Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-03-13
v presence known to the man whom was


looked at me haughtily and angrily; but
whatsoever he had wherewith to reproach
himself, there was neither fear nor triumph
in his gaze. l looked at him and wond 1red
but [ felt certain that he knew all about
Viola's absence.
Still, as that absence might even now be
satisfactorily explained, l resolved that l
would not, by evincing premature dlstruso
or suspicion, let this man triumph over me
So spoke with forced composure:
'Mr. Grant, l have missed my wife
somewhere. Can you give me tidings OF
herf"
81 cannot" he replied, coldly.
''Where did YOU part with hera You left
Mr.. Monks with her in cab Where did
you leave hers'
Il cannot tell you, Mr. Lorraine"
do you mean that you are ignorant Of
her whereabouts?'
''You have had my answer"
My blood boilel You mean you will
not, dare not tell me, you utter villain!
cried Il will know, or L will kill YOUR
The table was between us, or l should
have sprung at his throat
II care nothing for your threats, Mr.. Lo-
ralne," he said, with calling contempt.
wherever Mrs. Lorraine may be, she is
there OF her own free choice"
''She is herein this house with your
exclaimed.
LOOK for her-search every cupboard
and Granny. will ring; YOU shall be con-
Quoted over the whole building Make it
public property that you are a jealous hus-
band looking for faithless wife. No; that
shall not be done, for her sake. Wherever
she is she is not here
He spoke as if expecting me to believe
him. Strange to say did believe him. The
thought that his house would be the last
place in which he would hide Viola from
my search, no doubt conducei to this be-
lief But now could no longer doubt the
horrible truth This man, by some develish
craft, had torn my wife from me-had
taken away the woman who, few hours
ago, pressed Judas kiss on my lips, even
as she was going to meat her lover.
Stay! perhaps he had killed her. Such
things have been done before now by men
who fail to win the woman they love- Per-
haps he had decoyed her away, and was de-
tanning her against her will Even now
she might be longing for me to come and
free her
All these thong hts whirled through my
brain, and for moment unnamed me. 1
sank upon chair, cold and trembling in
every limb. Grant stood like statue until
recovered myself
You villainr gasped. 81 will know
l will see her! Tell me where she isr
He leaned forward He looked at me
sternly
"ListenP' he said, in fierce voice. ''In
this room l said to you Take her, and
make her happy Have you done soy
l laughed wildly IF being willing to
shed ones blood for her can make false
woman happy, she should have beenl happy.
Does she EXPECT to find bliss in life of
shame with your
His eyes blazed. You had better gof,
he said. go at once"
l laughed mockiugly. Now that l had
lost all hope; now that my one desire was
vengeance l could speak calmly.
81 shall stay here" | said, until YOU
leave to join her. shall follow and he
with you. Surely bridegroom can claim
the right of bidding his bride Godspeedl
Here stay"
For reply Grant rang the bell. Leave
the front door and this door wide open"
he said to the servant; then so out OF the
way
He cam, toward me. l started to nv
feet, and struck fair and full at his white
w.
in moment his arms were around me
Although physical strength is an accident.
or at the most an inheritance, no man likes
to confess that another is immeasurably his
superior in muscular power S it is with
feelings of keen annoyance that am obliged
to relate the result of that hand to-hand
struggle. was strong, and had measured
my strength with many, Tut never WI h
such man as this The moment we closed
felt that should be conquered; that right
does not always gain the victory. Grants
arms were like bars of iron, the girth of his
chest almost abnormal; mor cover, he stood
two inches taller than | did Hai | been
told that any man could have lifted me
from my ieat carried me through two open
DOORS and finally thrown me stagperino
into the center of the road wav. | should
have laughed the idea to scor1. But Eu,-
tace Grant did ali this. AMI shut and boltei
the outer door before l could recover nv.
self
Mad with the rage of defeat, grasped
the ratings and painted for breath. l curseI
Eustace Grant. | cursed my faith!ess wife
l cursed myself and my impotence Such
my state that could have obtaine a
pistol, l would have waited on that door
step and shot the man who had BETRAYED
me, as soon as he emerged from his place of
safety-shot him deaf without commune
ton. Nor was my mind any way soothei
by hearing the window thrown up and see
ing my hat tossed out contemporaries. |
was fam to stoop and pick it up in order to
save myself from becoming an object of
curiosity to passersby.
What was | to doc NV mind at nresept
could only grasp one fact-thaS Grant had
nv some q ia bOiCal means ind mood Vii. e.
leave me and give herself TO him For n
while my course seemal limited to one
issue: l must wait here, OUTSIDE his house
until at las lie came forth Then / must
dog his footsteps until they lei me to the
faithles' woman who had ruined nv life
and brought me to shame. / groaned at the
thought of what little more than twelve
hours bai done TINS morning | was the
bappiest man In Enga nd; tonight J vas
the most miser ablel
so, Tor hours ! walked up and down in
front OF the house which held the traitor.
saw the light extingu shell Once or
twice L saw the blind drawn ASIDE. and
guessed thai Grant was looking out to see If
had left my post. No, you tratorl YOU
villain am still there, and shall be there
until you come out. Then will dog YOU to
the bitter END.
The hours went by, the dawn BEGAN to
break S5ill-an OBJ Jet of curiosity. if not
suspicion. to the policeman-I kept NV
post, and SHOULD have kept it for hours
longer. had it not all at once occurred TO
me That so long as 1 was there so long would
Grant remain whore he was | must meet
craft with craft. Nevertheless, l must
perforce keep watch until could find some
one 10 whom the task might be deputed