Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1886-01-15
the outer door before could recover my

Mad with the rage of defeat, Igrasped
the ratings and panoad fJr brealh. / cursel
Eussace G. an. I cursed my falth.ess Vie
l cursed myself and my impotence Sucn
was my state that, could l have ohtaine. a
pistol, would have waited on that door
step and shot the man who had betrayed
ma, as soon as he emerged from his place Of
safety-shot him dead without compunc-
ton. Nor was my mind any way soothei
by hearing the window thrown up. and see
ing my bat tossed out contemptuously l
was fain to stoop and pick it up. in orier to
save myself from becoming an Object Of
curiosity to passersby.
What was to doc My mind at present
could only grasp one fact-that Grant had,
bv some diabolical means, induced Viola to
leave me and give herself to him. For
while nv course seemel limited to one
issue: must wait here, outside his house.
until at last he came forth. Then / must
dog his footsteps until they led me to the
falthless woman who had ruined my life
a.,d Brought nae TO shame / gronaad ct the
thought of what little more than twelve
hours had done. THIS morning was the
happiest man in England; tonight was
the most miserablel
SO, tor hours ! walked up and down in
front of the house which held the traitor
! saw the light extingu she'd Once or
twice / saw the blind drawn aside, and
guessed that Grant was looking out to see if
I had left my post. No, you traitor! you
vllaini I am still there, and shall be there
until you come out Then l will dog you to
thu bitter end.
The hours went by, the dawn began to
break. Still-an object of curiosity, If not
suspicion. to the policeman-I kept my
post, and should have kept it for hours
longer, had it not all at once occurred to
me that SO long as was there SO long would
Grant remain where he was l must meet
craft with craft. Nevertheless, l must
perforce keep watch until could find some
one to whom the task might be deputed
Att o'clock was abba to gain admission
to an old fasa ione1 familv and commerc al
inn which stood some short distance OIL
The bay window o. the coffee room COM
manded view of Grants house Here
seated myself. and, having obtained Lon
don directory, wrote and dispatched letter
10 we'll known private det ,ctive, request
ing that clever. trustworthy man might
at once be sent to me. Then, frcm the Win
dow Of the hotel, resumed my watc1.
At 9ococi the man whom / had sum-
moned arrived told him what to do. He
was to wait until he saw Grant depart. He
was to follow him, and, having ascsrtained
his destination, was to telegraph to me at
once Then left the accurssd spot, went
back to my hotel, AMI tried to sleep.
As entered the room which V ola and l
had occupied / could almost persuade my
self that I hal dreamed the events Of the
last twenty-four hours All her personal
effects were as she left them; her gloves,
her brushes, her toilet lndispe lsabies we're
all there. Even her watch she hal left
behind her. She broke the spring at the
seaside, and there was no ime to get it re-
pairei before we started for the continent;
besides, I had intended buying her new
one in Paris To-morrow-ves, tomorrow
would be Thursday -to-morrow we had
proposed crossing 10 France. Heavensi
what Id it all means
Sleep, with my mind in this whirl. was
unattaina BILE. Later in the day, more for
something to do than IN pursuance of any
hope, vent to Viola old home and asked
if she had been there to-day. No, not since
yesterday morning. This the servant rather
wondered at, as Miss Rossiter was very i'll;
two doctors were with her now.
In my present frame of mini | cared
nothing for the old lady's illness; but l
p knew tiln5 the motive which kept VIOLA
from her side when suffering must be
strong one. Ye, little woman who
could leave her husband, as she had left
me, would reck for the ailments of friend!
Curses on her false, fair facel
The hours passed somehow. At o'clock
telegraphic message was brought me. l
tore it open. 1t was sent from Fol-estone,
and ran so:
Followed him here. He left by u
logne boat. Was joined on pier by lady.
Tall closely yelled, fair hair Wore costly
of SoonnoA i'll and nn9QE.
Did not follow to France, having no IN
structions to leave England"
The last. the very last hope was gonr!
Viola and Eustace Grant had f ID together! I
ground my teeth. bit my lips u It'll the
blood came. cursed the detectives
stupidity at not having followed them, il
needs be. half over thu world. Surely aad
civ IN the fool ample instr uction'I For the
future, l would trust no one but myself.
threw a few things into portmanteau; l
rang for time table. Was there train
,oull catch-was there a steamer VIII CD
crossed tonight? Perhaps, at B uiogne,
might get once more on the track Of the
.ugitives
But before had solved the doubt about
trains and steamers, I had changed my
mind. Why should follows Lot them go,
and my curse go with them. will not take,
at present, ons step in pursuit. will have
vengeance, but vengeance by waiting will
be the more complete. Sci she must love
thi, man madly even as loved her, or she
would not have done this ching. He, too,
must love her. Lot my silence, my quiet
ness, lull them into false security. Let
them dream their dream Of happiness, even
as dreamed mine Tnen l will find them
and strike! For swore that sooner or later,
bv fair m cans or foul, Eustace Grant should
die by my hanil