Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1895-02-28
CHAPTER x-tContfnued.y

He would adjourn the union of The
odore and Lord Ashdown's daughter.
Eugenia's most determined will he
could oppose only with delay-to gain
time was all that he could dare to
attempt.
Chance would perhaps, he thought,
furnish him with means to wrest from
his enemy that fatal correspondence
in which consisted all her strength.
And he cared not what might be the
means which should offer, for at moth
ing would he hesitate again to hold
those letters within his hands.
And then he smiled bitterly; for he
had been madly infatuated with that
woman.
A confidential agent, employed by
the v%iscount, had been instructed to
watch the steps of Emmeline Lindsay
and Noel harrington, and to discover
the formers residence.
And that man had not yet succeeded
in tracing Emmeline to her home.
But he had reported TO his employer
that he had seen harrington in, SEEM
ingly. very earnest conversation with
q fellow called Nicksgy, and who was
a VIGOROUSLY bad character.
The v~iscount's agent had thought
that as that man appeared to be on
such intimate terms with harrington,
his employer might perhaps visit to
know something more of him, and so,
with some trouble, discovered the
house in which Nicksey had taken up
his quarters.
T4ie man was doubtless some one
whom harrington had employed to as
sist him in his pursuit, was Viscount
Dareleigh's thought, was not a prison
about whom the v~iscount needed for a
moment to trouble himself.
But, at any rate, there could be no
harm in having The rascal's address.
And so, he had written Nicksey's
name and residence on his tablets, be
meath those Of Darlington.
1.-The hour which I had named to
you, ~viscount, is long past; and | had
grown weary Of expecting you" said
Mrs. Chestcrton, throwing back the
veil which had concealed her face
from the viscountfs domestics.
And she had not needed TO send in
her name; for when it had been an
nOunced 10 her former lover that a
lady In SOmbre dress and deeply yelled
had desired that she might instantly
speak with him, the v~iScount knew
that it could be only Eugenia.
Presenting q chair to her, Viscount
Dareleigh entreated that Mrs. Chester
ton would pardon a delay which had
been altogether involuntary.
And ne bowed, and was most law
ishly polite.
Mrs. Chpsterton thrust aside the Of
fered chair; saying, angrily, that so
many words, such overwhelming po-
likeness were unnecessary between
them.
A brief silence ensued, which Mrs.
Chesterton was the first to break by
saying, In deep and suppressed tones:
"Tell me, Norton, have you decided?'
Eyes"
"And on what have you ~decided?'
ITO break off the project of ALI
ance with Lord Ashdown's family
only I 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
union 1t will be necessary to obtain"
$50 then you do not intend to oner
any resistancer
And with great bitterness was that
said by Mrs. Chesterton.
And the viScount said. r~esienedly:
would not all resistance be In vain!
You now bring TO me. / suppose. one
OF the pieces of that correspondence
for which you are making me pay 80
dearly-you are come to prove to me
that I was not INST night terrified
without good cause-in a word. you
do not intend to leave me in any doubt
concerning those terrible weapons
which ven are holding suspended above
my head"
Mrs. Chesterton with difficulty now
contained herself: and brokenly and
jerkingly from between her set tee'h
came:
yes. exactiy-we have changed char
actcrs-yesterday I menaced-to-day
you banter"
The v~iscount fixed on her an inqufr-
ing and wondering look; and then the
rage which until now she had sub
dued burst forth. and she cried. loudly:
Morton Sowerby. you are now, as
ever. an infamous wretch-and ! was
mad; I should have known that. hav-
ing done n murder. you would not
pause before a simple robbery"
What could she mean? the viscount
asked himself.
While Mrs. Chesterton proceeded:
when You last nl2nt uuitteu he,
you had already conceived the Internal
purpose which so well and promptly
you have executed"
The viscount entreated that u
would more clearly explain herself.
Explain myselfr' she cried, with a
look OF whitening scorn. "Those pa
pers which laid you at my mercy
those papers which / was about To
place whore they would have been well
sheltered from your attempts"
She paused: the overpowering rage
at thought that she had been 30 par
fed. so conquered, had for a moment
deprived her Of the power to articuia'e
a word.
And dumb. too. was the vlscount.
but with amazement.
At length Mrs. Chesterfon was aoie
hoarseiv 70 uuhraid her former lover
that he had stolen those letters.
The viscount was more tina ever
amazed; and Of course protested MS
~innocsace. Indignantly denying the &C
cuaation.