Iuka reporter. (Iuka, Miss.) 1888-1894, 1890-05-22
A Mad MARRIAGE.
or.
The Heiress of Law
renee Park.
A STORY OF ABSORBING INTEREST,".
BY MRS. e. y. COLLINS.
BY MRS. e. u. COLLINS.
CHAPTER XIV.
DEFEATED.

light. Her slender form trembled like
an aspen She sank upon seat at
Arthur's side, and lifted her ewes to his
face, while her white hands clasped
each other, convulsivcly.
Tell mel she painted, breathlessly.
Then, after q pause, and before he
could frame a reply, she went on,
eagerly, wildly:
Arthur Arthur I cannot give YOU
mp! l must win your love! All, now
you despise mep she continued, falter-
mgly, her eyes full OF tears.
You think me unwomanly and bold,
wanting in self-respect, dignity-all
attributes that make woman lovable.
But the time has come, Arthur Wynne.
when L can no longer hide my unhappy
secret! was forced to confess it. The
words rushed forth like a mountain
torrent, and could not restrain them.
Forgive mel forgive mel" she went on,
trantlcally. Il knew not what said |"
All this time Arthur Wynne had sat
absorbed in thought. A strange, wild
impulse had seized him-to take ad-
vantage of her mood, and perchancJ
learn something which would benefit
HIM, and aid him in his search for poor
Ruby.
lie laid his hand upon Adele's for an
instant. The red blood rushed to her
face like a crimson flood, and she
turned away.
Let us not speak upon the subject
to which you have just referred, Miss
Lawrence, he said, gently. After l
have said these few words, | could
never think of you without feeling,
knowing that you are aware of the fate
That has befallen that poor girl. That
you and your mother possess the mis-
cradle secret Of her whereabouts.
| Adele! Adelel answer me-tell me-
| where is she?"
The girls face grew slowly white as
marble. Into her dark eyes sinister
light crept, slowly. She turned away
with naughty gesture
do not know" she made answer.
II know nothing concerning her since
| her escape from the room where she
was lett prisoner, apparently too ill
| to escape I"
AS the words passed her lips, bring
ing with them an awful disappoint.
ment to Arthur Wynne's heart, there
was a rap at the door of the room. and
servant made his appearance with a
letter.
"For Mrs. Gilbert Lawrencel" he
announced, sententiously "She is
outl' hes added quickly, as Adele
looked surprised; "and SO, miss, /
thought best to bring the letter to you,
for the envelope is marked 'imme-
date"
Adele took the letter, and dismissed
the servant. She slipped the letter
into her chatelaine pocket which she
wore, and turned to Arthur.
why do you imagine" she began
slowly and impressively. that my
mother or myself know anything con-
corning Rubys whereabouts ?"
because you are the only persons
particularly interested in her disap-
pearance," he answered, boldly-and
with significant glance into her ewes.
AS ne spoke the words, the deep, in
tent gaze which he fastened upon her
grew deeper and more intent; long,
earnest look.
Adele shivered. A wild sensation
was creeping slowly over her,
feeling as though she were being car
RED away out of herself, drawn down
INTO limitless space, trembling upon
the brink of eternity; an awful horror
stealing over her, yet all the time a
: drowsy sensation which lulled her
senses into repose.
She was being slowly mesmerized.
but she knew it not.
She only felt that her senses were
slipping slowly away from her control
her eyes closed drowsily then
she knew no more.
For few moments Arthur Wvnne |
sat gazing upon the unconscious girl, a
strange, wild light in his handsome
dark eyes.
Il wonder that never have thought
OF this before" he muttered. aShe is
certainly one of the best subjects upon
whom l have ever exercised my mes
meric powers; despise the subterfuge;
hate and loathe the necessity for such
underhand proceedings; but / cannot
help it. The end justifes the meansl
This is the only way in which | can
ever hope to learn anything of Ruby's
whereabouts, if, indeed, my poor dar
ling is still living
He drew the letter forth from the
dainty satin pocket, and, with swift
glance around, drew small ivory in
strument from q pocket in his coat, and,
with one deft stroke, had the envelope
open, scarcely disturbing the mucilage
as he did so.
He drew the letter from the envelope,
and his eyes flew over the written sheet.
1t said:
MADAM write to say that our charge il
IN precarious condition. Ill, and fear
the worst. And worse than all the rest
that we have to fear--the detective, Wynne
Is on the trail-the right track, too Come
down to Becchwood. if possible, at once.
md tell me what steps to take in regard to
her. Yours, FARMENTI.
Arthur Wynne's eyes flashed like
Gre.
"Our charge" "her," the reference
% himself, made his heart beat madly
with an underlined hope.
Where was Beechwood? He turned
The envelope over and carefully in
'pected the post-mark.
It was quite illegible; he could not
ell but that the letter had been mailed
It the adjacent town.
He was in the dark and vet ha hal |