The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-09-22

as bad as ever If you get over this
complaint"
Margaret started little, and said, in 9
hoarse, anxious voice: "You don't think
l am dyingp
"You are very i'll"
"I know that. Can't I feel these mis-
cradle, racking pains tearing my limbs tt
pieces, as it were? But l am not Obliged
to be dying because ] feel i'll. People
have often been worse than l am, and
recovered easily"
"At any rate, rheumatic fever is very
serious thing"
"Who told you that I had rheumatic
feverf"
''No one; but 1 can see you have the
symptoms, and no doubt you brought it
on by lying in the hedges intoxicated"
'1 brought on by allowing you to play
me that trick you did" replied Margaret,
with sullen resentment. 81 ought to have
known that you would have done any
thing in the world to get rid of me-"
1 should have made no effort of the
kind, if you had only behaved with
ordinary propriety. However, left you
plenty of money"
"Twenty poundsW sneered Margaret;
"and when you think you owed all your
riches to my silence! If you had left
me hundred, should not have thought
half so i'll of you as | do now"
Sand where was the hundred pounds
to come from, prayW
"From Mr.. Roper"
"Upon what eXcuseT'
"You might have told him you owed it
to me-"
"What! owed my lady's-maid a hun
dred pounds, and when she had only been
with me few months? He would have
known at once that that could not be-"
81 don't think Mr.. Roper would have
known. He can't be very sharp" said
Margaret, insolently.
"Why notF
because if he had been, he would
have found you out. Do you think I'd
live all this time with woman who had
got such a secret as yours on her mind,
and not guess about it. However, it is
lucky for you he did not"
"It is much luckier for you. If Mr..
Roper had found out what l dare not
tell, it would have been the saving of me,
body and soul. So that, after all, you are
the only gamer by his ignorance.
"And him? Folks are not fond of bad
news, as a rule"
"Your sister lies there dead-is it not
So" inquired Euphemia, glancing
towards the inner room, where Mrs. Cell
sat, fearless and mute. 'I wonder the
sight does not soften your heart. Remem-
Der, we must all die"
eyes," replied Margaret, with prophetic
accuracy. "But although l am 50 i'll,
and you are SO we'll, you will be the first
to &C."
GLOW do you know that?' inquired
Euphemia, startled in spite Of herself.
81 know it by my feelings. I do not
expect to be a long liver myself, but ]
shall beat you by several years."
Perhaps so," answered Euphemia
coldly. II don't think l have qad reason
to desire length of days"
"Unless you could get rid Of me, and
some one else," said Margaret, with a
jeering laugh. "And we are not so easily
disposed of, either of u.s."
.Euphemia walked to the door deter
minedly, as if she had had enough of this
trying interview. But on reaching it she
turned, and spoke few words in cold
firm voice. ........
"Mind, Margaret, ! wiki only see you
once more and that will be to learn your
final decision with regard to the allow
ance, which, as l have told you, | will
only pay on condition that you quit this
neigborhood for good"
Margaret laughed again, and her laugh,
somehow went to the others heart.
"Three days hence you won't care
whether go or stay, for you'll see some
thing that will alter your plans How
ever, 1 don't mind promising that, if you
insist on it then, l will give in"
every well" said Euphemia, gravely,
"that is all 1 require" And then she
went out
She had scarcely crossed the threshold
of the door before she came face to face
with Mr.. Roper. .....
TrN unr