Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1890-01-27
RETRIB UTI0N.
DY 1.-THE y
CHAPTER xxi.

Maurice has ruShe1 from her lips,
Grunit. Us though he had received n NOR
tai wound. had loosed his hold of her,
and now stands apart from them, staring
~vacantly at the half unconscious girl.
This he had never suspected. That n"r
heart was not his, he knew: tina it was
in the keeping of another bursts upon
him now for the first time, without a mo-
ment's warning, and brushes out of him
his last hope.
There is something terrible in the glance
he has bent upon her. He has apparent
" given no thought to Duran, though in
him he finds his rival; all his thoughts
are centered on Nadine. AS if she feels
the terrible concentration of his regard,
she shivers in Duran's arms, n slowly
lifts her head. Her eyes met Boyle's.
'.SoI' he says, and no more.
There is UGH n cruel meaning in the
one word he has uttered that Nadine,
freeing herself from Ddran's restraining
grasp. goes forward as if to refute in per-
son whatsoever he may dare to insist upon.
Yet, as she draws near to him, the eX-
IRENE agony of his expression touches,
and forbids her to say anything that may
hurt or wound.
stand back says Boyle in a low tone.
do not come near me. If you touch me
L will not answer for myself. Probably l
shall kill you.'
PAUL.
She has forgotten everything save the
despair that she has brought to him, and
that stands marked upon his pallid face.
Il warn You to keep away repeats he
i'll the same dull. methodical tone as be-
fore. "If You spoke forever you could
not tell me more than l know now. 1t is
too late to cajole or deceive me further.
You must be satisfied with the old vic
tory
IF you would but listen''-
To believe again-to be again undone?
Be warncdr" cries he with n sudden ac-
cess of violent passion.
IF you approach me one step nearer, If
your treacherOus voice sounds once more
upon my ear, I will dash your false brains
against that wall Cpposite!'' He draws
his breath fiercely, and his hands work
together in Il ~convulsive frenzy. "Trait-
ressl'' he whispers, n cold fury in his
tone; chow has it been between us? /
CAV you all-my love, my life, my hopes.
You gave me n serpent'S smile and chances
false as hell! With desire in our heart
for another, You held out u land to me,
and swore you knew not the meaning of
the strange word love-! Stand back, l tell
you, if life is still of value to you! Nay,
not a word! -Treacherous devil that you
are, 1 would still spare your
''If you would only let me tell you
how
She has placed her hand appealingly
upon his. With a sudden cry, wild as
though coming from a beast hurt unto
death, he seizes her, and 1linging her far
from him, sends her with q crash against
the furthest wall.
She drops like a stone to the ground.
Duran, holding her to his heart, looks
round. Boyle is no longer to be seen.
Without waiting to learn the consequences
of his fury, he had rushed from the room.
"weI, at last my duty is at an end;
my final guest has departed. 1 can now
rest my weary limbs" says Miss Grey
some hours later, sinking into a chair as
she speaks.
''You look a~Ufully DONE y returns Mas
sareene with deep solicitude.
81 am tired. confess it. With ell this
anxiety upon my mind, to be obliged to
go about among the guests and apologize
10 them for poor Lady Valworth's absence,
was more trying than 1 knew. Auntie
was of TO help at all. She was thorough
ly unset herself, and for the first hour I'M
prcsentable. Then she rallied a little,
but to hardly any purpose. o., Gerald
whats terrible evening this 5Gs beenF'
"Tt has had its good side, however.
You are free"
"Frae-yes."
''TO let me love you"
81 have had no time to think of that"
She regards him earnestly for Il mOment
s'You will compel me to believe you sell
fish" she says slowly.
SIS 10 selfish to consider above every
thing the welfare of the one best beloved?
IF so, [ plead guilty. 1 tell yor l have
thought of nothing since-sirce Boyle's
expose-but the fact that you have been
delivered out of the hands of such a a
Zone must think of Nadine"
GLOW IS she now?'' "Wcll, but still
terrified. His violence did her no bodily
harm, but she is oppressed by nervous
horror, and will not consent to emain
alone for even a moment.
She is now in the morning room with
Mr.. Duran and auntie."
'You were surprised about Duran?'
Weren't you? When she called out to
him that time, and when he caught her
in his arms, 1 could hardly believe my
senses. Well, it is a good exchange for
her. Maurice Duran is handsome, and
rich, and her hearts chosen. She is a
lu, Ky girln
Are you unIucky?'' He asks the ques-
ton wistfully, looking down at her with
his plain, kindly face rather disturbed,
81 am ugly and poor, and not altogether
sure that | am the chosen of her who IS
al the world to me-"
''Oh! you are you?'' returns she senten-
~tiously. '.And as for Maurice Duran, l
"Olltl llOI hurry hill, NGA II ICNAAoo NAS
grace to ask me-"
And you will marry me?'' eagerly.
Time will prove that"
She laughs at him a little sauci1y from
under her long lashes, and holds out to
hin Il hand with such dainty sweetness as
brings him to her feet at once.
My darling girl!'
"a darling girl, no doubt; but not
yours yet, however"
: nd NyhU OOt SinPa Won are fTpp2'S
II was quite free all along, it seemsr'
exclaims she with a quick flash of
wounded pride that brings the hot blood
to her cheeks. She springs from her seat
and PAGES rapidly up and down the room,
Presently she stops short before him, n
lifts her dark, angry eyes to his. Il
wonder you have not too much pride to
care for the woman who was despised by
that thief!'' she says, with angry excite
ment.
Il care for Milicent Grey. 1t is absurd
to dwell upon such a thing returns he
strongly.
shall I ever forget it, I wonder-to be
rejected by such as him! To learn from
his own lips that / was merely used as a
. blind; that while paying attention to me
his whole heart and soul was devoted to
another"
But what a soul and hearth you should
consider that"
1.-The meaner they are, the more l re-
sent his conduct. And to say it before
them al!-my aunt, Lady Valworth, Sir
Thomas, you! When he thus scorned me
publicly, with hat evil smile upon his
lips, I had only one wish left"
HAnd that?''
''That 1 We're a man, to thrust the words
back in his throat and kill him"
"And yet you held me from him at the
moment. He is still in the house, how
ever. l will compel him TO apologize
to- begins the hot Irishman, making
for the door.
mo, it would be useless interposes
she, quickly sit is lone it cannot be
undone, and surely his mother has suffered
enough. There must be no further dis
turbance."
~ can follow him, however"
Il tell you, you could never undo
is done. Let him go; he is not worth
notice. L should be ashamed to confess
that his sting hurt me. And we are
bound TO remember his mother"
"Ahi poor Lady Valworthi She indeed
is the one to be pitied."