Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1900-08-08
CHAPTER VII.

When the door closed upon Mar
guerite Lilbourne, as she left the law
yer's office in Lance Lane, Valdane
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
botting paper which covered the
desk, and dropped his head upon them
What was there in Marguerites art
less narrative that could have so deep
ly shaken the habltual composure of
this man OF the world?
The bowed head did not stir for up
wards of half an hour. Valdane Mar
tineau was alone in the company of
thousand evil thoughts, the phantoms
Of a discreditable past.
Presently he raised his head, the
powerful hand which lay on the desk
was clinched, and through his set lips
came one word
Traitor"
He pushed back his chair. and began
to pace the room as If rest were i'm
possible to him.
"That she should have come to me,
OF all men in the world" he said
aloud. Talk ss1 political Justice talk
Of the irony Of fatel Ye gods, that
she should come to me for her rights
There was pause. He went to the
window and gazed olankly out, then
struck the woodwork with force that
shook 1t.
II can't do IT." he muttered between
his clenched teeth-9no man could do
It! But I'll have my revenge on him"
he cried, with sudden inspiration
and, darting back to the desk, he
seized a pen and began to write:
Sir Three years and six months
kago, when was penniless adyen-
turer, you tempted me, and fell. It
may be as well that / recall to your
mind the exact terms OF the conspir-
ICY You informed me that you had
niece orphan daughter of your only
sister This child was heiress to an
enormous fortune, and you were her
sole guardian. BY the terms OF her
fathers will you were to have entire
control over her during her minority,
| and II she married against your wish
before she attained the age of 81, the
| whole OF her money came. to you. Your
suggestion to me was that should
go through the form OF marriage with
your niece, apparently without your
sanction, in order to enable you to
claim the money due to you in that
case. You represented to me that
your niece was mad-hopelessl out n
her mind-and that on that account
should do her no harm by golrS
through this form, as nobody els
would ever be likely to marry hel
There could be, you represented n
difficulty in the matter, as the youn
LADY IN question was to all appearand
quite sane and perfectly doclle an
submissive. At the church door mI
part OF the contract was to cease
You undertook to provide for her fu.
ture; all had to do was to go through
the marriage ceremony For this SER
vice you offered me bride tnac daz-
zled me. was half mad with diff
culties, penniless, in debt. | urged
however that the step you wished me
to take would hamper my future. as
could ask no other woman to be my
wife SO long as this poor girl lived
This was just what you wanted t.
secure my secrecy; SO long as l KEEP
secret the fact Of the conspiracy, yoi
kept secret the fact OF my marriage
i was to sign false name In the regis
ter, and there would be nothing t.
witness against me nothing to dam
age my future career.
Cro be continued)