Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1895-04-18

that it could be only Euscnia.
Presenting chair to her. Viscount
Daraleigh entrcated that Mrs. Chester
Ton would pardon a delay which had
been altogether involuntary.
And he bowed. and was most Law
!shly polite.
Mrs Chesterton thrust aside the Of
fercd chair; saying. angrily. that 50
many words. such overwhelming po-
likeness We're unnecessary between
them.
| A brief silence cnSued. which Mrs.
| C'hcsterton was the first to break by
saving, in deep and suppressed tones:
"Tell me, Norton. have you decided:'
Eyes"
.And on what have you decided?"
"To break Off the project of ALL
|ancc with Lord Ashdown's family
only l must ask of you to prolong the
delay at first fixed by you. and which
would be insufficient to prepare The
odore. whose consent to this new
lnion it will be necessary to obtain
so then YOU do not intend to offer
ny resistance:'
And With great bitterness was that
aid by Mrs Chcsterton.
And the viscount said resignedly:
"Would not all resistance be in vain?
You now bring to me. l suppose one
Of the pieces of that correspondence
Tor which you are making me pay 50
1early-you are come to prove to me
that I was not .lst night terrified
without good cause-in a word. you
10 not intend to leave me in any doubt
concerning those terrible weapons
which YOU are holding suspended above
ny head"
Mrs. Chesterton with difficulty now
contained herself; and brokenly and
erkingly from between her set teeth
came:
eyes. exactly-we have changed char
ictcrs-ycsterday I menaced-to-day
you banter"
The viscount fixed on her an inquir-
ng and wondering look: and then the
age which until now she had sub
lued burst forth. and she cried. loudly:
Morton Sowerby, you arc now. as
ever. an infamous wretch-and | was
mad: l should have known that. hay
ng done murder YOU would not
cause before simple robbery"
| What could she mean? the visccunt
.sked himself
| w nue. Mis-. NuSSlcltOll pIOCctueu
"When you last night Quilted me.
you had already conceived the Internal
purpose which so well and promptly
you have executed"
The viscount entreatcd that she
would more clearly explain herself.
Explain myself" she cried. with a
ook Of whitening scorn. ''Those pa
1ers which laid you at my mercy
/ S,1, ot,o tn
place where they would have been well
sheltered from your attempts
She paused: the overpowering rage
at thought that she had been so baf-
led. so conquered. had for a moment
deprived her of the power to articulate
Il word.
but with amaZemont.
| At length Mrs. Chcsterton was able
hoarsply to llphraid her former lover
that he had stolen those letters.
The viscollnt was moro than ever
amazed; and Of course protested his
innocence, Indignantly denying the &C
cusation.
II say not that with your own hands
jyou have stolen those letters" eX-
claimed Eugenia. NO; you have en-
ployed for that task the vile ner
cenaly who had already SO we'll served
you, and whom you have spared, no
doubt. only to make Of him your in
strument in the preparation Of fresh
crimes
"Nichola1 Sherman" exclaimed the
viscount.
Yes. Nicholas Shearman"
'"rhat man is living?''
And then. her lip curling with con-
tempt. Mrs. Chesterton told the WIS.,
Icount that she had been prepared for
his pretended establishment, and was
not at all deceived by ii.
He knew. she assc" that an hour
after his departure III: .Drthy associ-
ate, Nicholas Shcarma.i, had found
his way into her house. had broken
open her secretary. md had deprived
her Of all that she had possessed.
Viscount Dareleigh was perfectly
stupctied.
1T is impossble-impossible" he
muttered.
And then Mrs Clcsterton asked him
why. if he had intended that she
should continue his dupc to the very
cnd-why he had permitted that the
man who had robbed her should him
self reveal by whom she had been
plundered?
And snecringly demanded if, in de-
claring himself. the ruftian had exceed
ed his masters orders!
do you not understands cried the
viscolnt. gasping with terror. that
if Nicholas Shcarman be indeed living
and in London. we are lost? Have you
forgotten that he holds III his posses
sion our every Secret?'
His terror now was all affected Mrs
Chesterton told the viscount-was still
another trap that he was spreading fol
her
Those letters had been stolen from
her to he restored to Norton Sowerby
Mrs. Chesterton coild not. she said, bt
brought to believe other than that.
But she was brought to believe 9th
crwise; for so earnest were the Wis
counts prOtestations--s white his fac,
so terrible the oa,n he swOrc-tha
Mrs. rhestertOn WAS at last com
PEELED to believe.
Better" the viscount cried, despair
ingly-"a thousand times better thos
fatal letters in your hand than In thOs
III. 4.