Rocky Ford enterprise., 1899-10-12
CHAPTER VII


When the door CLICKED upon Mar /
Euerite lIiboarne. as she left the law
yer's ONCE. In ianee Lane. Ivaldans
Martineau walked up to It and turned
the key In the lock. Then he went
back TO the table. sank down In the
large armchair. leaned his arms on the
blotting paper which covered the
desk. and dropped his head upon them.
| What was there In Marguerite's art
less narrative that could have SO deep
ly shaken the habitusl composurs Of
this man Of the woridP ..r
The bowed Head did not stir for up
wards OF half an hour. Vaidane Mar
tineau was alone In the company OF q
thousand evil thoughts. the phantoms
Of a dlscreditabie past. -a s."'F
| Presently he raised his head. tho
powerful hand which lay ou the desk
was elinched. and through his set lips
came one word: - .Efs.-- .-s... &,
"Traitorr'
He pushed hack his chair. and began
To pace the room as II rest were i'm
possible to him. ' -.-
THAT she should have come to me.
OF all men, IN. the world!' he said
aloud. Talk OF poetIeai jus,iec-,sik
of the Irony OF fate! fe gods. that
she should CONC to me for her. rights.
There was u Pause,! He went TO tho
window and sazed .Dlankiy out. then
struck ths'w6olwofk With u force tina;
shook Il.
u can't do IT," he muttered between
his cienched teeth-''no man could do
II: But I'll have my revenge on him..
he cried. with sudden inspiration.
and. dafiing back TO the dssk. he
seized pen and began To write: -
s!r-Thrcc years and six months
ago. when was penniloss adven-
turer. you tempted me. and l fell. /,
may be as well that l recall to your
mind the exact terms of the conspIr-
Icy. You Informed me that you had
q n!ecc--orphan daughter of your only
sister. This child was hc!rcRs to an
enormous fortune. and you were her
sole guardian. by the terms OF her
fathers VIII you were TO have entire
control over her during her minority.
and II she married against your wish
before she attained the age o: 81. the
whole Of her money came TO you. Your
suggestion to me was that l should
go through the form OF marriage with
your niece. apparently wlthou; your
sanction. In order TO enable you to
claim the money due to you In TIA,
case. You represented to me that
your aIcce was mad-hopclcssiy out OF
her mind-and that on that accoun,
| should do her no harm by going
through this form. as nobody clEc
would ever be likely TO marry her.
There could be. you represented. no
difficulty In the matter. as the young
lady In question was to all appearance.
quite sane and perfectly docilc and
submissive. At the church door my
part OF the contract was to cease.
You undertook to provide for her fu-
turc: all ! had to do was to 60 through
the marriage ceremony. For this SER
vice you offered me bribc tnat daz-
zled ne. | was half mad with din
cuitIcs. pcnnllcss. In debt. ] urged.
however. that the step you wished me
to take would hamper my future. rs
| could ask no other woman to be my
wife so long as this poor girl lived.
| This was Just what you wantcd-to
secure my secrecy: so long as ! kept
secret the fact Of the conspiracy. you
kept secret the fact OF my marriage.
I was to sign false name In the regis
ter, and there would be nothing to
witness against mc-nothing to dam
age my future career.
CTo be continucd)