Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1888-11-29


/ bedside, white and motionless. seeing moth
ing but his CHASTITY looks, hearing nothing
| but the faint, labored breathing which
| crossed his lips. Ingot passed in and out
unnoticed by her, and when he disappeared
for couple Of hours later IN the day, she
| did not miss him.
He came back with a new expression
on his face which BODIED no good. The as
/ Dect of the sick-ro0m had not changed.
Carol had not noticed his leaving, she did
not notice his entrance until he spoke her
name.
"Come with me. 1 have something to
say to you. Lyman will do as well with
Sarah to watch hum BY the way" leading
her out, s. she tells me she has a brother
who understands nursing, and l have en-
gagged him TO take charge of the case. l
don't intend TO let you wear yourself out,
my dear now that you belong to me-or soon
will-more than TO him. Do you realize
that have been very bitterly disappointed
to-day, Carol. 1t is hard to be so near my
happiness and vet be cheated out OF it,
She lifted her heavy eyes to his face, and
parted her lips rs if about to speak, thea
her glance fell away. What could she saS.'
How could she tell him that she no lout er
recognized his clam, that she never hal
recognized H. while Lyman, who was her
strength. lay HELPLESS
" / don't intend to be cheated ont Of It
long, Ingot went on. with a logged stub
bornness underlying his gentler tones.
4" Lyman may lay there in that state for
DAYS it Will be weeks before he will get
around, if ne ever does, and haven't got
the patience of JOB. want you to marry
me right of. just the same as If nothing had
happened. and I'll help you take care Of
him, swear | Will, as II he was my own
brother
"Oh, noir exclaimed Carol, with nery-
Gus clasping Of her hands, catch in her
breath. mot now-not ever -until'i-
/" Until what - ha asked, regarding her
with darkening looks.
Until he is better and tells me that |
must, - with a burst Of hysterical weeping,
which relieved her over-burdened heart
She pressed back the tears presently, and
looked at him piteously
~ must 90 back to him can not stay
away
You will listen TO me first he SAID,
slowly with cruel emphasis. You think,
no doubt, that Lyman would never make
you marry me; you believe the promises he
gave you. that he would step in and save
you at the last but | tell you that was my
plan from the start / knew you would not
give in easily, and ] did not want TO be
cruel to you. ! thought il could fool you
into marrying me, thar you would make the
best OF it afterward. Lyman never meant
TO stop the ceremony. 1t was all a put-up
job between him and me 10 make you
seem willing. We fixed it that he was TO
keep out of the way until the last moment
\
might say no when the preacher put tho
question. but we trusted to hurryng the
business over before you could gather
your wits enough to know that your
precious brother had gone back on you.
That was the programme-and mighty
pretty one it was If this cursed business
had not come up
Carol looked at him with horror deepen
ing in her eyes What terrible story was
this he was telling herl How dared he so
traduce one vino was helpless to defend
himself
4" / do not believe you,n she declared, but
even as she uttered the words her heart
sunk, chilled with underlined fears and
doubts.
ats the truth, all the same He was
going 70 show me up as a villain and
sc0undrel, and conf0und me with my ras-
cality, wasn't he's Once more / tell you
il was all ms own plan he is the last
man who would bring any charge against
me If he could DO YOU want 10 know why,
my Carols Because he--ls' and not l. was
the villain. Because il was and is in my
power TO send him higher than Gilderoy's
kite He was ready en1ugh TO buy me OF
from doing him harm with the price Of
your hand. He did not like it any too well,
curse him but there was no other way to
save himself
He came 10 pause. with a scowl darken-
ing his brows.
"What has he doneg' The question
forced itself from the girls pale lips, quite
against her will. She did not want to be
lieve these horrible accusations but there
came the remembrance of Lyman's strange
actions. his moodiness, the trouble which
he had land 20 business causes, 10 shake her
faith in him.
A moment passed before lngot answered.
Determined as he was to have his way he
did not want 10 crush the girl whom he
really loved in his own fashion He found
al at once that he would rather not tell her
The actual details Of her brothers wrong
ful acts.
Look herel" he said at last a" don't
want to blab more than is actually neces-
,ary II won't do you any good to pry into
he matter, and if you keep your bargain
With me, | give you my word that I'll never
,other Lyman
:" / can not. Oh, know, in spite of all you
ay, that he never meant ! should
Some angry feeling which Ingot had been
Ieeping down now broke bounds
"No-curse hunt thought he could be
90 smart for me. He was in a corner he
ouldn't get out of in this world. so he tried
o cheat me by jumping into the next. Your
'recious brother that you think 50 much Of
vas both a rascal and coward, and took
he towards plan Of getting out of his
rouble-by suicide. lddn't take any stock
n that burglar story from the first, and
low that | have investigated the matter,
IN convinced there is nothing in it. He
ried to cheat me and to save you by taking
is own life. ana made failure Of his at
empt, for mean to have YOU nor whether
e lives or dies. Either you give me your
III hi II.I.