Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1893-01-20
The Sandycroft Mystery.
by T. w. sPEIour.
CHAPTER XVI.

sure that she ceulo be no other than
Miss Penleath. That she 10 very
handsome | at once admit for trust
! ain superior to that odious weakness
which cannot or will not acknowl-
edge the existence OF good looks in
other women.
OF the interview tat followed of
the astounding revelation OF which |
was an unseen auditOr-every word
OF which Is burned into my memo y
it needs not that | should write here
in detail.
Vivian and Miss Penleath were
married secretly in Scotland three
years ago separat M immed Rtoly
after the ceremony. lie strove to inn
press her with the conviction that
there were grave doubts rs to the
validity OF their marriage. and o. at,
1t point OF fact according 10 his be-
Lief. 1t WAS no MARI age at all
Miss Penleuth. who 10 all app ar
nncs was Us cold as snow-woman
having listened attentvey to what
he had 10 urge replied that before
she could agrees 10 80 regard tholr
marriage he must bring her a written
legal opinion 10 that effect and that
She On her part would end avor to
obtain an opinion 10 correspond
Should their efforts prove sucoeSs.cL
then OF course. what had passed be-
iw en- them at Edinburgh would re-
solve itself into nothing more serious
than al escapade OF two foolish young
people; but on the other hand. should
Their marriage prove to be legal and
binding one. she should Mt once pro-
coed 10 lay crinina. information
against him With that she Left him.
" hen Miss Penlea h entered the room
hated her; when she left it | ad-
mired her.
He drew deep breath as she left
the room. '.M0a Dieu! what a trans
format on" he said aloud. "Anl all
this was mine-my owu! And have
thrown it away for whatp For sixty
thou sand pounds which is tied up he
yond my reach. and a vile who is not
my wife and who hate as did not
think it. was in me TO hate anyone
At these words a dumb cry broke
from my heart my limbs trems'ed
under me a great light surged up b.
fere my eyes and. had | not sup.
ported myself against u pillar shOu d
have sunk to tho ground. 1t was ono
of those supreme moments OF which
no Ii G can hold many. When alter
q little space / came back TO sense
OF time and place. there was great
! void at my heart OF my 10 o for
( Vivian DarvilL which had SO filled my
existence nothing was left but hand
I full Of ashes.
When ne my eyes took in Vivian
he was in the act OF crossing 10 a writ
! ing table on tho far side O the room
! here ne seated himself and made IA
! though he were about 10 write. Thea
q thought seemed TO str.k Ike IN. AMI
he lung down his pen and pushed
! the paper aside. AS he stood up some
tn ng ON the liable which had ev.-
dently been lott there by some ono
elsa caught his eye-two articles a
letter aud VIVA: looked like a miaia.
ture case He picked them up Opened
the case Stared at its contents for u
few moments. and then with sn"er.
| replaced IL ca the table. Net he took
the letter from isenvolope which had
already boen opened. and began Ia
rcn it But scarcely had he done so
} before | had a Consciousness OF tho
conservatory door being opened aga n
ana OF some one coming in. Next Ia
slnnt | had drawn back out OF sight
behind tho clump OF tropical plants
/ The person. a man, came EDWARD
quickly and without hesitation rs
though he were familiar with the
place. his .oOtstcps making "A sofa pit.
pat un the asphalt but not loud enough
TO be heard by any one in the room
,.rasping the portiere with oae hand
he stood as II turned TO stone his ey 81
Ii ed on Vivian. lie was . yOung
man. handsome and OF dark com.
n Q ion. There was something about
bin. ] know not what which put me
in mind o. hlss Penleath. 1t may be
that he va' her brother.
A moment later and he sprang for.
ward into the room. snatched the let.
ter from vivian shand and struck him
sharply on the face. Cur and sneak "
he cried; now know you for what
you are
VI hat followed was the work OF hal
minute.
~ sight OF the stranger a CHASTITY
pallor overspread Wv ans face. lie
reeled back when sir ok but oRlv for
moment The ne t he had felled
the stranger TO the ground by blow
from his elenched fist Inc latter was
on his feet in second. and ut once
the tive closed in n fierce struggle.
Then tho lamp was overturned leav.
ing tho room lighted by couple oil
wax candles only. and the NEXT thing
made out was Vivian stretched on
his back on the foor and the stranger
standing over him. Then the latter.
Selling the miniature case thru IS II
into his breast-pocket and without
another look ut Vivian. dashed back
through the portiere. passing within
a couple OF yards OF wh-re wa.
standing and made hurried ex I by
the way he had ccEe.
Vivian rose slowly TO his feet with
he air OF a man stunned aud dazed.
Apparently In falling he had struck