Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-12-26

the way in which it might b, best per-
formed Tonight | meant to stand face to
face with that tiack-hrartcl scoundrcl
known rs Sir Mcrvyn Fcrranl!
consulted the time table His letter
named no particular hour; but | saw that il
he carried out his expressed intention Of
ocng here tonight, there was but one train
by which hc could come; there was but one
way from Roding to the house at which
PhiliDpn ial b,cn stavnr. He meant to
walk, his Litter sald; this might be in ordc
20 escape observation. The tain was due
at Rolling at o'clock. The weather was
cold; a man would naturally walk fast
Mrs. Wilson'S house must be four miles from
the station. Let me start from there just
before Tie train arr vee, and should prob
ably meet him about half way on his I,ur.
ney. 1t would be dark, but | should know
him. / should know him among n thousand.
There on the orcn lonely road Sir Mervyn
Feriand coming gavlv. and in his worldly
cyniciSm certain of cabling, buying n, or
in some other way silancing the woman who
had in an evil day trusted to his honor and
love, would meet. not her, hut the man who
from the first had sworn that n wrong t.
Philippa should be more than a wrong to
himself H. would meet this man and be
called to account.
Stern and sinister as were my thoughts
freely and uurcsorvcd,v rs | record Them
as indeed | end 'avor ia thi. tale to record
cvery,hiug-l Il not WIS.,, to be msiulGed
II is true that in my present moot | was
bent upon avrns'ns Philippa with my Own
band; truc that meant, if possible to take
at some time or another this mans life; but
at least no Thought of taking any advantage
of an unarmed or unsuSpcctinG man entered
into my scheme of vengeance. designed
no murdcrous attack But it was my inton-
ton to stop the man on his path; to confront
him and tell him tl'nt his vlainv was
known to me; that Philippa had file to me
for aid; that she was now in my custody;
and that !, who stood in the position of her
brother, demanded the so-callel satisfaction
which, by the od-fashioned code of honor.
was due from the man who had ruth.cssly
betrayed IA woman. Well | knew tnat it
was probable he would laugh at mr--teli me
that the days of duellnG were over, and re-
fuse to grant my request. Then meant to
see if insults could warm his noble blood; if
my hand on his cheek could bring about the
result which | desired. If this failed
would follow him abroad, cane him and spit
upon him in public places.
A wild scheme for these prosaic, law-1bid-
ing days: vet the only one that feasible.
1t may be said that | should have taken
steps to have caused the recrcant to be ar
TtSlctl LOT DlSlllN. lpuJ NluJ II' VI VI us
crime had We as yet, save his own, unsigned
confession: Who was to move in the mat
-Philippa-myseli! We did not even
know where this wife of whom lie lad
spoken lived, or whore she died There We're
hundred ways in which he might escape
from justice, but whether he was punished
for his sin. or allowed to 90 scot-free
Philippa's name and wrongs must be
bruited about. her shame made public. No;
there was but one course to take, AMI but
one person t. take it. 1t rested with mo
to avenye the wrongs OF the woman | loved
by the good old-fashioned way of life
against a life
Truiy, as sal | had now plenty to live
, for!
The hours went by, yet Philippa came not.
grew restless and uneasy MS the dusk be
gan to make the roal, up which gael al
most continually, dim and indistnct. When
the short winters day was over, and the
long dark night had fairly begun, my rest
essncSS turn d into fear | walked out Of
nv houS, AMI paced my Garden to and fro.
| blamed myself for having yielded so Ii yht-
ly to Philipra's ;,ish-her conman |, rather
Z that ! should ON no account fetch her.
But then, whenever did resist wish
much less n command, of hers! Oh, that
had been firm this once!
had not lastel lopg-not long enough tc
thoroughly whitcn the world. The day had
been fine ami frosty, but | knew that the
wind had changed since the sun went down
1t was warmer, a change which ! felt sure
:, presaged heavy downfall of snow or rain
There was a moon, a fitlul moon; for cloud
wer. flying across it, dark clouds, which
' ! guessed would soon gather conference anC
!, volume, and veil entirely that bright face
= which now only showed itself at irregular
; intervals.
a The minutes were passing away. I grew
: nervous and excited Why does she no
: come. My hope had been to my poo
- girl safely housed before | started to execute
:, my other task, Why does she not come
+ Time, precious time is slipping by In TN
n hope of meeting her, | walked for some dis
' tanca up the road ''Why does she delayf
- groanrd Even now | should be on m,
/ way to Rodng, or ! may miss my prey
Heavens! can it ba that she is waiting t. So,
this man once morel Neverl never. Peris
%, tho thought!
But, all the same every fibre in my bod
;. quiyered at the bare supposition Of such
a thing.
" could bear the suspense no longer. Fo
- tho hunIrsdth time glanced al my watch
Il wanted but ten minutes to seven O'Clock
., and at that hour had resolved TO start fro,
Mr. Wilson's on my way to Roding. Sc
:, now dared not leave my own house. An
, moment might bring Philippe. What woul
=, she think if was not there to receive an
-, welcome her'
, Five more precious moments gone!
,r stamped in my rage After all | can onl
"a do one-half of my task the sweet, but Ii
N tho st-rn half Shall l. indeed, do either
~ Tho train must now he close TO Roding /