Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1892-01-15

0Wn baoO htoibs yOu yOuIoClI I0OTb
than you do me. Your ward was driven
from home by your insults. Your own con
science Is tho best sccuser; see by your
towards eyes you know speak the truth.
III you are sensible you will 60 away In 81
lence, and leave your ward where she Is"
II am not quite an idiot, Mr.. Penfold.
You are young man, and may like to play
tho part of Don Juan. must protect my
ward from such unfair influence. Where
Is she. insist upon seeing her. She has
given me trouble enough, l must assert my
authority. You know Of course that she is
under agc?'
II know that If she were of age you would
not rule a moment at Castle Cover. You
cannot see her; she has been very i'll, and is
in no fit state to see anyone. She gave me
q message, which was that she will not en-
ter Castle Cover while you are there"
Ill health Is only paltry excuse; she
must and shall return II have to take her
away by force"
"You would have to lift her over my dead
body il you carried her away by force"
"Sir, have 10 time to handy words with
you. Let me see my ward at once. have
authority, and evidently must exert it,"
II tell you she is ill-totally unfit to be
bothered by you. She is not child and she
stays here at her own desire"
II have only your bare word for that"
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 TIVE men looked at her as though she
was being from another world.
Pierce said entreatingly.
For Gods sake, 60 to your room, Dor
othy, and leave me to deal with this man
alonev
IL will go, Pierce, when have tsld him
that stay here of my own free will. You
saved me from being frozen to death; my
life my love, are yours. L am your promis-
ed wife, by that dear bond beg you to pro-
tect me from that mans msused power.
He has tried to make me shame to my sex,
lie has betrayed every tie of truth, and
friendship.
ITO 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 been a weaker woman"
Dorothy looked hardly earthly, as she
stood like an accusing angel before the man
her dead mother had counted as king
among his fellows, and his bold eyes droop-
ed beneath the scornful fire Of hers. His
voice was hoarse as lie Kissed:
you must come home with me; that man
has q wife already"
ut is false! Oh, Pierce, 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
have dared 10 sue FOR this dear hand. Stand
up, my love, and keep a brave heart, no one
shall harm you"
"But yourself, 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, as 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 clasped, as though to add to the
fathers entreaty.
II knowing nothing OF the child. The
mother is fine woman, with plenty of
spirit in her. She told me where 70 find my
truant ward. Come, Dorothy, be quick and
sensible; the carriage is outside, puton your
cloak and come. have no time to spare"
II will not come-wild horses should not
drag me back to the awful fate you wish ~
doom me to-"
You would rather stay as this mans mis-
tress, since you cannot be his wife. But
will not allow you to drag the namo your
mother bore with honor into the dust. Come,
say; if you will not / shall carry you"
Lay not finger on her, IL you value
your life, and beg her pardon on your knees
for the insult you have offered her before
me. Down, say, or / will force you, you
cowardly liarP'
Pierce threw himself upon him, and tried
to force him downon his knees. Blows were
struck, and curses exchanged, when quiet
voice said calmly:
Gentlemen, gentlemen, you are really
too old to play at leap-frog, and before a
lady too. Come away, my DEAR"
DR.. Steel hastily led Dorothy out Of the
room, then returned and said, as he tried to
part the tive combatants:
"Come, gentlemen, you can't keep all the
fun to yourselves l like fight as well as
anybody; 60 and have 1t 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 bit of place like this."
BY dint Of much struggling and getting q
few blows, the doctor succeeded in parting
the two men, who glared at each other like
two bulldogs when their collars are twisted
to choke them off.
Gentlemen, l 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 q word to say while
you pull yourselves together, and that is
that IL this row is about Miss Cover, as her
medical man, say she is in no fit state to
be removed. Now can't you brother-masons
come 10 terms?"
II would never treat with such scoun-
drel," said Pierce.
my remedy Is in the hands Of the Law"
said Horace Middleton.
"Then let it remain there; the remedy
may prove worse than the disease. Mr..
Middleton, leave your ward in my hands.
Pierce, dear boy, show the gentleman the
door,"
But refuse to 70 unless my ward goes
with me-"
Refusal is ridiculous; an Englishman's
housa is hie paetle no can kick Won inf Ra-