The Monmouth inquirer., 1898-08-04
For the
ReyelsWOrth Millions,
AN ANGEL OF EVIL.
-
A story Interest In which Beautiful but
UnscrupuIous woman's Schemes are Made
TO Fail by the She Loves.
AN ANGEL OF EVIL.

MOuu6F IL nave SiOWu " oSO1 II lHSh1
But for my foster-mother l should
have died under my first husband
brutal treatment when he found
would not stoop to obey him But
when I was i'll and almost heart-brokeI
with the misery Of the life and disgust
of the wretch 1 had married, she came
and nursed me and tended me. A littl'
later the man died, and was rid OF
him"
He MISREPRESENTATION own it,
then?"
Il do not own it" Francesca said
Struggling her shoulders impatiently
.T know nothing of it. 1t all happened
nine years ago. But of what value wa
a vile life such as his? If you saw {
yenomous reptile blocking you path,
would you not crush it. !"
sfYou poisoned him ?" he repeated,
aghast at her eallousness.
Il sent for my foster-mother," she
returned, with sudden fire, and showed
her upon my arms and neck black
bruises made by this cur, who was
starving me because he could not break
my self respect and my pride! She
promised to free me from him-I did
not ask how-and he died. Would you
have me pretend to be sorry?''
mo" he answered slowly-sI would
not have you pretend anything. I want
you, at this our last interview, to tel
the truth, if you can"
"Our last interview" she faltered.
eyes. / intend this vary day he
WINGED as he spoke-"to apply for an
order to exhume the bodies of my
brother and my aunt, that they may be
examined for any trace of poison. II
any is found, there will be warrant
issued for your arrest as well as your
foster mothers, who will be already in
custody on prior charge of attempting
to murder metz
you would do this?' Francesca
cried. Have you considered the
scandal, the disgrace?"
1.-THE disgrace?" will fall upon the
heads that merit it," Dudley said
sternly MY duty is to avenge my
brother"
"And you think" she said softly,
that you can best avenge him, as you
call it, by tormenting and disgracing
me? You think that, if the dead can
watch the living, as some think, it.
would please and crafty your brother
to see me bounded down because OF
my mothers crime, if crime it
was? You think he would be happy If
he could see me dragged to prison, or
fopced into a wltness-box, to be brow
beaten and insulted and made to lay
bare the story of my wretched life be-
fore court filled with sneering and
unfeeling strangers? You have told
me that your brother would have given
his life for me; and yet for his sake
you are determined to treat me like
thisi"
what did you expect if your guilt
were discovered?' he asked. What
mercy did you hope to receive" ?"
II do not ask for mercy, | do not
own to guilt she answered proudly
ssBut / looked for love and tenderness
from you, loving you as do, and be-
lieving that you loved me. | am your
affianced wife, and you are besides, my
cousin. the only male relative | have
in the world. the one to whom l should
naturally look for protection. You can
torture me, persecute me, hound me
down with false accusations, blast my
character in the eyes of the world-you
can ruin my life and break my heart;
but what can you prove? That my
foster mother, Margherita Spara, un-
known to me, believing that she was
serving my interests, attempted to
poison my relatives, also that, on one
occasion when you actually surprised
her in the attempt, she had taken the
precaution to lock me into my room
lest l should interfere, 81 tell you that
old
will never dare to face me again now
that | know she has tried to injure
youI Have her seized and tried for it
If you like-it is matter OF perfect in
difference to me what becomes of her
now-but the tortures of the rack
would not drag from her one word
which would incriminate mel"
You will soon have every opportun-
ity of proving your innocence before
all the world" Dudley returned coldly.
"You have also now had fair warning
of what I mean to do. and, If you wish
to escape from this house tonight,
shall make no attempt to detain you.
You are quite free to go"
He went to the door, and threw it
open to emphasize his words. He was
beginning to feel acutely the strain of
this long interview with woman
whom he had every reason to distrust
and hate, but to whose personal witch
cry he could not be wholly Indifferent
The mingled cunning and eloquence ot
her address had frequently appeared tt
put him in the wrong; and yet, through
all the charm she exercised over his
senses, his reason vehemently asserted
that he was in the right, and that this
woman with the shining blue eyes ant
caressing voice was wholly evil, who'll.
cruel.
You can CO." he said again, ani
turned to look at her.