Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1896-02-01
BLIND LOVE
WILKrE COLLINS.
EPILOGUE.

WiLhiE COLLihb.
EPILOGUE.
1t Ia two years after the murder OF Lord
HAIRY Norland, the last event con ,ected
with thish history.
Iris, when she accepted Hugh Mount.
Joys offer OF his Scotch villa, went
world.
She was accompanied by her friend
aud maid--the woInan whose fidelity 10
her had been 40 a~bundantlv ~proyed-and
Keeper.
After a deceut interval, Hugh Mountjoy
joined her. She was now Il widow. She
understood very we'll what he wished &c
say, and she anticipated him. She in
FORMED him that nothing would ever I'm
duce her to become the wife OF any other
man after her degradation. Hugh re.
eeived this intimation without remark.
He remained in the n~eizhborhood. how
ever, calling upon her frequently and Of
fering no word Of love. But he became
necessary TO her. The frequent visits be-
came daily; the afternoon visits were paid
In the morning: the visitor STAYED all day.
'When the time came for Iris TO yield, and
ne lett the house 40 more, there seemed 10
be no change. But still they continued
thelr retired life. u now ] do not think
they will ever change it again.
And then happened the last event which
the chrOnicler has TO relate.
~ began In the morning with a letter.
Mrs. Nimpany received il. She knew
the handwriting, started. and hid IL quick.
Iy IN her bosom. As soon as she could get
away 10 her own room she opened and
read it.
Good and Tender Creature-I ascer.
tanned. a good while ago, thinking that
probably | might have to make this kind
OF application U you, where you were liy-
lug aud with whom. 1t was not difficult:
l only had TO connect you with Mr.. Hugh
| Mouutjoy aud To Aud out where he lived.
Icongratulate you ON being SO well able
| to take care of yourself. You are proba-
l blv settled for life in a comfortable
home. ! feel as happy about It As II | had
myself contributed to this satisfactory re-
suit.
have no intention OF making myself
more disagreeable than | am obliged to
do, Necessity, however. knows no law.
You will understand me when | tell you
that have spent all my money. | DO
not regard the manner IN which the money
has been spent, but the fact that it has all
gone. This IL il which cuts me 10 the
heart.
81 have also discovered that the late Ia.
Hdeuted Lord Harry, whose death ] myself
have the greatest reasons TO deplore. play
o. me n scurvy trick in regard to certain
sums Of money. The amount for which
he was insured was not less than 4l5.O00.
The amount as he stated il 10 me was only
$4,000. In return for certain services rem
dered at a particular iuucture I was to re-
ceive the half Of the insurance money. /
only received E2.0Sl, consequently there is
still due 10 me tue sum OF $500. This Is
q large lump of money. But Mr.. Mount.
Joy is. | believe, a wealthy man. He viii.
doubt sess, see the necessity OF paving this
anna 70 ma srpFlaartf Fprf hon. ID, .,s.a -
delay.
"You will. therefore, seek his presence
he IL now, / hear. at home. You NAV
read 70 him any part OF this letter that
you please, and you will let him know
that am In earnest. \ man with emp
ty pockets cannot choose but be ia earn
est.
"He nay very possibly object.
VERY good. In that case you will tell
him that a fraud mas been committed, in
connection with which | am prepared to
makes full confession. ! consented. on
the death OF my patient, and at the earnest
entreaty Of Lord Harry Norland, 10 rep
resent the dead man as his lordship. |
then went away, resolving to have 10th
Ing more to do with the further villainy
which | believe was carried on to the Oh
tanning OF the whole mount for which he
was insured.
1.-The murder OF Lord Harry Immediate
ly afterwards caused the company TO drop
their intended prosecution. Ishdll reveal
to them the present residence of his wild
ow, and shall place my evidence at their
disposition. Whatever happens, / shall
make the facts OF the case public. This
done, nothing can hurt me; while wheUh-
er the Public Prosecutor interyenes or
not, neither Mr.. Hugh Mountjoy nor his
wife can ever show their face To the world
again.
'"Tell Mr.. Mountjoy, | say, whatever
you please, except that I am Joking.
You must not tell him that | shall call
tomorrow morning, and shall expect 70
ana the business az good sa done.
She read the letter again.
Two things were obviou First, that
he had no clue Of the restitution; and,
next, that he had no idea OF the evidence
against him for the murder OF the Dane.
She resolved 10 communicate the latter
fact only. She was Drawer now than she
hal been formerly. She saw more clear
~ that the way OF the wicked man Is not
always so easy for him..
II he knew that his crime could be
brought home to him; that he would GER
tatnly be charged with murder IL he
dared to show himself, or il he asked for
money, he would desist. Before such a
danger the most hardened villain would
shrink.
She also UNDERSTOOD that it was desira-
bic 10 hide from him the nature OF the evi-
dence and the name of the only witness
against him. She would calmly tell him
what would happen, and bid him begope,
or AXE the consequences.
Yet even il he were driven of he would
return. Sac would live hencetorth In con-
tiuual apprehension OF his return. Her
tranquility was gone.
Heavens! That a man should have such
power over the lives OF others!
She passed The most wretched day OF her
whole life. She saw in anticipation the
happiness of that household broken up.
She pictured his coming. but she could not
| picture his departure. For she had never
seen him baflsd and defeated.
He would come in, biz, hurly. with mis-
farmer-like manner. conf lent, bullying,
masterful. He would ask her what she
bad done: he would swear at her when he
learned hat she had done nothing; he
would throw himself into the most COM
Portable chair, stretch out his legs. Il or
| der her To 20 and fetch Mr.. Mountjov.
Would she be subdued by him as OF old?
| Would she dad the courage TO stand up
70 hims For the a of lris-yes. For
| the sake OF the man who had been SO kind
| to her-yes.
In the evening the Two womep-Mrs.
vimpany and Fanny-were seated in the
| housekeeper's room. Both had work in
| their laps; neither was doing any work.
The autumnal da, had been boisterous; The
wind was getting higher.
What are you thinking OFF" asked
Fanny.
81 was thinking OF my husband. II he
were TO come back, ~Fanny-if he were TO
| threaten"
"You would loose my tongue-you would
let me speak"
Yes: for her sake. would have shield
| Cd him once-if | could. But not aow. |