Iuka reporter. (Iuka, Miss.) 1888-1894, 1890-09-11

OIdce 0dIlanu, ne 6dlu, YOU are
in my power; bodyand soul ou are
minel Do you agree to that.
81 agree to nothing was the half
audible response, until / know Sha,
You mean to do"
II mean to have you go away With
me-" y
"When?'
Tonight" ~
"Where2 ."
ITO such place as I see fit to carr,
you"
II refuse to go with youls
you refuse"
Yes, l refuse. You are free to dc
your worstl"
Eye to eye, the unequal eombatants
were measuring their strength
My worst is to tell the man you love,
who and what You are"
1t was random stroke, but the shaft
struck home. For momentI she
wavered, but in the next she mustered
herself sufficiently to retort;
TELL him what you please. I had
rather be despised even by him than by
myself"
You defy me then?'
If my wish to preserve my self,
respect is defiance, L defy you"
Maddened, yet fascinated, by her self
command, Boyden cried:
Is it to be war between us? Have
a care how you answer mel"
1t must be war;" Oracle said steadi-
ly, since there can be no peace"
tAA "a 4
breathed:
What if were to tell you that l
loved you?"
II should not believe YOU"
But if promised you marriage?"
The very thought is an INSULT"
He drew back, white with rage.
SO be itP' he Missed; Il give you
twenty-four hours to reconsider what
you have said If at the expiration of
that time you do not agree to my terms.
| shall lodge you in the Tombs for the
murder of Orrin Cliffordw
He went to the door, and laid his
hand upon the knob.
Bear in mind" he said, "that if you
attempt to escape, you will all the
sooner fall into my hands"
And with those words he left the
room and the house.
While this scene between venture and
dare was in progress, Mrs. Arnim had
returned Unexpectedly, and had let her
self into the house with q latch kew.
without attracting the attention of the
pair in the studio.
Hearing their voices, she fancied
That R11f1ort r,111ct have 49,, j..
her absence, so she went to the kitchen
to attend to certain matters before re-
firing. The sharp closing of the street
door soon caught her listening ear, and
upon going into the hall to ascertain
the cause, what was her surprise to find
the passage deserted, which was at
once manifest by means of brightly
burning gas.
With some curiosity she threw open
the door OF the studio and looked in.
The lamp shed its soft radiance every.
where, Gracie's work lay on the chair
where she had left it, but the room, like
the hall, was tenantless.
Strange" murmured the good
woman, pausing upon the threshold.
"lt is rather late for them to 90 to
walk"
Scarcely were the words off her lips
when key grated in the latch, the
door swung open, and her son stood
before her. He did not greet her as
was his wont, but came in, closed the
door and double locked it. So quick
were his movements that she failed to
note how blanched was his face, how
dilated were his eyes.
"Rupertl'' she exclaimed in surprise,
what have you done with Gracie?"
Nothing, mother" came the low re-
spouse.
did she not go out with your"
"No."
why, where is the child?"
He was hanging up his coat and hat,
and so managed to keep his face
averted.
She is probably in her ROOM" he
said, presently; twill you be good
enough to step up and see, and if she
is there ask her to come down to me for
q moment before she retires."
He passed ON into the studio, and
Mrs. Arnim dutifully mounted the
stairs and raped at Gracie's door.
Oracle, are you there?" called the
good woman.
"Yes, Mrs. Arnim," came the low,
sweet voice.
Have you retired?"
mot yet"
Are you still dressed?"
yes"
Will you come down to the studio?
Rupert wants to see you"
For answer, the door opened, and
Oracle came forth upon the LANDING.
There was no light up there on the
second floor, or Mrs. Arnim would
have been terrified at the change that
had taken place in the girl, for, as she
slowly descended the stairs, LAYING fast
hold of the rail, and met the radiance
OF the gas in the lower hall, she showed
face so wan, SO haggard and petrified
with suffering, as to be scarcely recog-
nizable
Upon reaching the foot of the stairs.
she crossed the hall and entered the
studio, pausing just within the open
door, in the attitude of a criminal
awaiting sentence.
Rupert Arnim stood before the fire
place with his arms tightly folded upon
his breast. He was as pallid as she.