Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-06-06


waltz
Gerald bent his head. and Thurstor
went Ut.
Then the man went forward ani
stood with his hand on the table, ant
look al full into the woman's face.
L am Gerald Egerton.'' he said
steadily. perhaps you can guess why
. have come. Yes, l see you do
For there was just the slightest DOS
sible start, the flicker OF an eyelid-
, a catching at the under lip
Yet she was on her guard.
|. why Mr.. Gerald Egerton should
come to me | don't understand" she
said. please explain Yourself"
Il will do so. Ny friend. Lord
Thurston, who was here lust now. saw
you driving out of Charing Cross Sta.
ton yesterday evening. The marve-
lous likeness between you and nv
wife, Lady Hyacinth. which had al
ready served bastard purpose. caused
MIN to think it was my wife he saw.
my wife being at the time and now,
IN the Riviera. 1 left her there yester-
day. lie took the number of your cab.
and you have been traced here
1T wasn't me-" Mrs. Lathrop said,
with an admira bic assumption of ease.
She was feeling her ground
was not at Charing Cross. 1t
must have been someone else"
The man who drove you can iden-
| dfy you, also several of the station
employees Yours is not a face easily
forgotten. 1t is no use to deny there
FORE
And what if it were me? What is
station, and happen to be like your
wife, what them"
You make a bold fight. Mrs. La
throp. but it will avail you nothing
said EgertOn, holding himself in with
an iron hand. Nov that YOU are
once seen, don't you comprehend how
your whole conspiracy falls to the
ground, for You will be arrested ON a
charge of conspiracy without doubt
1t can be proved. 1t will also serve to
show the world that there exists a
woman SO like my wife as to be easily
mistaken for her. Murray also will be
indicted for conspiracy and perjury"
"Ah. the woman said. and a smile
fitted over her face, smile of bitter
ness, of triumph; every line hardened,
there came CLEAN into the eyes that
were Hyacinth's own in color, in form:
only what a pitiful travesty of those
eyes that looked up to Gerald now
from the depths of his throbbing heart.
Anyone" he went ON in that quiet,
suppressed way of his, who saw you
and Lady Hyacinth together, would
note many differences those witnesses
who had at the trial swOre it was my
wife they saw would recognise that
it was you. But of course, it you turn
Queens evidence against Murray, you
escape cOndemna tom
You assume said Mrs LathrOp.
folding her arms, that l know Mr..
to enter that house near the heath;
that, in short, / should have been the
correspondent in Murray V. Murray
jrstead of your wife,
Il don't assume it; l know it," said
Gerald. cOoltS:
He met her gaze without fiinching,
though that strange travesty of his
wife Hyacinth made every nerve
culver.
She it was who finched, with a
short hard laugh she sat down and
leaned her head on her hand.
IF 1 tell you where Murray is to
be found" she said, will you let me
go? After all, you had better have
my evidence, and it was Murray swore
it was your wife he met-not r.
And you" said Gerald, bending for.
ward, want to be revenged on Muir
ray. 1t is an old story, he has aban-
doned you-grown tired of his toy as
soon as he got possession Of it-isn't
that true?'
She sprang to her feet, her features
convulseG with a wild passion, at
which Egerton smiled grimly.
II would be revenged on him. she
cried, pacing the floor in extreme agi-
tation. Yes; you are right-he has
dared to scorn me, to throw me over
like a plaything. For revenge I made
your wife suffer-aye! and she has
suffered, I know. For revenge, he
shall suffer, for l hate him more than
l hate her-much as l hate her!"
Egerton fell back a step, pale as
death.
Hate herr he said, through his
teeth. "Why, in Gods name, should
you hate her? She can have done
you no HARM
why do I hate her?'' the woman
cried, fercely. "Why?" She faced him,
her blue eyes flashing, her whole face
transformed. Look at me, and find
your answer. Are we not Of common
dust? And she has everything and l
have nothing; she was born in the
purple, and l was born in rags, and
misery and shame. She lives loved
and honored, and l live despised and
desired for my beauty; but loved"
OH the wretched woman cried out,
and covered her face; you ask why l
hate her! Because my mother bore me
to her father in sin, aud he deserted
4 the wretched girl he had made an out
! cast; and, mark you, he lived honOred
/ and loved to his dying day! Your Hy-
! acinth's mother thought her husband
/ a saint; my mother wrung the means
! to live, to bring me up in decency
| from him by threats only. And she
! b3 de me hate that child that was born
! but q little later than the child of
+ol,