Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1892-01-15

towards eyes you know speak the truth
III you are sensible you will go away In 8
fence, and leave your ward where she is"
Il am not quite an idiot, Mr.. Penfold
You are young man, and may like to pa
the part OF Don Juan. must protect IN
ward from such unfair influence. Wher
Is she? insist upon seeing her. She ha
given me trouble enough, must assert IN,
authority. You know of course that she /
under age?'
II know that IL she were of age You woul,
not rule moment at Castle Cover. Yol
cannot see her; she has been very III, and Il
In no tit state TO see anyone. She gave IN,
message, which was that she will not en-
ter Castle Cover while you are there"
III health Is only paltry excuse; she
must and shall return II have to take hel
away by force"
You would have to lift her over my dead
body If you carried her away by force"
Sir, have no time to handy words with
you. Let me see my ward at once 1 have
authority, and evidently must exert it.n
IL tell you she is ill-totaly unfit 10 he
bothered by you. She is not a child, and she
stays here at her own desire"
Il have only your bare word for that.v
The door opened slowly and Dorothy en-.
tered, light In her eyes Pierce had never
seen before. She toyed with the jeweled
cross at her neck with the hand that was
adorned by her fathers masonic ring
The TWO men looked ut her as though she
was being from another world.
Pierce said entreatingly:
FOR bods sake 60 to your room, Dor.
othy, and leave Inc TO deal with this man
alone!'
Il Will 60 Pierce, when / have told him
that stay here of my own free will. You
saved me from being frozen to death: my
NE my love, are yours. i am your promis-
Ell wife. by that dear bond beg you to pro-
/ tect me from that mans misused power.
lie has tried TO make me q shame to my sex,
he has betrayed every tie of truth, and
friendship.
TO save myself from worse than death
left my home TO wander away / knew not
whittier, until you found me, half-dead in
the Snow-drift, when he made me desperate
by the wicked wrong he would have wrought
me had l been a weaker woman"
Dorothy looked hardly earthly, as she
stood like an accusing angel before the man
her dead mother had counted as a king
among his fellows, and his bold eyes droop-
ed beneath the scornful fire of hers. His
voice was hoarse as he Kissed:
You must come home with me; that man
has wife already"
1T is false. Oh, Perez my darling, tell
him it is false" she cried in agonised ac-
cents as she sank upon her knees before
them"
Pierce took her hand kindly, and, assist
ing her TO rise, said:
My dearest, had wife, but the law has
freed me from her for ever, or should not
bay ~ to g. |, e..
up, my love, and keep brave heart, no one
shall harm YOU
but yourself, l suppose, sir Don't listen
to him, Dorothy, he is telling an untruth. l
saw his wife but few days ago."
You saw my wife, rs you choose to call
her-you saw Alison Lee? For the love Of
mercy tell me quickly, had she my little
child with her? Where is she?'
Horace Middleton laughed unpeasantly,
while Dorothy bent forward her lips apart,
her hands casped, as though to add 10 the
fathers entreaty.
Il knowing nothing of the child. The
mother Is fine woman, with plenty Of
spirit in her. She told me where to find my
truant ward. Come, Dorothy, be quick and
sensible; the carriage is outside, put on your
cloak and come. have no time TO spare"
Il Will not cOme-wild horses should not
drag me back to the awful fate you wish to
doom me to-"
You would rather stay "a this mans mis-
tress, since You cannot be his wife. But |
will not allow you 10 drag the name your
mother bore with honor into the dust. Come,
say; if you will not shall carry you"
Lay not n finger on her, If you value
your life and beg her pardon on your knees
for the insult you have offered her before
me. Down, l say, or will force you, you
cowardly liar"
Pierce threw himself upon him, and tried
TO force him down on his knees. Blows were
struck, and curses exchanged when a quiet
voice said calmly:
Gentlemen, gentlemen, you are really
too old to play at leap-frog, and before q
lady too. Come away, my dear"
DR.. Steel hastily led Dorothy ont of the
room, then returned and said, as he tried to
part the two combatants:
Come, gentlemen, you can't keep all the
fun to yourselves. l like n fight as well as
go and have it out in the road the
servants Will hold your hats and enjoy the
fun. It's greedy to keep all the excitement
bottled up in a bit OF place like this"
BY dint OF much struggling and getting
few blows, the doctor succeeded in parting
two bulldogs when their collars are twisted
to choke them off.
Gentlemen, | do believe I've got the
worst of the battle, the moral OF which is,
never NEEDLE with what may not concern
yourself Now have word to say while
you pull yourselves together, and that is
that If this row l. about Miss Cover, rs her
medical man. | LAY she is in no fit state TO
De removed. Now can't you brother-masons
come TO terms?'
II would never treat with such scoun-
irel. said Pierce.
'My remedy is in the hands of the law,o
laid Horace Middleton.
Then let it remain there: the remedy
nay prove worse than the disease. Mr..
Middleton, leave your ward in my hands.
Pierce, dear boy, show the gentleman the
Ioor."
''But refuse to go unless my ward goes
With me-"
.sRpfuenl IL ridicuIpus.