Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1902-07-30

made up his mind to go abroad once
more. Having arrived at this determine
ton, the young master Of Darrell Chace
counted the days that must elapse be-
fore he could put his idea into execution.
The shadows were gathering late one
afternoon. and twilight was rapidly set
Ting over the land, when Roger made his
way in the direction of his home. While
he was yet within mile or so of Darrell
Chace, he was astonished to see a fe,
male figure rise up before him and bar
his way.
She was a young woman with great,
black, velyety eyes, and face Of the
pure oval type. and slightly olive in
color. though he had not much chance
to observe 1t just then, as she fastened
to speak.
1--WE are well met. Roger Darrell. You
have the same nerves of iron, / see, that
owned you master before, and not for
your life would you by start or word
own that you recognized me, and yet
there Is not a person in the wide world
you would hate to meet more"
Her words were fierce and venomous,
and, leaning forward. she let her great
black eyes rest upon his face as though
she would read his very soul. The man
looked at ner keenly. One might have
thought that he was now looking upon
her face for the first time.
WHO are you?" he asked at last.
The other did not seem to know at
first whether to get angry or laugh, but
finally di' he latter, and there was
something cold in her forced merriment
that made him shiver.
Behold in me a gypsy girl, daughter
Of queen, whom the silver tongue Of a
serpent lured away from the home of
her people. She was outlawed from her
tribe and deserted by the white-faced
traitor whom she had loved and trusted
with her whole heart and soul What,
then, had she to live for but reyengeT
The hand Of the gypsy maid had been
creeping toward her bosom all the while,
and at this juncture she flashed a shining
stiletto into view. Roger Darrell caught
her by the wrist with a srasp of iron.
Girl" he said, stern.y, what would
you do?7
Dor she Kissed: Il would kill you,
snake in the grass that lured me from
happiness to a living death. l would
sever your black heart with this trusty
blade. dedicated to that purpose. Think
not to escape the terrible vengeance Of
the gypsy girl She has followed you
over land and sea, waiting for the hour
to strike, the hour when you would be
most happy, and when life would be
most dear TO you. A short time ago it
seemed that that hour had come. and
Barbara Merriles struck the first blow.
Now, when she has helped to blight your
life she comes before you, ready to finish
the work with her dagger. You are
doomed, Roger Darrell, doomed"
"A fig for your threats, Barbara Mer-
rifles. True, your name has often been
in my mind, but | have never had oeca-
sion to fear you. Come closer here aud
look me in the face. Then you may
strike with this blade II you darer'
She leaned rward and her eyes were
glued upon him for the space Of a minute,
Then she uttered sharp cry. Roger
loosened his grip upon her wrist, and the
hand holding the dagger dropped to her
side.
''Will you strike now 2 he asked quiet
ly, while a strange look come into his
eyes.
Great heavenl what have | seen? No,
are not Roger Darrell, hut the man who
saved me when | would have leaped into
the mad river and to whom ] owe much.
What if l had slain you; my own life
would have followed, for / never could
have survived such base ingratitude.
Farewell. my friend of the past We
shall meet again
Before he could restrain her she mad
sped away, vanishing among the shad-
ows of the trees as though pursued by
fairies.
Roger Darrell resumed his walk in the
direction of his home What Thoughts
were surging through his mind just then
it would be hard indeed to say, but he
seemed to be laboring under some pow
erful emotion.
What was it the gypsy girl had saidF
Not Roger Darrell
What m0ckery could this be. thenf
How dared he come there and take pos
session OF Darrell Chace If he was not
the true heir?
Captain Grant was an honored guest at
Richmond Terrace, and his word seemed
to be law. TIE servants all had their
orders to obey hin as promptly as they
did their master, ana between the fiery
old man md the whimsical soldier 7hey
were kept pretty busy.
Lawrence Richmond had been more
moody than ever. He watched Captain
Grant from under his shaggy white eye
brows with almost a glare in his eyes,
and once in a while there might have
been seen upon his face an ominous
scowl
Ihe secret that lay between these two
men dealt with the past, and it hung over
the head of Lawrence Richmond like the
knife Of the guillotine. Every day that
passed served to increase the feeling OF
mingled dread and hatred which the one
bore toward the other. and Lawrence
Richmond was fast becoming desperate.
A demand on the part of the soldier
for his daughter served TO cap the eli
max. In spite of his terrible temper and
his strange actions at times which would
seem to belle the fact, this man sincere
| ly loved his child
Alone in his library the master of the
Terrace paced to and fro ike Gagged
tiger. He did not notice the presenet
| in the room Of the Captain until the lat
ter gave utterance 10 low, metallic
/ laugh.
| The old man looked up quickly. ans
| the keen-eyed soldier noticed a wild, half
eager look upon his face that he ha'
| never seen there before.
HE has settled upon something; ca
| see it by the glitter of his eyes and tn
way he shuts his teeth. Have a care
my old gentleman, or You viii find you