Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1886-02-05

The man knew she meant it. He threw
himself into chair. and laughed scornfully.
Come" be said. '1et us go to business
Yes Business is the only question be
tween us now
"Sit down. can't talk 10 YOU while You
stand up there. And I've lots to say
To show how little she feared him she
obeved
Now he said. TO come to the point:
what proposal have YOU to make, I'm yoar
husband, and with all your put-on pride and
careleSsness, You know I've got the whip-haad
st last"
Beatrice lookei at him and again won
dered how she could have ever loved this
ruifan
Il viii do this she said. On certain
conditions L will give you one-half of my III
come
And how much may your income heF'
Two thousand five hundred a year, am
told"
You le." said He-vey coarsely 1T IS
more
Beatrice flushed She half rose from her
seat, then returned to it without troubling
to reply.
Take if for arguments sake it is So" said
the man. Now for the conditions
That you never seek me, never trouble
me, never make known 10 any one that am
your wife
You have kept the secret, thenIa
''One other person knows it, my faithfu,
servant"
That hagl Of course you hoped should
die in the five years"
No" said Beatrice, simply; but hoped
might
The duel was progressing. The advantage
as yet had been to Beatrice. Hervey's turn
was TO come.
Listen" he said; II have also a proposal
to make, and conditions" Beatrice bent her
head
You have two thousand five hundred a
year. The hundreds are quite enough for a.
woman TO live on; the thousands shall be
mine
She was silent for minute. Yes she
said, II will even do that-at least for many
years"
Heryey laughed maliciously. How nice
to be so hatedl l never made anything out
of a woman's love, hut her hate is profitable
Now hear the conditions"
'1have named them already, - said Beatrice.
coldly.
Hear mine, say said Hervey, bringing
his hand down on the table, and speaking in
grim earnest. Il will 60 away, never seek
you, never trouble you SO long as YOU paw
the money; but before l go"-here he bent
forward aud spoke in a low, grating voice
before | so you shall come to me here, in
these rooms, and for a month shall hive hero
as my wife. All your fine relations, all
your dear friends. shall know you are the
wife of Maurice Hervey, forger, felon, and,
at present, ticket-of-leave man. After that
I'll leave you and take the money
Beatrice made no reply She drew her
mantle round her and rose Don't like nv
proposal Knocked Hervey Il thought it
out carefully, though-thought it out night
after night-for years and years thought it
outflow l was to be paid in full for every
thing. l have you now-I have you now,
my sweet wife"
Il think you are mad" said Beatrice, Con-
temptuously.
'Madi No, Tn not mad. Are YOU goinr
to leave me3 After such separation to
leave me SO soon" She moved towards the
door.
(which means, suppose, that you leave
me to do my worst"
Yes. You must do your worst"
(which means, take whatever the law
forces You to give me! You know the law
will give me some hing"
81 believe it will, said Beatrice YEARLY.
Yes, I'll take what the law gives ME.
Are you versed in the lawg' There was
something in his voice, in his triumphant
look, which for the first time made her fear
'Do you know" he went on, that the law
will give me the custody of a certain pretty,
golden-haired boy? That wife who atsents
herself from her husband and his home has
no right to deprive him of his child Here
is the homo offer you. l long for you aud
my boy. 1 demand him Give him to me-
All, have you nown
He had. His thrust seemed to pierce her
heart. She uttered a low cry and grasped
the back Of chair for support. 1T Is not
true" she gasped.
go to your lawyer and find out" he said.
II have consulted mine. The boy is my own.
All, what pleasure shall find in his com.
panyl How nice for him to be known here.
after as the forger's son. Now will you ac-
cept my conditionsa Now have l sot your
proud knees to bendl Now will you come to
me and avow yourself the wife of an injured
husbandp'
He almost shrieked the sentences. He fell.
he had his full grasp Of revenge
II must think must think" she muir
INJURED.
Eyes, go and think. I've got to think. too
I've got to find out whether any bubble can
deprive you of the money. If SO, you'll have
to marry me again and keep the first mar
riage dark. Hang mel that viii be even
better"
LET me co. she said.
Yes, you can go. But come to me again
the day after tomorrow. Then Pl tell you
what to do. All, my lady, you'd better have
got the money wanted years ago. / told
you at the time you were fooln
She did not hear his last words. She had
left the room Hervey threw himself into
his chair and laughed long and loud
Revenge and money!" he said. "Tll
bring her down to the very dust. I'll make
her beg on her knees for the boy before I
spare her even him Lucki was there ever
such luckT