Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-01-12


 "Yes, yes, don't say anything about it at present. Well, good-by." CHAPTER XIV. BELLE PAYS VISIT. Mir. Quest got into his dog cart and drove homeward, full of feelings which it would be difficult to describe.
 The hour of his revenge was come He had played his cards and he had won the game, and fortune with it, and his enemy lay in tho hollow of his hand. He looked behind him ! at the proud towers of the castle, reflecting | as he did so that in all probability they | would belong to him before another year | was over his head. At one time he had l earnestly longedsto possess this place, but | now this was not so much the object of his desire. What he wanted now was the money l With e30, 900 in his hand he would, together with what he had, be q rich man, and he had 1 already laid his plans for the future. Of tho | Tiger Ee had heard nothing lately. She was | cowed, but he we'll knew that it was only 1or awhile. By and by her rapacity would ger l the better of her fear, and she would recona- l mence her prosecutions. This being so hs | came to determination-he would put tho l world between them. Once let him have thts money in his hand and he would start bis life afresh ill some new country; he was not l too old for it, and he would be rich man. l and then perhaps he might get rid of the cares which had rendered so much of his lifo valueless If Belle would go with him, we'll | and good-if not, he could not help it. If sho l did go there must be a reconciliation first, | for be could not any longer tolerate the life l they lived. In due course he reached The l Oaks and went in. Luncheon was on the table, at which Belle was sitting. She was, as usual, dressed in black and beautiful to look on; but her round, babyish face was pale and pinched, and there were black lines beneath her eyes.
 II did not know that you were coming back to luncheon" she said; II am afraid there is not much to eat"
 "Yes," he said, "I finished my business up at the castle, so thought I might as we'll come home. By the way, Belle, have bit of news for you"
 'What is it?" she asked, looking up sharply, for something in his tone attracted her atten- tion and awoke her fears.
 "Your friend, Edward Cossey, is going to be married to Ida de la Molle"
 She blanched till she looked like death itself, and put her hands to her heart as though she had been stabbed
 "The squire told me so himself,n he went on, keeping his eyes remorselessly. fixed upon her face.
 She leaned forward, and he thought that SACs"oS 6oAA1S Oo IdAnU, UuO Suo ulu uOU. bY a supreme effort she recovered herself, and drank glass of sherry which was standing by her side.
 II expected it," she said, in a low voice.
 "You mean that you dreaded ii, ;" answered MT. Quest, quietly. He rose and locked the door, and then came and stood close to her and spoke.
 Listen, Belle. know all about your affair with Edward Cossey. have proofs of
 it, but have forborne to use them, because
 saw that in tho end he would weary of you
 and desert you for some other woman, and
 that would be my best revenge upon you.
 You have all along been nothing but his toy, the light woman with whom he amused his
 leisure hours"
 She put her hands back over her heart, but
 said never a word, and he went on.
 Belle, 1 did wrong to marry you when
 you did not want to marry me, but, being married, you have done wrong to be unfaith- , full to your vows. have been rewarded by your inf1deity, and your infdeity has been rewarded by desertion. Now I have pro-
 posal to make to you, and if you wise you will accept it. Let us set the one wrong against the other; let both be forgotten. Forgive me, and will forgive you, and let
 us make peace-if not now, then in little while, when your heart is not so sore-and go right away from Edward CSssey and Ida
 de la Molle and Honham and Boisingham, ! into some new part of the world, where we can begin life again, and try to forget the past"
 She looked up at him, and shook her head . mournfully, and twice she tried to speak and
 twice she failed. The third time her words s came.
 f "You do not understand me-" she said
 ''You are very kind, and am very grateful to you, but you do not understand me. I cannot get over things so easily as I know
 most women can; what have done never can undo. I do not blame him altogether, and it was as much or more my fault than his, but having once loved him cannot go back to you or any other man. If you like
 will go on living with you as we live, and will try to make you comfortable, but can say no more."
 Q ''Think again, Belle" he said, almost plead. ingly; "1 dare say that you have never given
 me credit for much tenderness of heart, land ] know that you have as much against me as
 have against you. But have always:loved f you, and I love you now, really and truly ? love you, and I will make you aSEood hus- d band if you will let me.
 a "You arc very good" she said, "but it can
 not be. Get rid of me if you like and marry d somebody else. am ready to take the pen
 atty of what have done." "Once more, Belle, beg you to consider. i Do yu know what kind of a man this is h for whom you are giving up your lifef Not q only has he deserted you, but do you know t how lss has got hold of Ida de la Mollea He t has, as know we'll, bought her. tell you t he has bought her as much as though he had
 gone into the open market and paid down 6 q price for her. The other day Cossey 6 Sor
 were going to foreclose upon the Honhan is estates, which would have ruined the old gon y tleman. We'll, what did your young man do
 He went to the girl-who hates him, by tht
 way and is in love with Col. Quaritch-and d said to her, If you will promise to marry me 6 when I ask you will find the thirty thousand i To be continued.
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