The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1899-01-17
CHAPTER acknowledgements

HOW was he to SuDS1St! lie naQ uCLlo
or no money, and such talents as he
possessed were not at that time IN
much demand. A happy thought struck
him-he would go down to Scotland,
hunt out the rich mistress of AMMAN
dale Castle, and perhaps secure some
help from her sympathy-or her fear
Thus it befell that he arrived quietly
one day in the town of Dumfries, and
within few hours of his arrival heard
that Marjorie was alive and dwelling
with her mother at the Castle. Up to
that moment he had been in doubt
whether the woman he had betrayed
was alive or dead-indeed, he had
scarcely given her thought, and cared
not what fate had befallen her. But
now it was very different. She lived
and by the law Of the land was his law
full wife.
His plans were soon laid He deter
mined to see Marjorie alone, and if she
was obstinate and unforgiving, to use
what power he had over her to the ut
most, with the view of securing present
and future help. On reflection, he had
not much doubt that he would soon re-
gain his old influence over her; for in
the old days she had been as wax in his
hands, and her character had seemed
altogether gentle and unresisting.
He reckoned without his host. These
seemingly feeble and too faithful ma
lures, when once they gain the strength
Of indignation and the courage of de-
spair, assume force of determination
sometimes unknown and foreign to the
strongest and most passionate men.
x
AS matters had turned out, however,
it was not with Marjorie herself that
the Frenchman had had to reckon, but
with her lifelong friend and protector,
John Sutherland. This pertinacious
young hero whom he had always hated,
had now fully asserted his authority in
giving him the first sound thrashing
he had ever received in his life
Baff1ed, bruised and bleeding, livid
with mortified rage, Caussidiere re-
NAMED for some time where Suther
land left him, and when he at last
found speech, cursed freely in his own
calling Heaven to witness that he
would have full and fierce revenge.
Fl will kill him. he cried, crashing
his teeth. II will destroy him-I will
tear him limb from limb! He has out
ragged me-he has profaned my person
4 che Wv
shall she-so shall they ALL 1 was
right-he is her lover; but he shall
find that I am master, and she my
slave"
Presently he cooled little and sat
down to think
What should he, what could he do?
Of his power over Marjorie and the
child there was no question; by the
laws of both England and Scotland he
could claim them both. But suppose
they continued to set his authority at
defiance, what then? They were COM
paratively rich, he was poor. He knew
that in legal strife the richest is gen
orally the conqueror; and, besides,
while the war was waging, how was he
to subsist?
Then he bethought him of his old
hold upon Miss Hetherington, of his
knowledge of the secret of Marjorie's
birth. 1t was useless to him now, for
the scandal was common property, and
Mother Rumor had cried it from house
to house till she was hoarse. The
proud lady had faced her shame, and
had overcome it; everyone knew her
secret now, and many regarded her
with sympathy and compassion For
the rest, she set public opinion at de-
fiance, and knowing the worst the
world could say or do, breathed more
freely than she had done for years.
Thus there was no hope for her In
need, look which way he might, he saw
no means of succor or revenge.
AS he sat there, haggard and furious,
he looked years older, but his face still
preserved a certain comeliness.
Suddenly he sprang up again as if re-
solved on immediate action AS he did
so he seemed to hear voice murmur-
ing his name.
"Caussidierei"
He looked toward the window, and
saw there. or seemed to see, close
pressed against the pane, a bearded
human countenance gazing in unon
him.
He struggled like a drunken man
glaring back at the face.
Was it reality, or dream? Two wild
eyes met his, then vanished, and the
face was gone.