Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-10-24

4 =.
My acquaintance with her is slight. but
| she is in a good position, and. indeed.
wealthy, and has never troubled him.
| However. she heard SOLE chow he was
| counting YOU, and Us [ often visit Derby
! upon business, she requested NE to
come over here and warn you in time"
And do you think" said Mary. sc0rn-
! fully, L shall believe this from stran-
ger?"
Hardly" said Monckton. with every
| appearance of candor. "H[rs. Walter
| Clifford directed me to show you his
I marriage certificate and hers"
THE marriage certificate" cried
Mary. turning pale.
| Yes" said Monckton: "they were
married at the Registry Office on the
] 18th June 1863" and he put his hand in
| his breast pocket to search for the GER
| tificate. He took this opportunity to
/ say, you must not fancy that there is
any jealousy or i'll feeling after fourteen
years desertion. but she felt it her duty
| as woman"
"The certifcate!" said Mary-@the
| certifcate!"
He showed her the certificate; she
read the fatal words. walter Clifford"
| The rest swan before her eyes. and to
| her the world seemed at an end. She
| heard, as in a dream, the smooth voice
/ OF the false accuser, with a world OF
| fictitious sympathy, I wish | had never
undertaken this business. Mrs. Walter
| Clifford doesn't want to distress you;
| she only felt it her duty to save you.
Don't give way. There is no great harm
| done, unless YOU were to be deluded in
to marrying him."
And what then?" inquired Mary,
| trembling.
| Monckton appeared to be agitated at
| this question.
ooh, don't speak of it, "said he. "You
would be ruined for life, and he would
| get seven years penal servitude; and
| that is q sentence few gentlemen sur
| viye in the present day when prisons
| are Slaughter-hOuSeS There. | have
| discharged the most diSagreeable office
| | ever undertook in my life; but at all
| events you are warned in time"
! Then he bowed most respectfully to
| her, and retired. eXhaling his pent-up
venom in diabolical grin.
| She, poor victim, stood there stupe-
| fed, pierced with q poisoned arrow,
| and almost in state of collapse; then
! she lifted her hands and eyes for help,
| and saw Hopes study in front Of her.
| Everything swan cOnfusedly before
| her; she did not know for certain wheth-
u.
| true friend for help.
"Mr Hope-I am LOST am in the
deep waters of despair-save me once
f! more, save mel"
Thus speaking she tottered into the
Office, and sank all limp and powerless
| into chair, unable to move or speak.
| but still not insensible. and soon her
| brow sank upon the table, and her hands
| spread themselves feebly out before her.
= It was all villainOus spite on Monck-
tons part. He did not for a mo-
ment suppose that his lie could long
outlive Walter Clifford's return; but he
was getting desperate, and longing to
! stab them all. Unfortunately fate be-
friended the Villains malice, and the
| husband and wife did not meet again
| till that diabolical poison had done it's
work
Monckton retired, put off his old
mans disguise behind the fir-trees, and
went toward anOtherofhis hiding-places,
| and enormous Oak-tree which stood in
the hedge of Hopes cottage garden.
The subtle villain had made this hollow
tree an observatory, and sort of sally
port, whence he could play the fend.
The people at the hotel were. as Mary
told Julia Clifford, very honest people.
They showed Percy Fitzroy's brace
| let to one or two persons, and found it
was of great value. This made them
| uneasy, lest something should happen
| to it under their charge; so the woman
! sent her husband to the neighborhood
of Clifford Hall to try and find out If
there was a lady of that name who had
left it. The husband was a simple fell
low, very unfit to discharge SO delicate
| a commission. He went at first to the
public-house; they directed him to the
Hall, but he missed it, and encountered
a gentleman, whose quick eye fell upon
the bracelet, for the foolish man had
shown it to so many people that noWh he
was carrying it in his hand, and it bIaz-
ed in the meridian sun. This gentleman
said. what have you got there?"
well, sir" said the man, ''it was left
at our hotel by q young couple from
these parts. Handsome couple they
were, sir, and spending their honey
moon"
Let me see it." said Mr. Barley, for
he was the gentleman. He had come
back in some anxiety to see whether
Hope had pacified Mary, or whether he
must exert himself to make matters
smooth with her again. Whilst he was
examining the bracelet, who should ap-
| pear but Percy FitZrOy, the owner. Not
that he came after the bracelet; on the
| contrary, that impetuOus young gentle
man had discovered during the last two
hours that hevalued Miss CIifford's love
a great deal more than all the bracelets
in the world for all that he was delight
ed at the unexpected sight of his prop
erty. "Why, that's NINE" said he. tits
an heirloom. | lent it to Miss Julia
Clifford, and when | asked her for it to-
| day she could not produce it.
ooh! OH" said Mr.. BARLEY. "W hat,
do the ladies of the house of Clifford go
in for clandestine MARRIAGES.
Certainly not, sir" said Eitzroy
@Don't you know the difference between
a wedding ring and a bracelet" Then
he turned to the man, Here's a sover-
eign for your trouble, my man. Now
give me my bracelet"
To his surprise the hotel-keeper put
it behind his back instead of giving it
to him.
Nay" said he, shaking his head
| knowingly, you are not the gentleman
that spent the honeymoon with the lady
as owns it. My mistress said [ was not
to give it into no hands but hers"
This staggered Percy dreadfully, and
he looked from one to another to assist
him in solving the mystery.
BARLEY came to the assistance of his
understanding, but with no regard to
the feelings of his heart. Its clear
enough what it means, sir; your sweet
heart is playing you false"
That went through the true lovers
heart like knife, and poor little Percy
leaned in despair against Hopes work
shop window transfiXed by the poison
ed arrow of jealousy.
At this moment the voice of Colonel
| Clifford ur9C hoard 1O1I1 aI06 YinCincr a