The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-04-29

''For Gods sake do not make scene,
AdelaideW he cried imploringly.
"lhink OF the terrible scandal there
will be if the secret leaks out. For
your own sake, mine, and our daugh-
ter's let US keep this thing to ourselves.
You must see that it will be better for
all concerned to takethRt course. Come
what may, this thing must never be
made known to tine world p
"Does Paul Meredith knowP
Gle does, regret To say"
"And threatens to publish it broad
ca't unless you acknowledge Miss Bar
ringham as your daughter%
''lio does-but read his letter and
then perhaps You will be able to sug-
gest some scheme TO cheCkmate him"
He opened the drawer and took there
from theletter he had put awap 90 hur-
riedly q few minutes before, She took
it from him, glanced through its con-
tents, and then her long pent mp pas
sion found vent in hot, scathing, bitter
words,
"You internal scoundrelw che ex-
claimed, with a face distorted by rage
and her steely eyes cleaning like fire.
"You talk calmly Of checkmating him
as II you were blameless, This is abom-
Unable, insutlerable, and YOU deserve to
DO sent to gaol! To think that my
reputation and that OF my child should
be In danger OF being dragged through
the mud owing to your blackguardly
conduct, My God, it Ia maddening!"
"For the love Of heaven, no cried,
hoarsely, despairingly, appealinsiy, as
he seized her by the hands and drew
her into the room from which she was
about to fly, do not make such noise,
or it will be over the house at once,
Calm yourself, Adelaide. 10 let this
get out will ruin everything. / beseech
you TO say not another word now"
She shot a look OF the most concen-
trated malevolpnce at him, but had
sense enough to know that 1t was bet
ter IN say no more then. She therefore
did not cry out again,
CHAPTER XIV,
the TUG OF WAR.
The fateiul afternoon had arrived,
and with it had come Paul Meredith.
He, Sir Sydney, and her ladyship were
now sitting in the baronefs private
room, which, as the reader is aware, had
already been the scene Of more than
one stormy episode.
Paul seemed Il trife agitated, but tho
lines about his mouth were firm. ana it
was evident that he had marked out a
clear course for himself, and did not
mean to be turned away from it. The
baronet was pale and i'll ut ease, while
his wife was apparently as cool and self
possessed as usual. The greeting be-
tween the two had been OF the most
formal kind, and when it was over Paul
said,
II wish, Sir Sydney, to sec you alone
for short time, | suppose you re-
ceiyed my letter this morning%
~ did, but her ladyship knows all
about it, and il it is OF the matters al
luded TO in your communication, l
think it will be better for US all if she
remains during our interview, Do you
not think so, Panl?"
"If Lady Caraland prefers 10 stay"
Meredith replied, coldly, ~ do not see
that l have any right TO object to her
being present"
~ prefer to stay-mean to stay, Mr..
Meredith" her ladyship responded,
quickly.
~ only object because wish to save
you any unnecessary pain, Lady Cars
land" the young man explained. "But
il, as Sir Sydney says. you know every
thing, then will say no more"
II do know everything about this
terrible business" she added, bitterly,
and even you must admit that have
a right 10 know what is going to be
done. While l cannot blame you, Paul,
for attempting 10 clear the name OF the
woman you love, and intend to make
your wife, you will understand that my
good name and the good name Of Cor
della are at stake now, and through no
fault OF our own. May l ask first OF all
what you intend to doY
"That will depend entirely upon what
Sir Sydney intends to do" Paul
answered, in the most impassiye tones.
"What is it that you desire me to do
in this exceedingly painful matter,
Paul% the baronet asked, eagerly.
III will tell you in a moment, but be-
fore | do so, answer me one thing. Are
you prepared to deny that my sweet
heart, Salome Birmingham, is your
daughter2"
~ am not" was the immediate re-
Spouse. ITO deny 1t would be useless.
l believe, from what you have told me,
that she is my ohild-in fact such must
be the case ii what you have stated to
me is true"
"You admit, also, that salone's
mother, the woman known US Saloms
Volazo, the daughter OF the game
keeper, Pedro Velazo, was your lawful
wite?"
Certainly, but permit me to say
this much in extenlation Of my appar-
emily inexcusablesi sin. When / lett my
wife all those Years ago at Marlcombe,
| did not, as God Is my Judge, know
that she was likely to become mother;
and, afterwards, when i had squared up
tho affairs which required attention
after my father and brothers sudden
end, the man whom sent to the York
shire village to make enquiries con.
corning the woman had deserted, told
me that she had disappeared and that
judging from tho intelligence he could
gather, he believed she was dead"
1.-THE man must have been either a
fool or knave," Paul replied drily. AS
n matter OF fact he did not believe Sir
Sidney's story, and he made ITO attempt
TO conceal his thoughts.
"SLill believed him, Paul" the bar
onet urged. III had not done SO, is it
Mt all likely that should have run the
risk Of being sent to goal for marrying
again while my first wife was still liv-
ing"
"rliat Is question ! cannot answer,
Sir Sydney" said Paul. coldly. "For
the sake Of your own conscience l hope
IL ia Lruph