Waterbury Democrat., 1900-12-04

come guest as she mt.
 Chatham made. | motion as if to take chair; but Agnes remained sig nifcantly standing.
 Perhaps" she said, coldly, "you will be good enough to explain as briefly as possible your object in fore ing your presence upon me in this un- gentlemanly way?"
 q suppose my conduct does strike you as ungentlemanly," said the young man. piteously; "but what could I do? I lore you devotcdly, madly, and you will not allow me even to tell you so. You instruct your serv- ants to turn me away from the door like a beggar. Is it a crime to love you?'
 'No, Mir. Chatham," said the girl, more gently, ''it is not crime to love woman; but it is at least a serious blunder to adopt the method you have selected of showing your affection, and it is certainly not generous to force it upon her as you are doing"
 What else can I do?" he repeated, doggedly. "Here am suddenly obliged to leave New York for long time-perhaps forever-and unable to get a single word with you. I called yesterday morning and was informed that you were at that artist fellows studio. Then I wrote you letter, asking for an interview, and I left it there for you myself. The only notice you took of it was to give instructions l to your butler not to admit me if called again. I cannot go away like that, without ray of hope to tighten my exile, and to leave you here sur rounded by a lot of men who are anxious to marry you"
 The tender-hearted girl felt 0 grow ing pity for the awkward and vulgar young man in whom she began vague ly to discern a genuine suffering.
 "I am sorry, MT. Chatham," she said, ''more sorry than I can say. But what can I do? I do not care for you in the way you wish, and af- lection is not to be coerced. I have done the best I could to discourage you. because"
 q know you have" interrupted Chatham; 'you have avoided me, and snubbed me, and taken every way you could to show that you do not like me.'
 "It would have been mistaken kind- ness to do otherwise" said Agnes, gently.
 ''No, it wouldn't" exclaimed the ac- countant; q don't ask you to love me; not at once, at any rate. But give me a show; give me time; give me a little hope"
 low tone.
 "Why can't you?" urged the, young man excitedly. T have sacrificed ev- erything for you; have given up all I had; have lost my position; have risked my life"
 II don't understand you," said Miss Murdock, looking at him in astonish- | ment.
 "Your father would," he replied, huskily; 'it was he egged me on to this; he promised me that you would have me"
 My father promised" !
 "Yes, your father; and, by G."
 Chatham, who was growing more and more excited, brought down his clenched fist upon table near which he stood, and with an evident effort re- pressed the oath which rose to his lips. Miss Murdock. startled and bewildered, observed him in speeches. amazement.
 After a momentary struggle, the ac- countant suddenly broke forth in pite- ous pleading:
 'I don't ask much HOW. Tell me only one thing and I shall go away content for the present. Say that no other man has any better chance with you than I, have. Say that you dc not love anyone else"
 The young girl tried hard to avoid his ardent gaze.
 Say it!" he commanded, in sudden sternness
 Agnes drew herself up proudly then.
 q don't know by what right you pre- sume to catechise or to command me-" she said coldly, at the same time mak- ing motion as if to touch the button of the electric bell.
 Chatham saw the motion and sprang Sefore her to intercept it. .
 "Ah! that is the way of it, is it ?' he exclaimed, with passionate jealousy. ''Y ou are-in love-with another man!"
 The words seemed to choke him in the utterance. The blood rushed to his head; the veins an his temples stood out in purple vividness, and, as he | C4utSilSo HIS SOl1tLl, O wild light came into his eyes.
 Agnes caught their mad glitter and shrank back in sudden terror.
 "I have been duped!" he shouted, frantically. 'I have been a cat's-paw, and now that I have done all that was wanted of me I am to be turned off like dor with kick. The dirty work is done, is it? We'll see about that; we'll see what your father has to say. But, at any rate, you can be sure of one thing"
 His voice sank to a hoarse whisper and the words fell with impressive dis tinctness:
 ''1f I don't marry you, no one ever shall!" ..,
 As he spoke he leaned forward upon the table which stood near him, and his fingers closed nervously upon the handle of a jeweled paper knife. There was murder in his eye at that moment,