The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-08-28
THE MORNING NEWS: SUNDAY, PAGES

Royal little knew how be was defeating
his own object or he would have stayed bis
hand, content with the evil be had already
told and not answered her frenzied cling
ing TO him as he did.
Ralph, Ralph, don't let me believe all
this! Say | am dreaming, say am mad,
but don't let me believe or remember any
thing but that you are my husband"
And down upon her knees she fell,
crouched as it were at his feet, humbled
herself 10 the very dust, tiinging her arms
round him, Selling his hand the very right
hand which had encompassed so much evil
which be had once lifted against her, and
would lift again did he dare raining her
scaling tears upon 1t, covering II with hot,
passionate kisses.
you cling to me still, " be asked amazed,
but with a dark look on his face which, had
she not been blinded by her passion, must
have told her his object in thus daring TO
admit her to his secrets.
"Aym she cried, in answer. clinging so
tightly that, despite his endeavors, he could
not be free of her. 'Break my heart! tort
ure me! Kill me! you cannot kill my love.
/ will save you despite even thism
10 was as noble a cry as ever came from
an almost broken heart. But into Royals
face came look of fierce, logged determi-
nation, and that strange glitter in his eyes
which told how he was nervinR himself to
touch upon that one subject from which
even the devil within him shrank in fear and
trembling.
"What if you have not yet heard the
worst; what il you force me even to tell you
thatln
At his tone and his manner, which she
could see at once was not acting, madge hid
her face against his knee.
mo, no, don't tell me s;iore! have
heard enough. Don't te5 me, for the love
of Godp
But the very signs Of fear in her gave
him encouragement, 80 that h3 bent down.
as if to whisper this last and greatest
secret.
With Shrek of terror she at last let GO
her hold upon him, putting her fingers to
her ears, but be tore them away.
80, spare me- Spare me! she cried,
struggling now to rise TO her teet, as II TO
seek safety in flight.
Buthe caught at the scarf she wore with
one hand, aud, holding her prisoner with
the other twisted it across her mouth in
such a wav as to stife her cries. BE still
and quiet, :" be hIssed, cor l shall kill you"
With a low moan she would have fallen
forward. He caught her by the shoulder,
and forced her upon her knees, but though,
as her head fell back, the scarf dropped
from her mouth to the ground, she had no
power now but to remain his prisoner, to
look up into his blazing eyes, her own
blinded, sightless, as it were, with agony
her lips dumb.
For a moment he did not speak, as if it
pleased him to see her thus completely at
his mercy, and in torturing suspense.
At last, however, he bent his face 80 close
to hers that his hot breath seemed TO stife
her own, the fire in his eyes to pierce right
down into her very soul, his touch upon her
shoulders to become like that Of a red hot
vice, sending sharp singing pain into every
limb.
What" he whispered in tone which
was 80 low it only just reached her ear, but
TO her brain sounded like the echo of crash
ing thunder, "what IL you are the wife of
one who is not only thief and a gambler
but one who is guilty OF the greatest crime
of all not black, but red-blood redw
BLOOD redm whispered back the white
lips as il they had been walls OF stone echo
ing the words
GAY" replied Royal. his voice losing its
metallic ring in an even more significant
faltering. ''What if the hand to which you
would cling, the hand you kiss, has been
stained-the words were but a breath-with
bloodp
There was quivering pulsation OF the
body, which told of the struggle for breath,
a sudden leap up of the poor tortured heart
and Madge looked into her husbands face
like one from whom lie had departed, as II
instead of word he had indeed lifted a
weapon to kill her.
But even the presence of such terrible
agony reused In the hend no pity, no
mercy.
With laugh which cracked on his lips,
for his face was gray and his eyes far from
smiling, he suddenly released her from his
hold and stepped back. But cruel but had
been his grasp, leaving under her dress the
marks II his fingers two red scars upon the
flesh, to miss it, to think herself east off,
reused his wretched victim even from 80
| great depth Of anguish.
distinctly she put out her hands to grope
| her way to him. but as he recoiled in some
| thing like horror to think that he bad
| indeed no power to be free Of her, even af-
| ter so terrible "a trial, her strength failed
! her, and she fell headlong to the ground
| rigid and seuseless
| Heaven ia mercy had struck her down,
taken from her the sense of life. which but
for the swoon, must have stricken her brain
! with madness.
AS she fell the strength and courage which
| he had used to su 81 dark end and all 10
| vain went also out of her tormentor. Shiv-
ering as with an ague, O prey to the greatest
terror, without even q look at her, he rushed
from the room.