The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-11-09
chapter XIV
HELD IN BONDAGE.

,5eorre Strattield walked out Of his
hotel mex morning his mind al 1
Mariette Lepages strange statements
/. ng md deeply he pondertd over tbe
curious situation, but could dl-csrn no
solution of the intricate proLlem inao
there was some deep mystery underlying
che 20 ions of this woman he could nov
fail TO recognise, vet try how he wouiu,
be nevertheless found himself regarding
her With Inisgivings, her COG uebtishness
caused him grave suspicion Aitnouen
she had endevored to convince MIN Oh LEE
friendliness towards Lame, IL was ap
parent from certain of her remarks tLae
She had some Interior motive in endeaVor-
ing TO obtain from him the exact oe.alis
of the tragedy he felt confident tnat
she was LANES enemy
Was it not a cruel vagary of Fate that
he should discover this unknown woman
whom his father had designated as ms
wife only TO find her the bitterest Zoe OF
the woman he lovedf This was une
woman who, under his fathers eccentric
will. was to be offered twenty Thousand
pounds to accept him as husband
He had said nothing of the offer Whicn
sooner or later must be formally made
"a her. but before they had parted she
had given him, as her address, the vita
Fortune. al Monaco. He remembered the
strange fact of one of her letters pelng
ound in Nelly Bridson's poe ket, but
when he mentioned it she had merely re,
marked that she had been acquainted
with the unfortunate girl Neveru1eiess,
he also recollected that the letter had con-
tanned an expression never used IN
police society, and that it had been consld-
cred by the police as an altogether ex-
trsordinary and rather discriminating
document.
Confused and bewildered, he was walk.
in q beneath the awnings OF the shops ON
the Onai Massena on his way to the Prone
made, when suddenly he heard his name
uttered, and on looking up found Lame
standing before him smiling. In her
tailor-Jnade gown of pale fawn with
neat toque she presented an extremely
smart and fresh-looking, appearance
"You were SO sngrossed, George" she
said haIf-reproachfully with pretty
pcut. .sthat you were actually passing me
upuouiced. What's the NATTER Some
thing on your mind?'
Yes" he answered, endeayoring to
laugh, so pleased was he that they mad
NET. ss have something always on my
mind-you."
"Ihen regret If thoughts of me induce
suob sadpess.'' she answered, as turning
in the direction she was walking he
strolled BY her side The March sun was
SO warm thai its fiery rays burnt MS lace.
Don't speak like that, Lane rno ne b pro,
heavily those cruel words you spoke at
Monte Carlo have fallen upon me- how
can have happiness when know that
ere long Ne must part?' Iney nau
crossed the road, and were entering tne
public garden in order that passers py
snould not overhear their conversation,
for in Nice half the people in the streets
sneak or understand English.
Yes" she sighed gloomily, II know
r at l ought not to have spoken ike tfat,
.-oQs. Forgive me. ] know that hap
ness il not for me, yet l am trying not
var my heart upon my sleeve
. But what compeis you TO marry enls
VITO was once an adventurer and
m ,er. and is still unscrupulousy
~ IL S oh man is no fitting husband
our
a gIanced at him quickly in surprise.
Il nsr lover knew of Zertho's past he
-a1 Id no doubt have learnt that her fath,
= haa also earned q precarious livelihood
his wits.
sAlready have told you that secret
ii uinds me irrevocably to him" she
answ cred huskily, as slowly, side by side,
tney strolled beneath the trees.
lit must be broken, whatever Its
nature, ~ he said quickly.
aAhi 1 only wish it might be-" she an
swered wistfully, again signing. am
oomt elIed to wear smiling face, but,
alas it only hides keart worn out with
WEAKNESS. I'm the most wretched girl
In all the world. You think me cruel and
heartless, you believe no longer love you
IS l did-you must think SO. Yet assure
you that day by day am remembering
with regret those happy, sunny lays In
Berkshire, those warm brilliant evenings
when, wandering through the quiet leafy
lanes, ne made for ourselves paradise
which We foolishly believed would last
always And yet it is all past-all past,
never to return"
he saw that she was affected, aud that
tears stood In her eyes.
Life with me has not the charm it
used then to possess, dearest" he said, IN
q low, intense ne, as together they sat
upon one Of the seats. True, those days
at Stratfeld were happiest of all have
ever known. ! remember we'll how, zach
time we parted, counted the long hours
Of sunshine until we met again; how,
when / was away from your side, each
road, house and tree reminded me of your
own dear self; how in my day-dreams
imagined myself living with you always
beside me. The blow came-my father
died. You were my idol. I cared for
nothing else in the world, and before he
died / refused to obey his command to
part from you.
why she asked quickly, ibid your
father object to mef'
'.Yes, darling, he did," he answered.
This was the first time he had told her
the truth, and it had come out almost in.
voluntarily.
ss1hen that is why he acted so unjustly
towards your" she observed, thoughtiully.
.sYou dlspleased him because you loved
me-"
he nodded in the affirmative
ssBut / do not regret it, he exclaimed,
hastily. 81 do not regret, because still
love you as fervently as ! did on that
lnernor Bile evening when my father
called me to his bedside and urged me TO
give up all thought of you. 1t is because
because of your decision to marry this
man, Zertho, that grieve."
at is not my decision,e she protested.
81 em forced to act ss am acting.
''but you shall never marry him
Unfortunately it is beyond your power
to assist me, George she answered In
tone OF despair 'fWe love each other, it
is true; but we must end it all. We must
not meet again, she added, in voice
ir ken by emotion. IL cannot bear
il Ildeed, can't.
'.nhy should you say this?'' he asked,
rsproacbfully. Lowing each other as
fonaly as we do we must meet. No power
IA ear h can prevent il. -