The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1874-12-08

the police Do You know yoa can lse
taken up for this cons piracy2 1 sec il
all now-the infamous plot, and tly part
you were brought to play, Fool sat !
was!"
..But, Mr.. Merrick,'a began,
'sSilence!' lie exclaimed. sDo YOU
dare to taunt 3 Have not forbid Fred
Clayton this house scores eftimes and,
in letting Bella ask him here for d few.
days, could ] refuse her first request on
coming of age2 Could turn guest
though uninvited, ont OF d house that
WAS not my own9 A guest,indeed 50 A
swiodler,. a blackguard, probably paid ts
amuse the uncle, and keep him off the
scent ..s.ss
His voice rose higher and higher as
he proceeded; at the end he actually
shrieked But. this was unhearable. Ny
own temper had sbeen sas1lelY tried and
endure it could not.
MIR. Merrick.' I said, holly, s'such
language, even under the circumstan
ces-"
Cant you leave off acting even now ?
he burst in. "Confound your gaping
look of innocence! Do you see this p
he cried, exhibiting a crushed letter,
which be kept clenched in his hand
They are married by this time, and your
villaiEy has so far succeeded. but the tri
umph shall not last long. will hunt
the scoundrel and his contemplate ac-
complice-yes, you-through every law
court in Europe; will publish his infa
my in every newspaper, and proclaim it
throughout the civilized world! You
shall not escape me-you shall not!'
The madman shook his fist in my face,
and glared upon me like a tiger; but
staggered as l was by such revelation
and accusation, nevertheless made one
more attempt at protest.
'.Your nephew" began.
"My nephewr' he yelled. "Do you
think that reptile is my nephew? No,
my fine keeper, l am no longer your
dupe; can see now through yoar shal
low shamming, and l order you to leave
my house. Do you hear? Leave it in
stantly, or l will bid my servants kick
you out" he cried, pointing to the door
as he spoke.
l hesitated. Fate seemed too cruel.
| felt that the smallest justification or ex
planation would lessen my misery; but
before sound could escape my lips he
had raised his hand with savage me-
mace.
Zone word more and l give the or
der"
There was nothing for me but to re
treat; and retreat accordingly did from
the room, and from the house, leaving in
struclions with the servants to send my
belongings to the railway station-that
station from which had driven only a
few days before with such pleasurahle
emotions and ambitious hopes.
Mr.. Merrick's unexpected reading Of
the case had indeed brought my wrongs
to q climax. 1t was not enough TO have
been me roUf. rfrc tttpc, tic 'caTs's 1awssff
one believed my best friend Il was also
to be stigmatized As the confederate, the
paid agent of plot of which Twas the
principal victim. Truly had reached
the summit of human wretchedness.
The whole of the scheme which Miss
Tor Mrs.) Bella so ohligingly called a
'.harmless stratagem, unfolded itself by
degrees to my minds eye: and, struggle
as / would, could not Danish the
thought of how the designing pair must
have chuckled over my credulity, and
watched with malicious amusement my
unremitting devotion to the avuncular
conquest. The last drop Of bitterness
had been poured into my cup; lifetime
of experience had been crowded into the
space of few days, and swallowing my
humiliation as best could,1 returned to
nv chamber-a wiser, if not better
man.
1t is scarcely necessary to adj that
long before the return of the bride and
bridegroom, Mr.. Merrick bad resigned
himself to submit peaceably to the inev-
table; and nothing more was heard OF
the terrible vengeance destined to over
take Fred Clayton and his guilty accom-
plce.