Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1901-10-10

one would interfere with n ship. Like
Lord Fylingdale himself. was ready
to ask whether n ship could be bought
and sold-that is to say, knew that
she was often bought and sold, but I
never thought that any of Molly's ships
any other ships as much as you
please, but not Molly's shps-could be
brought to the hammer.
The lady sent word that she would
receive me. Imagine my surprise. She
was none other than the Lady Anasta-
STA. She was greatly changed in six
months. | had seen her last, you re-
member, in January, when | met her
In the park. She was then finely dress
ed, n handsome woman, with winning
manner and a smiling face. Thus she
was when | met her. When | left her.
she was a handsome woman marred
with consuming wrath.
Now | should hardly have known
her. She was plainly attired, without
patches or paint, wearing n gray silk
dress. But the chief change was not
in her dress, but in her face. She was
pale, and her cheeks were haggard
She looked like woman who had re-
Gently suffered a severe illness and
was, indeed, not yet fully recovered.
'Jack"-she advanced, giving me her
hand with her old graciousness-"y
are very good to come when | call. 1t
is the last time that you will obey any
call from me-"
"Wh by the last time madam"
Because. Jack. | am now going to
make thee my bitter enemy-yes, my
enemy for life" She tried to smile,
but her eyes grew humid. Il can new
err be regarded henceforth as anything
else. You will despise me- you will
curse me. Yet must needs speak"
Madam, | protest l know not what
you mean"
And |, Jack, | protest | know not
January, when we talked together?
Let me begin there--yes, it will be best
to begin there. do not think could
begin at the other end. 1t would be
like bath of ice cold water in Janu-
ary."
am"
you told me-what was it you told
me? Something about a certain box or
case of jewels"
"Molly's jewels. Yes, | told you how
his lordship seized upon them at the
first when he claimed control over Mol
ly's fortune"
"Iou told me that 1t was in Janu-
airy He had seized upon them six
months before. The thing surprised
me. He had always told me that he
could not get those jewels, and, Jack,
you see, they were my own"
"Nours, madam? But they were Mol
ly's."
"Not at all. Molly after her mar
rage had nothing. All became my
lords property. The jewels were mine,
Jack, mine by promise and compact"
understood nothing.
81 have seen in France the women
kneelng at the boxes where they con-
fess to the priest. Jack, will you be
my priest? l can confess to you what
| could never confess to Molly. though
| have wronged her Jack. oh. my
priest" Here she fell on her knees and
ella ped her hands. mo, nor she cried.
81 will not rise-on my knees. on my
knees, not to ask your pardon, but for
the shame and the disgrace and the
yillainy"
MADAM, pray-I entreat."
took hpr Inv hpth hands boI
lifted her and half assisted her She
sank into an armchair sobbing and
crying, and covered her face with her
hands. She was not play acting, No,
no, it was real sorrow, true shame.
oh. there was revenge as well. No
Doubt there was revenge. IF she had
beer wicked, she had also been wrong
ed. Presently she recovered a little,
Then she sat up and began to talk.
81 am the most miserable woman in
the world, and | deserve my misery.
Jack, when you go back to your ship
fall on your knees and thank God that
you are poor and that Molly has been
robbed of her fortune and is also poor.
Oh, to be born rich-belicve me, it is Il
thing most terrible. 1t makes men lik,
Lord Fylingdale, who have nothing =
do but to follow pleasure-such pie;
ure, All. mercful heaven, such plea,
ure. And it makes women, Jack. like
me. We, too, follow pleasure like the
men. We become gamblers. There is
no pleasure for me like the pleasure of
gambling We fall in love for the pleas
ure and within of 1t till we are slaves
to men who treat us worse than they
| treat their dogs. worse than they treat
their lackeys. Then we forget honor
and honesty; then we throw away rep
/ utation and good name. We accept
recIllessly shame and dishonor. My
name has become a byword. But what
of that? | have been IA mans slave.
have done his bidding"
"But how, madam still | under
stood very little of this talk, yet be-
came suspicious when she spoke thus
of the icwcls-"how came Molly's jew
els TO he your OWN"
81 tell you, Jack by promise and
compact. | must go back to another
discourse with you. 1t WAS on n GER
tain evening II year ago, You had made
the fine discovery that Lord Flying
dale was "A gamester and the rest of ii
You told me. You also told me that
Molly would not keep her promise and
would certainly not be at the church
I'm the MORNING. DO Won rpmember"