The Portland daily press., 1898-11-07
CHAPTER XIII-Continued.

ltsnd took the notes, smoothed them ouu
carefully, and slowly placed them in his
"Then we are enemies?" he observed at
last after long pause tie looked
straight into Zertho's face
ssEnelnies or friends, it makes no
difference to me. 1t does not alter my oe-
cision.''
from his cigar, then continued smoRlhg
in silence.
Zertho, impatiently, at last, twirlIng
his dark moustache. What is your IN
tention?'
ent. nv dear fellow" was the quick re-
tort. ,.sAnd know you are never un-
wise enough to do,so. ..,.o
Zsrtho had his match in this 'chevaller
d'industrie, . and was aware OF 1t.
lyon think Pm still in fear? he said
..I riSn.s know, neither do care, y the
other answered "If you don't pay me
there are others who no doubt will
Zertho spraug quickly from his chalr
with a look of murderous hatred IN ms
dark face and flashing eyes. : You Wouio
sill threaten me! !'' he said between his
teeth. ssYou taunt me because you be-
lieve l am entirely in your hands
..I do not believe" the other replied
with cool Indifference. know.
ssYoa are an Internal scoundrel
'I might pass similar compliment,
he said. but l see no reason why the
not should comment unfavourably upon
The biackness of the kettle. I'm merely
assisting you to obtain a pretty Wlf6-a
wife, by Heaven, too pure and good and
beautiful for any such as you, and
s'What do you meany Aertno lnter
rupted with a start This man evidently
knew more than he had suspected. sYou
are not assisting NE in the least
But Richards laughed aloud, and With
deprecatory wave of the hand replied:
t's no good to bluff me. l know it
is your intention to marry lllane Brooker,
whose beauty is so admired every Whefe,
and who is as good as she's pretty.
happen to know something of her-more,
perhaps. than you think. Well, only by
my assistance can you obtain her. There
fore, you won't be such an idiot as to
quarrel with me.
al do not quarrel, Zertho answered in
3 much more conciliatory tone. Il only
protest against your Internal taunts and
insolance. -
ssThen the matter resolves itself into a
simple one--a mere question of price,
81 refuse to treat with you.
ssThen you viii not marry Llan9. she
will be spared the misery of becoming
Princess d'Auzac.
"Misery li' he echoed. 81 can give
her wealth, position-eyerything which
makes woman happy.
happy with man whose conscience is
overshadowed, like yours his coInpan-
ion observed .'Why, her face would re-
mind you hourly of that which you must
be ever striving to forget.
s'Mhat does it matter to you! ne
snarled. 81 shall marry her.
aThen before doing so You will pay me
for nv services. Your stroke is bold
one. Zertho, but remember that you can
MARY her only through me. 1t is worth
a good sum to obtain such a beautiful
wife. -
Whatever it may be worth, you'll never
get it," d'Auzac declared determlnedly.
The two men faced each other.
In which case she will be enabled to
release herself, - observed the inventor of
the infallible system. who Will suf1er
then? Why you, yourself.
Zertho stood leaning upon the back OF
the armchair in which he had been sitting.
ne well knew by this mans attitude
that he meant to squeeze him. Never
theless he treated his remarks with de-
rision, laughing disdainfully.
ssYou appear to fancy thHt because you
are now wealthy no words OF mine can
injure you,' the thin faced man SAID.
'tWell you are welcome to that opinion.
The ostrich buries it's head in the sand
when pursued. You will bury yours in
the millions which have unexpectedly
come TO you.
IL Is SQIQclolb loT you W AuOW UAthV
Isll never part with another sou, Zefbno
answered with impatience.
Very WE'LL my dear friend, we shall
see. OF all men you in the past nave
been among the most discreet, and none
have ever accused you of the folly OF i'm
patience; but tell you plainly that you
shallsnever marry Llane Brooker, he said
distinctly, without the slightest undue
armth.
81 intend to marry her," Zertho an
swered. I'm month she will be my
WIFE"
sYou dare not act like that
s'But shall. :"
s'Ihen you defy mef Very good. We
now understand one another. -
mo do not defy you," Zertho ex-
claimed quickly. "But in this matter 1
shall follow my own inclination entirely
/ intend to marry Brooker S daughte er.
without my sanction?
Don't you intend to give itf 1t surely
is no affair of yours2"
mo, shall not give it, " he anwered,
carelessIy tossing his dead cigar.end into
the ash-tray. ''Liane shall never become
your wife.
ssWhat. would you tell herf" Zertho
sasped, his face suddenly pale and anx-
ious.
ssI have already told you that I'm not
in the habit of showing my opponent my
hand.''
81 love Liane, must marry .ner, ne
blurted forth.
''Lovel Fancy you, zertho d'Aazac,
declaring that you love womanP' the
man exclaimed, laughing heartily in de-
rision. 1.-THE things too absurd. know
you too well. !"
Zertho bit his lip. If any other man
had spoken thus he would have knocked
him down; but, truth to tell, he was
afraid of this dark-faced. crafty eyed Eng
Iishmap. Since first he had known him.
in the days when he was down on his
luck, he had always felt an antlpathy
taward him, because he treated everything
and everybody with such amazingly cool
Indifference He saw that money only
would appease him. He calculated
roughly how much he had already paid
him, and the reflection caused him to
kni his brows
"a few minutes ago you said it was
question of price, he said at length.
ssWel, what are your views?''
rSince then they have changed.
sQ.hanood Hny2p