The times., 1901-05-12

my lord, you are not only my husband,
but you are now privileged to provide for
| yourself
He sprang to his feet ard fell to COM
mon and violent clirsing, invoking the I'M
| that Power which he had all his life in
| suited and defied. The lady received the
! torrent without a word. What can one
| say IN reply 10 a man who only curses
! But she was afraid of him; his words Were
| like blows. The headlong rage of the man
cowed her; she bent her head and covered
| her face with her hands.
| Then Mr. Purden ventured to interfere
| Let me speak" he said. The thing is
| done. 1t cannot be undone. Would it
| not be better to make the best of it?
Does it help any of us-does it help your
| lordship-to revile and to threaten?
The bridegroom turned upon him savage
| ly. " ou to speaki' he said. You are
too mealy mouthed and too virtuous even
| to tear up a page from register
| 4 do not wish to be unfrocked or to
| be sent to the plantation s. my lord. Mean
time it would be doing YOU the worst
| service in the world if l were to tear out
| that page"
"Oh, YOU talk. You always talk!'
''of old, my lord, have sometimes talk
| ed to some purpose.
Talk again then. What do you mean
! by disservice? You will say next, l sup
! pose, that this play acting was fortunate
for me"
I'VE may sometimes turn disasters into
victories. If your lordship will listen
| His patron sat down again, the late
| storm leaving its trace in scowlinS face
and twitching lips
why the devil was not Molly there?
| How did this woman find out? How did
| she know that Molly was not coming
| Il can answer these questions, said the
| lady. Molly would not come because she
! learned last night just in time, certain
facts in the private life of the bride
groom
What" Lord Fylingdale betrayed his
terror. She has heard? What has she
| heard?'
He had not received Mollys letter nor
| had he opened the captains.
your % bride and and her fortune. / might have
| warned you, but l preferred to take her
what has she heard?'
| apparently all that there is to be heard.
| Not, of course, all that could be told If Mr..
| Purden and were TO speak. Merely things
of public notoriety. That you are gam
| bier and a rake that you have ruined
many; that you are ruined yourself-quite
| enough for q girl of her class to learn. In
| our rank we want much more before we
| turn our back upon man. | myself know
much more. Yet | have married you
| '+She has heard" Lord Fylingdale re-
| peated
| this is most unfortunate-most unfortu-
nate Your lordship had already lost your
| bride-lost her" he repeated Lost her
| and her fortune. Is there no way OUT?
| who brought these reports? Show me
! the mani
| '''Ta-ta-tat You need not buster. Luz
| dOVic. REPORTS OF this klnd are IN tDe
air: they cling to your name; they travel
with you. What? The notorious Lord Fly
ing6ale? They nave come, you see, at
last, even to this unfashionable corner of
the island. They are here although we
have done so much to declare your virtues.
Acknowledge that you have been fortunate
| so far.
Are these reports your doing. madam?
| Is this a part of your Internal jealousy
| Il do not know who put them about
1t. is not likely that | should start such
fay aff no
Bath. 1 am, in fact, like his reverence
here, too much involved myself. on, we
have beautiful characters-all three OF US
| Il say that l know nothing. She has
| been warned. That is all | can tell you.
and she has been advised To take no
| further steps until full explanations have
| been made in answer to these rumors."
Full explana tions." repeated Mr. Pur-
den. Dear, dear! Most unfortunate
most unfortunate.
Your lordship can refer to mis- rever-
ence here, or TO the admirable Semple, or
| to the immaculate Sir Harry, or to the
| colonel, that man of nice and well-known
| honor. for your character. But VINO VIII
| give them character? Understand she
said. facing him, you had lost your bride
| before you got out OF bed this morning.
! Your only chance is to initiate the exam
! pie of Tom Rising and to carry her Off,
| and she will then stick knife between
| your ribs as she intended to do TO that
| worthy gentleman. But J.; / forgot. You
cannot do that. You are ready married
His reverence again interposed: With
| submission my lord. some explanations
will be asked 1t viii not certainly be
| convenient to offer any. There is, how
| ever, one way, and only one, that can
| suggest" He looked at the Lady Anas
tasia. 1T will be perhaps at first dis
| tasteful to her ladyship. Ii has, however,
| the very great advantage of securing the
| fortune which / take it, is what your
| Iordship chiefly desires. As regards the
4 girl, she is, in point Of manners and ap
pearance. so far beneath your lordship's
notice that we need not consider her in
the matter.
II care nothing about the girl But
hang me If | understand one single syl-
| liable of what you mean-or how you can
secure the fortune without the girl"
| "A moment. Madam saw her way to
the revenge of jealousy. She took the
place of the bride and she was married
| as Miss Molly. She signed the name of
! Molly Miller; the license was in that
name. The clerk who was present has.
| am sure, already carried the news all
therefore, of the bridegroom, the parson,
| the clerk, the license and the registers.
Who is 70 prove that the real Molly was
| at home all the time2 Captain Crowle.
perhaps. though / doubt. The girl herself
--. But who will believe her? My lord
you have married Miss Molly and not the
Lady Anastasia-
| What Them
You have only 10 claim your BRIDE
| Sir, you forget that / am the bride"
| Lady Anastasia interposed quickly.
| his hands softly. with submission,
| madam. ! do not advise that his lord
| ship should carry her off nor that he
| should claim her al mensam ct thorum
| as we scholars say His principles would
not, / am sure, allow that he should car
| ry off an unmarried woman. Not at all.
He viii leave her with her friends In
deed he would prefer to do so. ] suggest
| only that we should proclaim the mar
| riage and lay hands upon the fortune"
| And what am | to be?'
/ lOT0gHtTg'G viii
restore him TO afiluence. IT viii be a ser
| vice, madam. Of the purest and most dis
| interested affection. instead of an ugly
| and ruinous revenge. Heavens can you
| hesitate2'
They both looked at Anastasia. who
| made no response, her eyes in her lap
| The trick viii lie with us three" the
! tempter went on. Neither of us viii
| veal it
AS regards jealousy. Anastasia the
| girl will be here. and everything will con
/, tinue just as before"
She threw up her arms and sprang to
her feet. "Oh," she cried ''it is the most
| monstrous viliainy!"
I'VE need not think of the girl. We
must think of ourselves.
| a service of love, q" murmured Mr.. Pur-
| den, "a beautiful, a noble service Of
love"
THE fortune is immense. Anastasia. 1t
| is ridiculous that the girl should have SO
! much. We will leave her a competence,
| and there are the jewels.
| Lady Anastasia Easped.
| You yourself win adorn these jewels
| Ii viii be my greatest pleasure to atone
for my i'll judged deception by giving you
all those jewels-the diamonds the rubies.
| the chains Of pearls, and all the rest of
the pretty glttering things. He took