Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1900-09-10
CHAPTER v.
s'I Cannot Believe You"

|
so vile a charged" Pearle Radcliffe re
torted, passionately, but with a stony
| look in her lovely eyes.
| ADDISON Cheetham preserved ar
ominous silence, as if that point was
not worth arguging. This very cir
| cumstance increased her fear.
What possible proof can you have
of what you assert?' she questioned
al length.
II have been to the Dove-cote," he
answered, briefly.
"You! Where is it?''
about ten miles from here, in a
little lane that leads to the right from
the Uppingham road; and, Miss Rad
cliffs, let me assure you it is dainty
little nest for the blue-eyed dove who
inhabits it,
It seemed to Pearle as if the sun was
being suddenly put out, and she was
cropping in darkness from which she
would never emerge.
He had been SO precise in describing
the location of the Dove-cote. She
knew there was a lane leading from
the Uppingham road about ten miles
distant; she knew, too, that there was
a tiny cottage there, nesting among
the trees; she had passed by it more
than once; she had seen it, and
wondered whose home was in that
coy nest. Now she had learned, but
could she credit the dreadful intelli-
gence? Ariel-that was what he had
called her-had blue eyes; she was a
blonde, then. Richie-who was he
named for-had black eyes and black,
curling hair; SO too had Richard Byrn-
holm. Heavens! was she going mad
or only dreaming?
"How do you know that-that- they
live there?" she whispered.
ariel and Richie? Oh, have seen
them"
Pearle caught her breath with a
gasr.
well, that may be; but what right
have you to say that they are any
thing TOTO him?' she asked, with a
shudder.
Does not what you hold in your
hand prove it?" he asked, pointing to
the little book which lay in her
nervous fingers. 1T ought; but, for
tunately, | can give you still stronger
proof First, I will tell you how
happened to have that little memo
randum of expenses. I CHANGED to en-
ter the library at Linden Grange one
day just after Richard had been sum-
moned to give directions to some work
men. This book was lying open on
the table, and | read what you have
just now read. I naturally began to
wonder what family resided at the
Dove-cote, and why Richard should be
burdened with the expense of it.
Yesterday it lay again upon his table,
and I took possession of it to show it
to you. [ began to think that there
must be some mystery connected with
his life, and | set myself to work TO
ferret it out. I began by watching
him, and he has made no less than
four journeys to the DOve-cote during
my stay here, and always late at night,
and I have followed him each time.
Once during the day, of late, I rode
black-eyed boy playing by himself
beneath an arbor formed by a honey
suckle vine. No one else appeared to
be about, and made friends with him
[ got him to lisp his name Richie
Byrnholm he said it was-and just
then a beautiful golden-haired woman
came to the porch of the cottage and
called, in fute-like tones, Richie,
Richie, come in to mamma now. .
This I knew must be Ariel. I was
satisfied; the mystery was solved"
''It must be some other Mrs Byrn-
holm and her child-some relative; he
could never be guilty of such crime, =
Pearle moaned in voice of horror.
'"Then what need of his secret visits
to the place?-What of his love for his
little namesake? For I have seen him
gather that child in his arms, murmur-
ing fond words over him, and caressing
him with tenderest affection
Pearle reeled in her chair, and
clutched at the>table for support. She
was suffering the torture of the rack.
cit must be some relative" she MUIR.
INJURED, brokenly again.
''Then why does he hide her in that
remote placer" pursued her tormentor
''Why not acknowledge her as a rela-
tive, and go boldly in the daytime to
visit her as such? No; your immacu-
late lover is gambler, a roue, and 3
forger also, as I shall soon prove Uo
YOU"
"Hush!" she whispered, beseeching-
ly, and glancing fearfully around;
while he smiled to see by the look on
her white face how thoroughly she
believed his tale.
81 call him gambler he continued
pitilessly, and so he is; for you have
seen recorded in his own handwriting
the amount paid to liquidate uvu.s oi
honor and we all know what those
are; and, MISS Pearle, | do not need
to ask you if you know what forger
is, nor what the penalty is for thai
crime
Che lifted hnr pvpc in hnIn1nSS w9y