Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1898-07-04
WonanAgainst Woman
%BY.%
MRS. NJ. A. HOLMES.

with excitement and exertion, and
her steps grew slower as she entered
the wood which led to the back of
the castle.
Suddenly, as her heart was growing
more settled, it gave one leap into
her mouth; she clutched her basket,
staggered to a tree, and then waited
and listened.
The rapid thump, thump OF her
heart was the only sound in her ears
at first; then came more terrible
ones-muff1ed groans and confused
noises, then just before her she saw
two men, one uttering faint cries,
while the others arms were wound
round him, grasping him till he
sank to the ground and lay motion
less.
Alice, leaning against a tree, saw
all this, yet it seemed to her like a
hideOus dream; she was cold and
sick almost to death. Her basket
slipped from her arm-she had no
power to stop it-and fell with a
crash causing the man who was
STOPPING over the body to start, utter
loud curse, then stride towards
her.
She had only time to catch fleet
ing glimpse of dark face, with cruel
eyes, hot with anger, torn collar,
and marks of blood on his cheek, to
hear his low hurried words, "a girl,
1n} hn
all remembrance, her eyes cosed, her
head dropped, and she fell into his
arms in a swoOn.
Good" muttered the man as he
placed her gently on the ground;
''she will know nothing. AS for you,
poor fool" moving back to the pros
trate form of the man, ''you have
served my purpose-revenge for which
I have waited so long has come at
last. All, you move"
He bent over the man and listened
to the muttered words from between
the pale lips.
"Eustace- -me-your hand; I
do not believe it. You will not take
my hand! What-she is false-you
say-you villain-you black hearted
scoundrel-take that! Good God!-he
is dead! Eustace-speak to me
-speak-he is dead-I-have MUIR
dered him.
The listener rose; there was a
curious light on his face.
What" he whispered to himself;
che thinks it was his hand. Could
anything be better? He does not
even remember me. Stay, let me
think-this is delirium; it may pass
when he wakes to his senses. 1 must
impress this belief on his brain by
stronger evidence. The girl does
not move. Good-in one moment
more"
He glanced round, and stole through
the hedge. In a few seconds. a curl
Gus sound might have reached the
ears of the two silent forms, could
they but hear.
The man emerged again; he was
dragging something with difficulty.
1t was a body-the misty light of the
moon shone on a dead face-on a.
limp inanimate form.
Now" muttered the worker,
''now all is complete. Eustace Rivers
is dead-dead by the hand of his
friend, Roy Darrell. There is evidence
enough to damn an angel, and he
will die for it, I must be gone; he
moves again, and the girl will awaken.
So, Bruce Gardyne, your revenge is
complete"
He stole away, and gradually the
form of the man he had called Roy
Darrell moved from the ground. With
trembling hands he raised his weak
body to a kneeling position, then let
his eyes, dazed with faintness and
horror, wander round.
They rested on the figure of Alice
with wonder and scarce comprehen-
sion; then they moved slowly about
till they rested on the dead man, and
with a shudder of horror he covered
his face with his hands and groaned
aloud.
''It is no dream; it is the horrible
truth! Oh, Eustace, my friend, my
almost brother, dead, and by my
! hand!"
His hoarse whisper fell on Alice's
ears. She was recovering.
She helped herself to rise by the
aid of the tree, then leaned against it,
faint and weak, to try and think.
Her basket lay unheeded at her
feet. She seemed yet to be living in
hideous nightmare, till, looking
round, her eyes fell on the kneeling
man and the dead body.
She uttered a faint shrek, and in
another moment Roy Darrell was
standing before her, glazing into her
! face.
"Who are your" he asked hoarsefy
where do you come from? Answer
at once!"
81 am Alice DOrnton." gasped