Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-09-09
CHAPTER XVI

night, neithnr did Hagar, and dawn
found Lady Lirriper fallen into q bag
gard slumhsr, With Josephine keeping
watch, while Mamie lay sound asleep,
oblivious IL all the horror Of the proceed
ing niyht and t,ie greater one that the
day was TO bring forth.
Lady Iirriper would havo sent for
Trel.wny. hut she knew l!e was away
and would not return till lato evening,
and in her terrible anxiety she had
no one else To whom to turn, for she re-
pirdcd Straubenzee a. no better than n
fool II was his fault that she had been
let in for the Gregorias and forced 20
undergo recently course Of disagree
able sensations that would clap ten years
ON tn her age and make her almost the
contemporary of her Metlusclah hus-
band, Lirripcr. 1t was all the fault Of
the country Of course. Such things could
not happen in town, or would not mat
ter If they did.
Mamie came running in soon after s
with a fresh morning face inquiring
for Will, who she found OH her awaken
iny had not como home al night. ard
for once Josephine was not equal To- the
occasion, hut tcuk her up stairs to Lady
Lirrircr, who looked rs painted person
does exposed 20 a strong glare of electric
light.
lyon must be mad" size said savage
lywhen they were alone together. "YCu
try to poison your husband. You tell
him you adore Blake Trclawny and then
you wonder Inc disappears. and with the
woman who is i'll love with hint
Mamie turned white rs ashes. Needle
darts of flame seemed to shoe, through
her veins and blind her as she cried on,
II tried to poison himi 1t is you who
nre mad. was tired aud left him here
last night. / remember. Yes. I gave
him u whisky aud soda first!''
After you had put in enough poison
TO Kill half dCxen men," said Lady
Lirripcr dryly, who was u good amat, mr.
chemist herself. How did YOU get hold
Ut that strychnine? Surely YOU needn't
murder rIan because he happens to al
miro another woman more than you,''
"Strycbnino - repeated Mamie in
appalled, tones. her yuung face white and
drawn with horror. II never saw. ncvsr
touched any IN my life As if woald
harm him, and how cOuid say loved
Blake Trclawry: II is Will whom I
love "
"lou'll find it difficult to convince
him. said Lady Lirriper dryly rs in ut.
ter WEAKNESS and bitterness Of spirit she
ienned her head against the high backed
chinti covered chair. He will he more
hheIy to believe that Hagar does, who
IL with bim now. However. a man and
woman IN evening dress. without hats,
are easily traced. II only Trciawny were
mere she added impa;ieptly, Il should
KNOW what tn be- abust, though Of coarse
your itthcr is the proper person to get
after ,lcm"
"fcu are . cruel woman" said Nan.
ME. crushed and broken h-rr,,b tho
siedee hammer blows that - rapidly
succeeded each other. "Oh. Will, Will
you would never have let any one sc,yo
me sor'
For inomen. the selfish old woman
was slammed; IL was So like beating a
Eeartbrckcn. miserable child.
There. there. she said NOT unliua
". You've made mess Of ynur l:fe
and crying over i; went mend IT, II is
he who has put himself in the wrong
box. going OF with that woman. and as
60 the poison episode l shall declare it's
"A lie. and as you don't remember any.
thing about IL It's only their word
against ours. And Trelawny will marry
you. I've M doubt. so it might have
bcCn much worse
Mamie had been standing rigid in the
middle Of tho quaint. pretty room. with
It's latticed windows opening outward
against scarlet crceper, but now she
turned and CROPPED blindly for the door.
Where are you going. chiid:" cried
Lady Lirriper sharply. Don't drown
yourself or do anything RASH Its No
such bad luck To b. Trelawry's wife,
promise you. OF course there will b q
difficulty. Deser;ion will have to be
proved rs we'll Eut the door had clos
ed ON Mamie. who III her awful trouble
had not enc heart in the wcrld upon