The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-08-12
SIT has become my custom to wander

the house, when We became aware or tn
sudden return from London of MIR. Bon
court and his sister. accompanied By tn
three servants whom they had taken awa.
with them. including the bow Din.
1ney nau gone into the house but
very short time when a stream of ligh
issued out of the window of that hand
some reception room that overlooks th'
tulip beds and the laburnums, with tn,
window sill coming quite low down, ant
at the same time there was the sound o.
Boncourt's voice and his sisters in ex
cited tones. My companion, Mrs. Beane
whispered, Come. We must listen to wha
they are saying and, seizing my arm
dragged me in the direction Of the win
dow.
Il had never before played the part o:
an eavesdropper, and tried to hold back
but she would not let me- Come, I say!
she whispered, hoarsely and fercely; girl
/ know more of that evil woman thar
you can dream of must know what il
going ON between those two, and 80 mus,
you'll!
She frightened me, and I resisted nc
longer. She then hurried me to place
in among the laburnums, whence We
could see and overhesr all that was going
on in the room. Boncourt was without
his coat, it being very warm, and was
pacing the room with angry and impa.
tient strides. Madame Ronceville was
still in her travelling hat and dress, just
as she had come from the railway. She
sat with her face buried in her hands, but
it did not seem to me that she was weep
ing, though I could see that sl.S was ter
ribly sgitated.
"A momentary pause had como in their
conversation as my companion and / took
up our place Of observation. A moment
after We had done so Dip, the lad. came
stealthily out of the house by side door,
passed close to where we were without
perceiving as, and sped rapidly away into
the darkness, as though fearful Of being
detected and pursued.
We were much mystifed by this
strange action on his part, but 1t was not
long in explaining itself Then the two
in the room recommended talking. It is
with much distress that am about to re-
port their words. Noel, for myself was
not infrequently named or alluded to in
what followed. It is only the immi-
hence of your peril that enables me tc
overcome this hesitation.
Il entreat you to omit nothing, nc
matter how it may concern you, Gwen'
said Noel, earnestly. Il am deeply in
tsrested; 60 on, beg Of you
Come, have done with this madness,
Adele;' We overheard Boncourt say, psus-
ing in his pacings. I tell you again and
again he shall not repudiate you-that
he shall marry you! I was astonished
at the change that had taken place in her
face, as Was evidenced when she raised
and uncovered it to make reply to him.
1T was absolutely cclorless and abso-
lutely fearless, but her eyes we're alive
with baleful fire that frightened me,
and her brows were knitted with o
strangely reckless and desperate look.
Half her beauty seemed marred by it, and
she Just then looked every year of her
age, which must be thirty-three or four"
She may we'll be, since she owns up to
twenty-se seven, said Noel grimly. But
60 on"
HAS he not already repudiated me-"
she exclaimed, in harsh, dry voice so
from her ordinary mellow tones
that, without seeing her, I should not
have recognized it as her. Has he not
even told me that he has deceived himself
all along in supposing that he ever loved
me at all? Am not to infer that he re-
joices at his fancied release in order that
he may 60 back to her, to my younger
rival, to-to Gwendoline, whom I hate?
Even were it otherwise-even did he love
me-could he forgive the deep deception
I have put upon him?'
Nc matter replied her brother, with
his bitter laugh. Love or not love, for
give or not forgive, he shall marry you
oil tho Coma 1cwaaritp
"'Ah, but to force him to marry me!
What would be my life with him after
such marriage! she cried I, who still
love him to distraction, to find myself
barely tolerated, perhaps hourly hated
and despised, and by him!
You'll have to take your chances as
regards that said he.
But the chances are frightful-they
would, perchance, kill me- she ex-
claimed, clasping her temples wildly.
would even resign him to her2' he
sneered.
.'No, no, a thousand times no! she
cried, her face becoming suddenly con-
vulsed. Better death-death to him as
we'll as me-tban that! AS heaven is nv
witness, would sooner see him in hls
than at arivars feetl Aye,
more, my madness for him brooks not
even the thought of life without him!
I'd sooner know him dead tn IN not as
mine! I'd even bear his contempt and
hate than not to be with hin-not still
hope 10 win his forgetfulness and love-.
"He laughed again, but not 30 bitterly
ss before.
This IS as 1t snouId be-. For would
rather kill Noel with my own hand than
have YOU miss becoming his wife. Ex.
posed as We have been, he shall still
marry you. Thank fortune, you are now
no longer simply divorced woman but
also widow. But even were the con-
ditions unchanged, he should be forced
to fulfill his contract with you to the
letter. No need of forcing it at the re-
voivers muzzle either. Will he stand by
and see his own father ruined, disgraced,
stripped of his ill-gotten wealth, dragged
to felon's cell? Not he, be sure of that!
And do not hold the old bankers fate
in the hollow Of my hand? Come, Alele,
be brave, be fearless!
"'We will pause for glass OF wine,
and then make use of our power without
delay. We will seek the bankers at once.
Noel shall be present. too, when I
faunt the self-accusing document into
Marlowe's face. He came from London
on the came train that brought US; saw
him quitting the station, with troubled
and hsggard face. Wine, wine, Adele.
and then to business And as he fn-
ishCd speaking, I saw him touch the
bell.knob to summon the servant.
oh, Noel! unkind as your father has
been TO us, it panied me deeply to think
Of him as in the power of that bold, bad
man; though, of course, I could not IN
derstand what was meant. Madame
Ronceville seemed to become suddenly