Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-05-13
Copyright. 1893. by the Author.J
CHAPTER XIV.
TO THE BITTER END.


simity curtains
Yes; it was hel The man who in law
owned her; the man who had bought
her with price; the man who had
treated her as bond slave He was not
very much changed. His hair and beard
were white but his face was Just as
weather Leaten as Of yore, and his gait
had the same pronounced sailors roll.
He was apparently talking excitedly
and was gesficulating wildly with his
hands Alan was listening, as he loung-
ed along with his hands in the pockets
Of his jacket and his pipe between his
teeth
The figures of the two men passed
under tine window and ont of her sight,
ont Mary stood there like a woman who
sas petrified. Stood there, holding for
support TO the frail curtain, waiting for
the blow to fall She waited as Marie
AntoiDette may have waited under the
guillotine In five minutes it will be all
over: in four; in three; in two; in
ene II was close at hand-about to
TALL Yesl She tore herself away from
the support OF the curtain as she heard
a footstep on the stair Then Alan en-
tered the room.
"Well, sweetheart, are yen not near
ly ready for breakfast ?" he asked.
The sudden revulsion of feeling, the
Overpowering sense of relief almost
broke her down. She caught hold Of
The dressing table TO steady herself, but
for a second or two could not speak. At
last she choked down the great knot in
her throat and asked him a question.
"Who was that you came up the
street with?'
He never looked at her as he answer
ed. He was doing something TO his pipe.
''Oh, chap who asked the way;
that was all.
''The way TO where2'
81 directed him TO Roathlyn. He is
half way there by this time Come, let
Is go down and get cur breakfast. y
She felt that the risk was immense.
She wondered what Edward Conway
was doing in that part of Cornwall. She
had never heard him speak Of having
been in Cornwall; she had never heard
of his having any connection with any
one in Cornwall or with Cornish people,
and then she reminded herself, half bit
terly. that she had known very little of
him at all But what was he doing here
in st. Agnes? Ii was no use shirking
the situation. She must dare and risk
all at this juncture Nothing would be
gained by cowardice And, after all, he
could never force her to 20 back to him.
He could only at the very worst expose
her. and in her case exposure would
mean the world pity, never its scorn.
She drew her breath sharp between
her teeth, took her handkerchief off the
dressing table and turned and went out
of the room and down the stairs, Alan
Stacey following And in the best par
lor their breakfast was laid, and in two
minutes the delicate fried fish and gold
en- fresh eggs were brought in.
"Fish or eggs and bacon, sweet
hearth said Stacey as the apple cheek
ed maid lifted the covers of the two
dishes
Eggs and bacon. thank you, Alan,
she replied.
She had never in her life felt less like
eating, but it would 'not do to arouse
suspicion by refusing to try to do so.
She poured out the coffee and listened
with a smile that was not very real
while Alan told her of his farewell to
the old boatman.
At last he stretched out his hand to
her across the table.
''Sweetheart, he said, "you are
quite sad at going away. Would you
Father stay here?''
She answered him all in hurry;
"Oh, no, Alan; no, no. 1 am all packed
and ready. Don't suggest such thing.
What should make you give me such a
Lots wife character as that2 much
prefer to be going away. We have been
here quite long enough 1t is dear lit
tie place, and you know | always want
TO stay in new place forever; it is one
of my characteristics. but l think get
tired of them | think use them up. l
don't believe l shall want to come to
st. Agnes again. -
''Not even to have the cottage2"
"No, trying hard TO repress shud-
der; mo, not even to have the cottage,
Alan After all, l think you are right
There is no place like London We will
stay at home few days before we go
on. What do you think?''
''Just as you please don't see why
we shouldn't
Nor l, = said she, for the thought
had come to her that, if Edward Con-
way was hunting her down, there is no
place in the world where you can keep
yourself hidden so easily as in London.
Nor would it be easy to find her, for
she had not single friend or acquaint
ance who had known her at the time
of Captain Conway's supposed death.
At the time of her second marriage she
would have written to Mr.. Lawson, to
whom she had only few weeks before
repaid the last installment of the e100,
at what pinching effort she alone knew,
but he had Just died, and with the 9th
er. officials of the Red River line she
had no acquaintance. So long as she
did not walk abroad there was but very
little chance of her stumbling against
her pursuer Here, ON the contrary, it
was almost impossible to keep out of
the way of any one whom you did not
want to see. Presently she would have
to drive three miles to the station, not,
mercifully, along the road to Roathlyn,
but in the opposite direction. Still, it
was possible that he might have
changed his mind, and in any case she
would not feel absolutely secure until
she was out of the neighborhood, until
shn rrnc n11t on this dnSola fion Of 1uonds