Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-09-05
LOVE OR MONEY;
OR,
/. A PERILOUS SECRET,
By CHARLES READE,
Author Of Put Yourself In His Place"
etc., ETC., etc.

etc., ETC., etc.
mo, sir. don't want to 90 against
you, nor yet against my own conscience.
what's left ont. I have seen a pretty
while that it must come to this. and I
have written to my sister Sally. She
keeps a small hotel at the lakes. She is
ready to have me, and I'm not too old
TO be useful to her. I'm worth my board.
III go there this very day, if you please
l m as true to you as / can be, sir. For
see by Miss Mary crying so you have
spoken to her, and so now she is safe to
come to me for comfort; and if she
does, shall take her part, you may be
sure, for | love her like my own child"
Here the logged voice began to tremble;
but she recovered herself, and told him
she would go at once to her sister Gil
bert, that lived only ten miles Off, and
next day she would go to the little hotel
at the lakes, and leave him to part two
true lovers if he could and break both
their hearts; she should wash her hands
of it.
BARLEY asked a moment to consider.
"Shall we be friends still if you leave
me like that? Surely, after all these
years, you will not tell your sister? You
will not betray me?"
NCfC13 oil SdIu o1C. w udU
To bring those two together? Why, it
would part them forever. I wonder at
you, gentleman, and in business all
your life, yet you don't seem to see
through the muddy water as / do that
is only plain woman"
She then told him her clothes were
nearly all packed, and she could start in
an hour.
"You shall have the break and the
horses" said he, with great alacrity.
Everything transpires quickly in a
small house, and just as she had finish
ed packing, in came Mary in violent dis
treSS. What, is it true? Are you 60
ing to leave me, now my heart is brOk-
en-? Oh, nursei nurse!"
This was too much even for stout
hearted Nancy Easton.
ooh, my child! my child" she cried
and sat down on her box SObbing Vio-
lently, Mary EMBODIED in her arms, and
then they sat crying and rocking to-
gether.
Papa does not love me as do him."
sobbed Mary, turning bitter for the first
time. "He breaks my heart, and sends
you away the same day, for fear you
should comfort me-"
mo, my dear" said Mrs. Easton; "you
are wrong. He does not send me away;
go by my own wish"
ooh, nurse, you desert mel Then you
don't know what has happened"
ooh yes, | do know all about it; and
Pm leaving because [ can't do what he
wishes. You see it is this way, Miss
Mary--yOur father has been very good
to me, and | am his debtor. Unjust not
stay here and help you to thwart him
that would be ungrateful-a vet [
can't take his side against you. Master
has got reasons why you should not
marry Walter Clifford, and"
He told me SO himself" said Mary.
"Ah, but he didn't tell you his rea-
sons"
NO"
mo more must I. But, Miss Mary,
I'll tell you this | know his reasons
well; his reasons why you should not
marry Walter Clifford are my reasons
why you should marry no other man."
oh, nurse! oh you dear, good ANGEL"
so when friends differ like black and
white, It's best to part. I'm going to
my sister Gilbert this afternoon, and
tomorrow to my sister Sally, at her
hotel"
ooh, nurse, must you? must you? I
shall have not friend to advise or con-
sole me till Mr.. Hope comes back. Oh,
hope that won't be long now"
Mrs. EastOn dropped her hands upon
her knees and looked at Mary BARLEY.
What, Miss Mary, would you go to
Mr.. Hope in such a matter as this?
Surely you would not have the face?"
Not take my breaking heart to Mr..
Hope!" cried Mary, with sudden flood
of tears. You might as well tell me
not to lay my trouble before my God
JTyhn fn
in those deep waters, and then cried
over me, darling dear! [ think more of
that than of his courage. Do you think
| am blind? He loves me better than
my own father does; and it is not a
young mans love; it is an angels. Not
cry to ham when | am in the deep waters
of affection? | could not write of such
thing to him for blushing, but the mo-
ment he returns | shall find some way
20 let him know how happyI have been,
how brOken-hearted [ am, and thatpapa
has reasons against him, and they are
your reasons for him, and that you are
both afraid to let me know these ceujOHs
reaSOnS-me, the poor girl whose heart
is being made football of in this
house. Oh! oh! OH"
Don't cry, Miss Mary" said Nurse
Easton, tenderly; "and pray don't excite
yourself so. Why, / never saw you like
tl1lN OClOlt.
Had l ever the same reason? You
have only known the happy, thought
less child. They have made woman
of me now, and my peace is gone. I
must not defy my father, and 1 aCdl not
break poor Walters heart-the trueSt
heart that ever beat. Not tell dear Mr..
Hope? III tell him everything, if I'm
cut in pieces for it." And her beauti-
full eyes flashed lightning through her
tears.
"Hum!" said Mrs. Easton, under her
breath, and looking down at her own
feet.
And pray what does hum mean?"
asked Mary, fixing her eyes with pro-
digious keenness on the WON ms face.
We'll, don't suppose hum means
anything" said Mrs. Easton, still look
ing down.
Doesn't it?" said Mary. with such
face as that it means a volume. And
Ill make it my business to read that
volume"
"Huml"
"And Mr.. Hope shall help me-"
CHAPTER TX.
LOVERS PARTED.
Walter, little dreaming the blow his