Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1897-09-30

within few PAGES of the minister's
residence. Everything was very quiet
the inhabitants of the place retired
to rest early-and the one principal
street was absolutely deserted. Duprez
alighted.
Stay you here, Britta," he said
! lightly kissing the hand that held the
ponys reins. 81 will make an exam
nation of the windows of the house,
Yes-before knocking at the door!
You wait with patience. / will let you
know everything!"
And with a sense of pleasurable eX-
/ element in his mind, he stole softly
along on tip-toe-entered the minis
ters garden, fragrant with roses and
mignonette, and then, attracted by the
sound of voices, went straight up to
the parlor window. The blind was
| down and he could see nothing, but he
heard Mr.. Dyceworthy's bland persua-
sive tones, echoing out with a soft
sonorousness, as though he were
preaching to some refractory parish
Toner. He listened atteutively.
"Oh strange, STRANGE" said Mr..
Dyceworthy. Strange that you will
not see how graclously the Lord hath
delivered you into my hands! Yea,-
and no escape Is possible! For 10, you
yourself, Fr0ken Thelma," Duprez
started, you yourself came hither unto
my dwelling, woman all unprotected,
to man equally unprotected,- and
| xtthn al. ;rIn %
ing grace, is not proof against the Of
| fered surrender of your charms! Make
the best of it, my sweet girl!
the best of it! You can never undo
what you have done tonight"
Coward! coWard!" and
Thelma's rich low voice caused Pierre
to almost leap forward from the place
where he stood concealed. "You,-you
made me come here-you sent me that
card-you dared to use the name of my
betrothed husband, to gain your vile
! purpose! You have kept me locked
in this room all these hours-and do
you think you will not be punished?
will let the whole village know OF
your treachery and falsehood!"
Mr.. Dyceworthy laughed gently.
Dear me, dear mel" he remarked
sweetly. How pretty we look in a
passion, to be sure! And we talk of
our 'betrothed husband do we? Tut
tut! Put that dream out of your
mind, my dear girl-Sir Philip Bruce
Errington will have nothing to do with
you after your little escapade of to-
night! Your honor is toucled!-yes,
yes! and honor is everything to such
man as he. AS for the card you talk
about, never sent carl-not L." Mr..
Dyceworthy made this assertion in
tone of injured honesty. why should
/! Mono! You came here of your
own acCord,-that Is certain and
here he spoke more slowly and with a
certain malicious glee, 81 shall have nc
difficulty in proving it to be so, should
the young man Errington ask me for
an explanation! Now you had better
give me a kiss and make the peace!
There's not soul in the place who
will believe anything you say against
me; you, reputed witch, and |, a
vi IIC SoopSl' Vi Soui
father care nothing, poor sinful
pagan can never injure a servant of
the Lord. Come now, let me have that
kiss! j have been very patient am
sure deserve it,
There was a sudden rushing move.
, ment in the room, and slight cry.
IF you touch mel" cried 'rhelma, Il
will kill you'll l will! God will help
mel"
Again Mr.. Dyceworthy laughed
sneeringly. God will help you'll he
exclaimed as though in wonder. las
If God ever helped a Roman! Fr0ken
Thelma. be sensible. BY your strange
visit to me tonight you have ruined
your already damaged character-I say
you have ruined it,-and If anything
remains to be said against you, l can
say it-moreover, | will!
A crash of breaking window-glass
followed these words. and before Mr..
Dyceworthy could realize what had
happened, he was pinioned against his
own wall by an active, wiry, excited
lnulVluuaI, whose DlaCk eyes SpdThleu
with gratitled rage and whose clenched
fist was dealing him severe thumps all
over his fat body.
"Ha, hal You will. will you!'
cried Duprez, literally dancing up
against him and squeezing him as
though he were pelly. You will tell
lies in the service of lie Bon Dieu? No
not quite, not yeti" And still pin
ioning hun with one hand, he dragged
at his collar with the other till he sue
ceeded, in spite of the minister's UNI
wieldy efforts to defend himself in
rolline, him down upon the floor, where
he knet upon him in triumph VOLTA!
j. sails faire la boxe, mol" Then
turning to Thelma, who stood an
amazed spectator of the scene, her
flushed cheeks and tearswollen eyes
testifying to the misery of the hours
she had passed, he said, Run
Mademoselle. run! The little Britta is
outside, she has a pony she will