The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-10-02
Mad MARRIAGE;
The HeireSs of Law.
/ renee Park.
STORY OF ABSORBING INTEREST.
BY MRS. e. b. COLLINS.

BY MRS. e. b. COLLINS.
=, CHAPTER XXI
TRAPPED.
Meanwhi lie Mark A1leyne was NOV
ing about the brilliantly Illuminated
rooms like ghost, very skeleton at
the feast.
This sudden launch into fashionable
society had been without his approval
When Gabrielle had revealed to him
the danger of the situation his plan
s1had been to be- married at once to
Adele and leaveor Europe, with all
the money andkvaluables that they
tould lay hands upon, upon the first
outward bound steamer.
But Adele would not listen to this.
She must see little of the world of
fashionable society, no matter what
risk she ran; and then the thought of
marrying Mark Alleyne so soon, or at
all, was horrible.
II will fight it to the last" she NUT
tered sibilantly, alone in her own
room; "and I shall never yield. I will
die tirstp
But of this Mark never dreamed. He
was aware that she did not love him !;
but the full extent of her detestation,
hatred, he could not imagine.
It would have been Incredible to him.
Then, the great reception was planned; /;
and he had begged Adele and her
ymother to permit the engagement to
be announced at this very reception.
Il will not consent to such thingl"
Adele had declared, with flashing eyes.
@You are very selfish, Mark, to ask
such thing!" she painted. "Why, you
would spoil all my pleasure-a1 my
triumph. I am bound to be a social
success" she went on, her beautiful
face flushing like the heart of a June
rose. II shall be the most admired,
aattered and feted woman in the whole
city!"
And Mark had turned away, with a
dark frown upon his face, and his teeth
set sharply together under the shadow
of his heavy black mustache. .
"She is enough to drive man mad !"
he muttered shrilly. II could kill
her! I may some day." he added
swiftly.
And there was look in his dark
eyes that was. bad to see. &
But Adele,had her own way, all the
same, There was no hurried wedding
and departure for Europe; no an
uouncement of the hateful engage
ment, and Mark Alleyne was forced to
witness all her triumph.
His eyes, followed the radiant vision
in airy white. as she foated through
the dance, or promenaded with differ
ent admirers, whose name was Legion.
He wandered out into the spacious,
moonlit grounds ct last, wearied in
tensely of the gay, bright scene within;
and turned his steps in the same direc-
ton that Adele had already taken.
He was full of bitter thoughts; his
Aheart was heavy with vague sense Of
Gefeat. f"..'
eff I could only believe her!" he
said to himself as he moved slowly
dowr the long walk; "if I could only
believe that she really means to marry
me, could bear all her coldness and
indifference Once she is mine will
teach her to love me-my beautiful,
darling!" .n
He came to q frightened halt, cry
of horror passing his lips, at the sight
upon which his startled eyes rested.
There, at his feet, prone upon the
ground, in the pure, pale light of the
moon, her white face upturned to the
opal tinted sky, lay the woman he
loved, Adele st. Cyr-with the red
blood flowing from q CHASTITY wound in
her side. = -
For time Mark Alleyne stood star
ing down upon the awful sight, trem-
bling, painting, unable to utter word.
With a mighty effort he drew close
to her side, and STOPPING, laid his hand
upon her heart; it beat family. l.
@She is not Edead, g my darling, my
darling!" he painted rapturously; the
reaction almost more than. he could
bear; theF sudden change from incon-
solable sorow;to the wild joy Of living
hope.
Then with swift, furtive glance
around to make sure that no unseen
assassin was lurking in the thicket
near, he lifted her head upon his breast
and drawing afask Of brandy from his
pocket, held il to herilips: -
A fewadrops gurgled from the flask
between the white, set teeth.
A slight gasp, slow moan, and the
dark eyes fared open, and stared Wild
-ly up into his face. ..-
I :, "Mark, she moaned feebly, recog-
kpizing him at once, by the pale, clear
moonlight. II am dying"
sinking with an awful fear. "You will
not die, my darling. You will live. to
be happy in my love. But tell me,
Adele, i = you are able, who did this fear
"A shudder passed over her slender
frame like q chill. She closed her
eyes.
"I do not know" she painted; "I-I
heard no report of firearms sound;
saw no-no living creature; but, all
the same, there is bullet in my side,
Mark. All at once + felt q sharp,
= stinging pain in my side, followed by q
numb sensation. and that was the last
1 knew. But, Mark, have seen 8
spirit!".
He. started, with cry of horror. Was
she delirious?
"What do you mean, Adsle?" he
asked.
"I have seen spirit" she reiter-
ated, calmly. "Listen, Mark. Over
yonder, peering from behind tie Usage
hedge, I saw the face Of Arthur