Litchfield enquirer., 1872-07-04
Pedder made an impatient gesture.

i we SC ucCClFcO OuESo1Fc5, uG 1Muk- tered. We've been carried away by our feelings. The girls rejection of me was really intended to be final, and Hawley's s visits here were merely visits of business and friendship. But why Clara should prefer HaWley to Iae I cant ina l added Podder, drawing himself up haugh- tily. s'Hawley has neither name. money, i or positionr'
 Nor can I see why Hawley should pre- fer Clara Aymar to me p said Miss Ped l der, as she glanced at her reflection in ore 1 of the long mirrors near her. ssShe's a hired attendant, or something of that 1 kind-the creature"
 'Td no idea that you thought so much l of Hawley," observed the brother, as he strove to calm his painful emotions. Miss Pedder moaned. Her eyes filed with tears.
 '1 thought all the world of him." she murmured.
 4 long silence fell between the couple.
 ''Well, well, they're husband and wife, " at length muttered Pedder hoarsely. .And this, I suppose, is all there is to be said" Miss Pedder compressed her lips until they bled, staring at her brother with tixedness amounting to ferocity. ''No! mol" she breathed fercely 'sThe l matter shall not end here That marriage that abomnable marriage"
 She clutched at her heart again, as if suffocating.
 Pedder opened his eyes widely.
 s'Why, what can we do?" he queried. l suppose? That wouldn't make him your husband. And, on the other hand. it it;H wouldn't G do me any good ifyou were to
 ''But there is way, Luke, of undoing that marriage"
 Pedder started toward his sister as if electrified. .s+ ''Do you mean it?" he demanded. "I mean it. and swear 1t! I'll never consent to that girls having Hawley! I'll dig gulf between them as broad as the ocean! I'll undo that marriage or die!" Softly? Where is Kate?''
 He referred to their single servant.
 ''Shes out for the day." answered Miss Pedder, arising and planting herself in a chair. "There was little to do, you know, as did not expect you home until din- ner."
 'sThen no one will hear us.'
 He drew chair nearer to that of his sister and sat down beside her.
 ''What's your idea?' he asked, in a whisper
 "My idea is to separate them; to turn their love to hate; to dig 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 Will. insisted on her using for her comfort every hn months since he was relieved of that burden. He's poor, therefore, as you say-peor as Jobs turkey!'
 'Then he'll have to leave his darling Clara, sneered Miss Pedder venomously. Hell have to absent himself from his deary in order to earn their mutual bread and butter. In short, he'll have to go to sea again?"
 ''Well, yes; suppose he will, assented Pedder. ''He can get better wages at sea than elsewhere. He'll sail again soon, no doubt"
 ''I 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 filling up rapidly"
 "Hawley is thoroughly competent to be your first mater"
 Pedder looked wonderingly at his sister moment and then answered:
 "Of course. I know no better man for the post ..>
 "He must be your first mate then. You have influence enough with your owners, 1 hope, to turn out the present incum- bent?" ..l
 "Why, the post is already vacant. MT. Jardingyyou have seen him--Mr. Jar ding has just been called home suddenly to Ohio, on account of his fathers ill., ness"
 "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. It was un- derstood, you know, as I just now re- marked. that was to help Hawley at the first opportunity. We'll accordingly SUD- pose that he sails with me as first mate the next voyage. What then?'
 "You must leave him-not dead, but a prisoner-on some desert island between here and Australiar' 4
 Pedder looked his astonishment.
 ''If 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 will suppose herself to be, and in less than year thereafter she will be your wife,
 ''Oh, if this thing were possiblel" sighed Pedder. beginning to look relieved.
 ''Possiblee It's as simple as kissing. And the moment you are married to Clara. will take 8 trip to Australia for my health, and naturally enough, stumble upon the very island where you have left Hawley; effect his rescue; tell him his wife is dead; condole and sympathize with him like 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 l shall be happy with Hawley on the oth-. er." - She was smiling now, with every sign of anticipated triumph. sz.-s
 As to Pedder, he twisted neryously in his chair, scarcely venturing to breathe.
 sThere's just one difficulty" he nut tered-"that of getting Hawley on the desert island without his suspecting any, thing"
 At Cdn O0 uOuO, dllu tI0 IDS O1 MISS Pedder came together like the jaws of 8 vice. ''There's no difficulty about find. ing suitable island?"
 ''Not the least I saw the island in my minds eye the moment you uttered the word, and glorious one it is for our purpose"
 'It will be easy for you to get Hawley upon it, suggested Miss Pedder thought fully. eff it's 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 be drifted there by unknown currents, or fetch up there by mistake Tn your reckoning or fault in your chro- nometer And once there. you can have Hawley seized by some trusty agent, while he is ashore upon business, or you can send him ashore under some pretence, such as looking for deserter from the ship or for a shipwrecke ed sailor, and then sail away without him-"~ s s 1ss&ssse4 | ts0ov m nnx<., Sv,%o,s.u,vv,k,-d T1.l1..