for her comfort every
| cent he earned. 1t 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 10 leave his darling Cla-
ra," sneered Miss Pedder venomously.
Hell have TO absent himself from his deary
in order to secure their mutual bread and
butter. In short, he'll have TO go to sea
againv' ~
"Well, yes; 1 suppose he will" assented
| Pedder. HE can get better wages at sea
than elsewhere. He'll sail again soon, no
| doubt"
II thought as much. And the sea is full
of terrible dangers! When do you sail a.
gain for Australian
| "In about two weeks-possibly in ten
days, as the ships filling up rapidly"
"Hawley is thoroughly competent to be
| your first mater"
Peddler looked wonderingly at his sister
a moment, and then answered:
"Of course. know 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 incum-
bent?"
"Why, the post is already vacant. Mr..
Jarding-you have seen him-Mr. Jarding
has lust been called home suddenly TO
Ohio, on account of his fathers illness
Good That's fortunate. You must
recommend Hawley Tor 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 l was to help Hawley at the first OPP
portunity. Well accordingly suppose that
| he sails with me as first mate on our next
voyage. What then?"
"You must leave hm-not dead, but n
prisoner-on some desert island between
| here and Australian
Peddler looked his establishment.
'If it can be DONE" he said alter a pause,
"what neXt?'
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 will suppose herself
to be- and in less than year thereafter she
| will be your WIFE"
"Oh, if this thing were possible y sighed
Pedder beginning TO look relieved.
Possible? It's as simple as kissing. And
the moment you are married TO Clara, |
will take trip to Australia for my heal tb,
and naturally enough, stumble upon the
| effect his rescue tell him his wife is dead ;
condole and sympathze with him like an
angel and conclude the whole comedy by
becoming his wife and settling in Austral-
| Ia. You'll thus have your Clara on this
side of the ocean, and ! shall be happy with
| Hawley on the other"
| AS to Pedder, he twisted nervously in
his chair, scarcely venturing TO breathe.
"Theres Just one difficulty" he mutter-
ed--"that of getting Hawley on the desert
island without his suspecting anything"
at can be DONE" and the lips of Miss
Pedder came together like the Jaws of a
vice. "There's no difficulty about finding
suitable island ?"
mot the least. l saw the island in my
minds eye the moment you uttered the
word, and glorious one it is for our pur-
| pose"
at will be easy for you to get Hawley
upon it," suggested Miss Peddler thought
fully. "If its near your route, you can call
there for water. If it's out of your way
you can be blown there by adverse winds
or driited there by unknown currents, OF
fetch up there by mistake in your reck-
onng or fault in your chronometer. And
once there, you can have Hawley seized by
some trusty agent, while he is ashore upon
business, or you can send him ashore un.
der some pretence, such as looking for de.
serter from the ship or for shipwreckeG
sailor, and then sail away without him"
"Say no more interrupted Pedder, with
wild exultation. 81 see how to manage tn,
affair from It's beginning to its end"
"And you see now:that we can undo tina
hateful marriageY
"Perfectly-perfectly The affair will
require little time and patience, of course
and little expenditure of money, but W,
are sure to triumph. Capital glorious
What a load you have taken from my soul
Ruth What q genius you arem
He leaped to his feet and began pacing t
and fro rapidly, with the most extravagan
signs and EXPLANATIONS of Joy.
"First 90 get Hawley on his island" re
sumed Miss Pedder musingly. "Next 70
you to marry the pretended widow. The
for me to rescue the prisoner and MARI.
him. And finally for you and me to b
happy, you in your way and j in mine
you with Clara in New York, and wit
Will in Australia. You comprehend tn
whole project clearly?"
"From the first step to the last. There
only just one possibility of failure"
"And that one2"
"a refusal ON Hawley's part to accept III
post offered him-a refusal based upon hi
marriage"
Miss Pedder turned pale at the thought
"But he won't refuse" she soon declared
recovering her equinimity. "He has lon
/ been wanting Just such place. Marie
D or single, he can't neglect his bread an
butter"
swell said, Ruth. think we can couu
/ upon him, just as If nothing had happier
; ed"
Q "Exactly. You needn't speak of hi
o marriage, or seem to know anything abol
/ 1t. You can simply offer him the post
A question, in accordance with the old under
standing. And he will accept 1t. lie can
0 possibly have any suspicion of anythin
;. wrong. Outwardly and apparently we Al
Il all on good terms with one another, an
= will remain so. Let the wages offered hi
!. be liberal. Possibly he may object to lea'
i ing his bride so soon, but The next voyal
@ after this ONE
d Pedder interrupted the remark by ge
q | I'm nj "A oil
! nOw-all determination.