The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 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 10 COM
| mon and violent clirsing, invoking the i'm
| mediate and miraculous Intervention of
that Power which he had all his life in
suited and detied. The lady received the
| torrent without n word. What can one
| say in reply to 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 undore. Would it
| not be better to make the best OF Il?
| Does it help any of us-does it help your
lordship-to revile and to threaten
| The bridegroom turned upon him savage
| ly. You to speak," he said. You are
too mealy mouthed and too virtuous even
to tear up a page from Il register"
Il do not wish to be unfrocked or to
| time 1t 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. II your lordship will listen"
His patron sat down again. the late
storm leaving its trace in a scowling 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
h terr9T; She has heard? What has she
He had not received Molly's letter nor
had he opened the captains.
More than enough. You have lost
your bride and her fortune. l might have
| warned you, but l preferred TO take her
place.
what has she heard?''
| Apparently all that there is to be heard.
Not of course, all that could be told II Mr..
Purden and l were to speak. Merely things
of public notoriety. That you are gam
| bier and rake; that you have ruined
many; that you are ruined yourseif-quite
enough for 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 F'ylingdaie re-
| peated
Dear. dear," said the parson. "All
| 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-ta! You need not buster. Luz
| dovic. Reports of this kind are in the
air; they cling to your name: they travel I'VE
with you What? The notorious Lord Fly
lingdale? They have come. you see. at
last, even to this questionable 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
1 In xyl them
It. is not likely that | should start such
| reports. especially after the scandal at
| Bath I am. in fact. like his reverence
here. too much involved myself. Oh. we
have beautiful characteristic three of us. ="
who told Molly?"
been warned. That is all / can tell you.
and she has been advised to take no
further steps until fun explanations have
been made in answer to these rumors
| Full explanations" repeated Mr.. Pur-
den. Dear. deari Most unfortunate
most unfortunate"
Your lordship can refer to his 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 who 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 a knife between
| your ribs. as she intended to do to that
| worthy gentleman But, no; l forgot. Yee
cannot do that. You are already married
| His reverence again interposed. with
| submission, my lord. some explanations
| will be asked. 1t will 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, i take IL, is what your
| lordship 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"
~ care nothing about the girl But
| hang me If l understand one single syi-
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
| over the place. We have the evidence,
| therefore. Of the bridegroom. the parson,
the clerk. the license, and the registers.
Who is TO prove that the real Molly was
| at home all the timer 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 to claim your BRIDE
Sir. you forget that / am the bride -
| Lady Anastasia interposed quickly.
Mr.. Purden bowed and smiled rubbing
his hands softly. with submission,
madam. ! do not advise that his lord
| ship should carry her off nor that he
should claim her ad mensam ct thorum
as we scholars say. His principles would
not. | am sure, allow that he should car
~ off an unmarried woman. Not at all
| He will 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-"
| His lordship's best friend You will
! rescue him in his deepest need: you will
restore him to afiluence- 1t will be ser
| vice. madam. of the purest and most dis
| interested affection. instead OF an ugly
| hesitate?"
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 will re
| veal it,
las regards jealousy, Anastasia. the
girl Will be here, and everything will con-
tinue just before"
She threw up her arms and sprang to
her feet oh" she cried. lit is the most
monstrous villainy!'
I'VE need not think of the girl. We
| must think of ourselves.
"A service of love- murmured Mr.. Pur-
den, "a beautiful, a noble service Of
! love"
1.-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 gasped.
| ''IoI yourself will adorn these jewels
| 1t viii be my greatest pleasure to atone
for my i'll judged deception by giving you