Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1894-01-09
CHAPTER XIII.

"Ahr' he cried. lyon sly little Pun.
tan. eave~iropping were your DO you
think that 10 nice trek for good little
girlsy'
"sirr' I said stifliy. II am neither q
Puritan nor q good little girl----
"Noy' he asked good humoredly. "ars
you then . pagan and . bad little girly'
please remember am not on ths
witness stand I r-torte,i. "and do no,
try 90 muddle mo with vain questions. =
At this he shouted with laughter.
II am glad you find me amusing" ]
aid. with considerable severity.
IL do" he cri.i. "You are delicious
with your rrim little ways. and your
stiff little spccchos, and your dear little
face
"Sirr' exploded.
"Parlon Inc. my child. have no
right 10 speak Of you In that way. Bu,
come catching my hands In his and
drawing ine away from the window,
"tell me. how came you 20 10 spying
and eavcsiroppngr
81 was not spying" ] sputterei indig
nantly. II was reading there when you
came In. lwish now I had made my
presence known. and that I hal not been
q witness of your objectionable severity
TO that poor, wretched. half NAL wo'
rAn.'
"oh. She IL half mad. IL sher' ho
asked. assuming his puzzled and que.-
tioning air.
"why. cannot you 80 her condition
for yourselfr' I asked. "And must say
that while II Is Just ~ well she should
know that you have remarked her cruel.
~ toward Daphne I think you nigh,
have b-cn lcss harsh with her. Poor Por.
tia is no, "a blame. She IL the victim Of
some dreadful spellcast over her by thos'
vile creatures. those vocioos In Dead
Mans swamp"
Mr.. Raymond caught, me by the .houl.
iers and bent his head 10 scrutiniIs my
face.
What do you know, child." ho NUT.
tered. "of Deal Mans swamp and the
people ,her-i You couldn't hAv. been In
that ghasily place"
NO." repliel. II hAv. not been there.
but know enough about IL ani Oh. bale
ful influence it has eSerted on my poor
friends life. Ny desire Is Ia save Por.
tia. 90 ssc her restored TO her right mind
AMI bring her once more 10 her husband
AMI child"
"why. - is mine" hc answered. with
o curious expression.
well. this Is no way 10 go about IL,
isaii. ito fly at q crazy woman. call her
q vampire. taunt her. alarm her. talk
ahou, claiming her Ia cell anil all that.
To h. sure. its jus, like man. You arr
not 90 blame. I suppose. for your
brusqucrie. which amounts almost to-
to- lhe.i,atcd.
"well. well. out with u! Let's hear
the dreadful wori." hs cric'l.
brutality aid.
$50 I was brutal. was II he asked.
''Indeed you were. ihai no idea that
. courteous gentleman could behave 81
villainously 90 . suffering woman"
"well. now. tell me-" aid Mr. Ray.
mond quite .olicitou.ly | fanciel. "how
should have approached Portiay'
1T l. quite right 10 h. firm and de-
cided with her," answered. II think
myself che ne,,ls q strong hand. You
can SO Tor yourself how little attention
her husband pays Ia her. and j blame
Colonel MArchmont grratly for this de
plorable state of afairs. lie neglects
his wife. treats her with contemp, and
coldness. What can = man expect
Why. I heard him say dreadful thing
10 her one evening. She was dancing In
the hall-somewhat boisterously, TO b.
sure"-the blood rnsh@l To my face a. !
recalled that abandoned dance-"and he