The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1896-12-12
The Evil Genius.
A STORY.
BEFORE TIE STORY.
BY w1LK1E COLLINS.

BY WILKIE COLLINS.
BEFORE TIE sRORY.
"HullO! Your language reminds me of
the time when you We're barmaid. You don't
mean to say you have hada fortune left you?"
II do! Will you give a message to James"
"lil do anything for a lady with a fort
une."
Tell him to come and drink tea with his
old sweetheart tomorrow at 6 O'clock"
"He won't 90 it,"
"He will"
With that difference of opinion they part
G.-Inc Brute.
Tomorrow came-and Mrs. Westertield's
faithful James justified her confidence in
him.
"Oh, Jenny, how glad l am to see you!
You dear, dear fellow, | am yours at last"
THAT depends my lady. on whether l
want you. Let 90 of my neck
The man who entered this protest against
Imprisonment in the arms of a fine woman
was one of the human beings who are grown
to perfection on English soil. He had the
fat face, the pink complexion, the hard blue
eyes, the scanty yellow hair, the smile with
no meaning in it, the tremendous neck and
shoulders, the mighty fists and feet, which
are seen in complete combination in England
only. Men OF this breed possess Il nervous
| system without being aware of it; suffer at
Fiction without feeling it: exercise courage
without a sense of danger: marry without
love; eat and drink without limit: and sink
dig as they are) when disease attacks them,
without an effort to live.
Mrs. Westeriicld released lier guests bull
neck at the word OF command. Ii was I'M
possible not to submit to him-he was so
brutal. Impossible not to admire him-he
was SO big.
"Have you no love left for m.c?:" was all
she ventured to say.
He took Reconnaissance g~ood-humoredly.
'Love?" he repeated. Come! | like that
after throwing me over for Il man with a
handle TO his name. Which am | to call you;
Mrs.? or My Lady,"
"Call me your own. What is there to laugh
at Jemmy? You used to be fond of me; you
would never have gone to America when |
married Westeriield ii | hadn't been dear to
you. Oh, if I'm sure of anything I'm sure of
that! You wouldn't bear malice, dear, if
you only knew how cruelty ! have been dis
appointed"
He suddenly showed an interest in what
she was saying; the brute became CHEEKY
and confidential. so he made you a bad
husband, did lie? Up with his fist and
knocked you down, l dare say, if the truth
was known?'
You're all in the wrong, dear. He would
have been Il good husband if had cared
about him.. | never cared about anybody but
you. 1t wasn't Westcrtield who tempted me
to say yes
''That's a lie."
NO. indeed it isn't
.'rhen why the devil did you marry him?'
when l married him, Jenny, there was
q prospect-oh, how could | resist ii? Think
of being one of the lie Basque! Held in
honor, to the end of my life by that noble
family, whether my husband lived or died!'
TO the barman's ears, this sounded like
sheer nonsense. His experience in the pub
lie house suggested an explanation. II say,
my girl, have you been drinking":'
Mrs. Westerticld's first impulse led her TO
rise and point indignantly to the door. He
had only to look at her-and she sat down
again a tanned woman. "Iou don't under
stand how the chance tempted me-" she an
swered. gently.
"What chance do you mean"
1.-THE chance, dear, of being a lords moth
err"
He was still puzzled, but he lowered his
tone. The true-boln Briton bowed by III
stinct before the woman who mad Tilted him
when she presented herself i'll the character
OF a lords mother. 'liow ito you make that
out, Maria?" he asked, politely.
She drew her chair nearer to him wheh he
called her by her Christian name for the first
time.
when Westertield was counting me-" she
said. 'his brother my lord) was a bachelor
A lady-if one can call such a creature {
lady was living under his protection. HI
told Westertield he was very fond of her
and he hated the idea of getting married. II
your wife's first child turns out to be a son,
he said, there is an heir to the title and es
tates, and / may'go or as ! am now w
were married Il month atterward, and whel
my first child was born it was Il girl. leavt
you to Judge what the disappointment was
My lord persuaded, as suspect, Ivy the wo
man | mentioned just now ran the risk o
waiting another year, and a year afterward
rather than be married. Through all tina
time | had no other child or prospect of
child. His lordship was fairly driven int
taking a wife. All, how l hated her! T7let
first child was a boy-abig, bouncing, health,
brute of a boy! And six months afterwar
my poor little fellow was born. Only thin
of it! And tell me, Jenny, don't deserv
to be a happy woman after suffering such
dreadful disappointment as that? Is it tru
that you're going back to America"
Quite true
"Take me back with YOU
"Witll a couple of children"
mo. Only with one. lean dispose of tn
other in England. Wait a little before 20
say no. Do you want money"
"You couldn't help me, ii | did,
'Marry me, and | can help you to a for
une."
He eyed her attentively and saw that sh
was in earnest. What do you call q for
une?" he asked.
Five thousand pounds she answered.
His eyes opened; his mouth opened; !
scratched his head. Even his impenctrab
nature proved to be capable of receiving
shock. Five thousand pounds! He aske
| family for a drop of brandy"
: She had a bottle of brandy ready for hin
"You look quite overcome she said.
He was too deeply interested in the restor
tive influence of the brandy to TAKE any II,
tice of this remark. When he had recovere
: himself he was not disposed to believe in tt
{ s5, 00O. where's the proof OF itM he sat
Sterlly.
, She produced her husbands letter. sd
!, you read the trial OF Westertield for castil
: away his shipw she asked.
81 heard of it,
' "Will you look at this letter."
, ais it long??'
s eyes"
!. "Then suppose you read it to me-"
He listened with the closest attention viii
she read. The question of stealing the di
a monds Gf they could only be foratiD did Il
trouble either of them. 1t was a settled que!
, ton, by tact: consent, on both sides. But IL
!. value in money Of the precious stones sl!
y gested a doubt that still weighed on his mln'
"How do you know they're worth "a, UO.
he inquired.
"You dear old stupid! Doesn't Westc
field himself say so in his letter.:
"Ttead that bit again"
She read it again: After the two calam
ties OF the loss of the ship, and the disal
pearance of the diamonds-the last beil
valued at 5000 returned to England"
Satisfied so far, he wanted to look at II
cipher next. She handed it to him with