Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1901-08-14

| was ABOUT 10 come TO pass.
My darling, my darllngl" she MUIR
mured Hutchinson looked at her
curiously.
You seem fond of him." he said.
She gave a glance of contempt at the
way. he expressed himself, She caught
the child up in her arms.
My darling" she said, my little
Alan you are going to your father
at lastl'
Hutchinson was thinking, He had
a difficult task before him. He had
allowed Alan to get married, and had
given him some weeks of happiness
before he began his work of destruc-
ton; now he had to make sure of
Veronica. He would have infinitely
have preferred a woman who would
have clustered. and have sworn that
she would have her rights; but Ver-
onica was the sort of woman who
would shrink away and be lost to the
world rather than hurt the man she
loved He had shrewdness enough to
see that the girl would say that it was
the only way to act, and that she
would sacrifice both the child and
herself; therefore 1t was imperatively
necessary that she should know moth
ing of Alan's marriage. of his love for
another woman. That must come to
her as surprise. She must be led to
expect that Alan was longing for her,
and would be overjoyed to see her
again; then would be his, Hutchin-
sons, opportunity. He knew men SO
well that he fancied they must be all
alike. Alan would not give up Joyce
he felt sure of that: then he must
be made to pay for his silence. He
must feel that he, Hutchinson, could
hold the sword over his head. that he
could let 1t fall at any moment He
had rubbed his hands at the publicity
of the marriage. Alan Mackenzie
would never give up his beautiful
wife, Veronica would have to be paid
off. Joyce would not be Alan's law
full Wife. 1t was going to be life
of misery for the young man, and at
the end there would be Hutchinson's
dagger for his heart. But the whole
thing needed careful handling, and
Hutchinson felt that he was the man
undoubtedly who could handle it care
4 fully. Even IL at the end Veronica
refused, as was possible, to come for
ward and make Alan unhappy never
lheless he would have to pay for his
silence.
''Ie lives in nice little house in
the country" Hutchinson said at
last. II will give you the address.
You had better go by train Have
you any money!
I Yes said Veronica. 81 was paid
for my lessons yesterday. must
write to her when | have seen Alan
again He may not wish me to go on
giving lessons" But all the time she
spoke her face was TRANSPORTED The
feeling that soon her weary time of
probation would be over was strong
4 within her. She looked with pride at
the beautiful boy, whom she still held
in her arms. 'Wil not his father be
proud of him?' she asked, longing
for little human sympathy. He is
handsome. is he not?''
oh. yes. he's good-looling child,
although / am no Judge, said the
man In his head he was revolving
plans 81 would not go stralght'up to
the house If | were YOU" he said
The servants might not understand
it. You wait for him at the lodge
gates
Very we'll" said Veronica, docile
as always. She could not guess that
Hutchinson's one fear was lest she
should meet Joyce and so spoil his
whole plan He had looked into
Joyces face as she was walking with
Alan one day, and he could see inno-
cence and purity written upon it
Joyce was not the woman to consent
to the paying off of the first wife.
: And so it was decided that Veronica
should go down to Summerhaye ant
, await the coming OF Alan. 1t was
) lovely day in early July, when .,At
went down, with that precious posses
) sion, her boy, Rugged close to hei
heart The sun was shining and tn,
) sky blue, the corn was waving in tn,
/ fields; and 1t was under the shade O
/ leafy tree that Veronica awaited tn,
coming of the man she loved Hutch
: inson had discovered what train h,
4 usually came by. 1t was so importan
that Veronica should see him alone
: And sat there quietly straining he
= her ears for the sound of his foot
/. steps. 1t took her back to her girlisl
o days at La Paz when she had oftel
watched for him as she was doinl
4 now Truly there had been no year
0 of separation from him, and no bo
t beside her. AS the time drew neare
/ the strain grew almost too intense
She put her hand over her heart so a
!, / -, stor tfu WILD haatfno ond tha al