Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-02-16
CHAPTER *.

reapers. Sir Mare had come down
again to the Chace.
Those who had seen Veronica when
she first reached England would hardly
have recognized her had they seen
her now. The beautiful face had
changed so completely; the pale,
passionate lovelienss had deepened
! into something more lovely still;
there was more color, more bright
ness; the dark, love-lit eyes had in
them the radiance of full and perfect
| content. Love had beautifed her,
even as it had beautiied her life
On this August morning she was in
her pretty boudoir alone-alone, for
Sir Marc had gone in search of some
| thing to please her. He lived only to
make her happy She stood in the
midst of a hundred beautiful things.
Lady Brandon had determined to pre-
sent her with her trousseau, and a
large chest had arrived that morning
from Paris. Veronica had looked at
her magnificent gift. 1t did not strike
her as it world have done at another
time. She tudld think only of her
happiness and her love. She was
smiling to herself, wondering whether
girl was ever so blessed, so happy,
when some one raped gently at her
door. She looked up in surprise when
her maid, Clara Morton, entered the
room.
''I want to speak to you, Miss Di
Cynthia, if you can spare the time"
she said.
Veronica made some courteous an
swer, and felt even more surprised
when the girl closed the door and
fastened the lock. The large, long
window that led to the terrace was
open; neither of them thought of it.
why do you do that, Morton?"
asked Veronica.
Because [ have that to say to you
which must be said without interrupt
ton"
Veronica looked up with naughty
displeasure.
"You behave very strangely" she
said; II do not like it." She looked
fixedly at the girl, whose face was not
pleasant to see; there was a vivid
yet of defiance, in her manner.
"You must listen to me, Miss Di
Cynthia" she said. ''I hold a secret of
yours, and I must be paid for it,
you have no secret of NINE" re-
turned Veronica.
But I have" said the girl. Listen
to me. l am engaged to marry Jonn
Padding, who once lived here as head
groom. We have been engaged to be
married for eight years, and fortune
has never smiled on us. He saved
three hundred pounds and put it into
a bank. The bank broke, and he was
left penniless. 1 saved sixty pounds,
and invested it in building society
which became bankrupt. Fortune has
never once smiled on us until now.
Now John Padding has an offer from
farmer in Australia. If he can go
out there, and take five hundred
pounds with him, we shall make our
fortune.
'I do not see what this has to do
with me-" interposed Veronica.
'I do, Miss Di Cynthia. 1 hold Sc
cret Of yours, and I want five hundred
pounds as the price of my silence"
"You are talking nonsense, Morton.
I can only Imagine that you have lost
your senses"
'fYou will find, on the contrary, Miss
Di Cynthia, that I was never more
sensible in my life. Let me tell you
what I have to say"
Veronica looked at her. In the eX-
element of the interview she had risen
and confronted her.
Come to the point at once, pleace,"
said Veronica What have you to
say?"
| The girl looked uneasily at her mis-
tress; the color came and went in he1
| face her eyes dropped. Raising her
head, she said suddenly:
cit is for Johns sake; 1 would do
anything for John" Veronica gave
sigh of resignation. What this strange
scene meant she could not tell, but it
would end at some time, no doubt.
Morton heard the sigh.
"Will you be kind enough to come to
the point?" said Veronica.
''I will" answered Clara Morton.
Yet Veronica saw that she had to
summon all her courage, to make a
most desperate effort. She looked up
at her.
"You remember Sir Jasper's death,
Miss Di Cynthia? You remember the
day after it? Though it was warm
June day, you would have a fire in
your room"
Veronica started; her face grew
white, low cry came from her lips.
GO on she said to the girl, who
had paused abruptly when she saw
the change in her MISTRESS face.
THAT very day, miss, I thought
there was something wrong" she said.
why should you want a fire when the
June sun was shining so warmly? !
said to myself that you had something
to burn
Another low cry came from Yer
onica. Morton continued:
"I-you will be very angry with me,
Miss Di CYNTHIA watched you;
knelt down and looked through the
key-hole I saw distinctly a roll OF
parchment in your hands, and l saw
you put in on the fire. 1 saw it begin
to burn, and I was wild to know what
it was All at once I had an idea that
you were destroying something that
belonged to Sir Jasper, and was de-
termined to know
She paused, while the beautiful face
gazing into hers grew deadly white.
II invented an excuse to get you