The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-05-20
CHAPTER XVI.


"You won't desert me-you won't
give me over to hint" she gasped
"Never," he answered; "never
while livel'
Then the door was puzzled hurriedly
open, and Edward Conway's blunt fea-
lures and burly figure appeared before
them.
It was apparent to the meanest OBJ
,servation that the man was beside him
self with passion. He stood just within
the doorway, his hands thrust deep
down into his trousers pockets, eying
first one and then the other with his
flinty eyes, and upon his lips was ter
rible sneer.
"Well, Mrs. Conway, he began at
last, "have you no sort Of welcome for
me, your long lost husband, given up
for lost years since, your little more
than bridegroom Still silent2 Have
you nothing to sayf"
Her lips moved, but no sound came
from between them.
''Still silent9 No fond word of greet
ing3 Too much astonished, eh7 You
made sure was dead and gone, didn't
you2 But Edward Conway is not got
rid Of SO easily as that Don't you think
it Edward Conway has been under for
good long time, and Edward Conway
has got up again, and he has come back
again to his happy home and his loving
little wife that he left behind him.
"You shall never come back to mel l
would never have lived with you again
You knew it'll"
"Oh, you're thinking still Of a bit CT
a tiff! What's that between husband
and wife? Have you never titled with
this Johnny that you took up with as
soon as I was goneT
"This lady is my wife, sir, put in
Alan Stacey, with dignity.
"Your what p
"My wife, sirl Your turning up
again most inopportunely may annul
our marriage, but no slur will rest upon
this lady. There is nobody who knows
here that will not pity her, and pity
her doubly, FIRST, for having been mar
ried to you at all; secondly, for having
been the victim Of terrible chain Of
circumstances This lady did not take
up with me. She married me with all
due formality and blessingof the church.
Until you have legal proof that our
marriage be no marriage she is my
WIFE,"
"She is coming back with me, said
Edward Conway, shutting his teeth
hard and swapping the words out as if
his lips were rattraps
: "she is never going with you. She
will never have anything to do with you
again-never. She would never have
lived with you again under any cir
cumstances. You took advantage Of
her. You bought her with price. You
i'll used her. I Lam ashamed to say it,
but you struck her-your little more
than bride. And you can ask her when
she has tasted the sweets Of a real mar
riage, when she has known what it is to
live with a man who would thrust his
hand into the fire rather than raise it
against woman-you can ask her to go
back to the slavery and degradation of
life with your Think. my good sir, is it
likely?'
81 don't know whether it's likely
said Edward Conway. II know what
the law is. and mean to have it. -
II will never go back to him, neverl'
Mary fiashed'out.
GAS for you, You jack dandy"
Edward Conway went on, taking no no.
tice of her interruption, 81 didn't know
you this morning when saw you stand
ing talking at the old mans door. I
asked you if You knew some people here
who were passing under the name Of
Stacey. and you asked me what the man
was like and what he did for living.
l told you that he scrubbed novels and
that did not know what his appear
ance was and you told me that you had
never met him. "
II never did," said Stacey, with de-
liberate insolence.
"You told me that you did not know
anything about him. and you sent me
you sent me-you sent me to Roathlynl
You told me that there was somebody
an artist or scribbling chap o,
somebody-who lived by his wits and
who bad pretty woman with him
staying at Roathlyn. You thought you
had got rid Of me, eh2 But you were
beaten for ones in your life You live
by your wits, do your Eh2 And other
people have wits, If they don't live by
'eml I went down the street, after we
parted at the door here, and l asked an
ord grandfather, who looked CHEEKY
old soul and likely to know the neigh
borhood-I asked him If he knew any
people of the name Of Stacey. He put
me on the right track. why, said he,
that's the gentleman who is living at
the Powys Arms-him I've heard tell
is writing story book So came
back to find the gentleman who was
wriung a story book"
"Then," said Alan Stacey, his voice
very cutting and calm-'then, my good
sir, you can so back again. This is not
the place in which to settle dispute Of
this kind. I presume you have law
yer. Twill give you the address of
nine No power on earth can force
this lady to live with you again. She
definitely refuses the honor. Everybody
in London knows where I live--or if
there be any that don't know they can
very easily find out. I Twill give you
every information. :"
"You will give me my wife"
"That I never will. While ! have
breath in my body will stick to the
woman who took me in good faith for
better, for worse. And if l know any
thing Of my friends they will honor
her more for staying with me than they
would If she went back to what some
people would call her duty and you.