Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1902-06-17

here. | shall be got away from this
place"
/ could see no one, but in an instant l
heard Paula's voice speaking. She had
come back againi Perhaps she had new
er gone at all.
1T was good of you TO come with
me" she said, in a soft tone that yet did
not somehow ring true. II wanted him
to tell you himself. 1t would have been
his wish as well as mine, but he is not
here. All, l am disappointedr'
rs there anything, then, that you
yourself would care to say to me, Miss
Wynne, or shall / go, and wait till an
other timeT'
1t was the Woman in Gray who spoke,
and / felt instinctively that Paula meant
to lie TO her.
no, stay. if you please" muttered
Paula, shortly.
well, Miss WynneT
Il wish to tell you that my cousin,
Terence Darkmore, and / shall probably
renew our engagement. Ii we do, shall
we have your good wishes?"
Yes"
And yet yor schemed to part us--yod
did part us for weary months. You tried
to win his love away from me for your
self"
Miss Wynne, you il -ult mer'
Il insult you-you! Why. you cannot
be insulted! Oh, if / could only prove
half the things that / suspect against
you, what triumph that would be for
mev
cry of warning, in common human
ity, rose choking to my lips. But they
were sealed; could not utter it.
Prove themr' she was repeating with
passionate emphasis. Il will prove them
now! What do you think Mr.. Haynes
Haviland. the stepson of the old woman
murdered in this house, said to me: Let
me once tear off that glove of pearls she
wears, and we should stand on equal
ground l will tear it off, Consuelo
Hope, as you call yourself. l will know
the secret of the pearls, and cry it out
TO all the worldn'
Stop said Consuelo, with voice
that rang clear as a bell. Touch me at
your peril! That glove upon my hand
means not so much a secret as a solemn
vow, and l would give my life sooner
than it should be torn away until my mis-
sion be accomplished. Remember that
we are both women"
Il remember nothing save that you
have stolen from me the love of the only
man in the world for me- 1t has been
trial of skill between us two before;
now it is a"
A scream ended the sentence. l caught
the flash of a glow a jangle. The speaker
had swept over an alcohol lamp that
stood lighted on little stand near the
smoking table.
Shrek after shrek cut through the
still air. Paula had been made aware
of her own peril. The red light moved
here and there, fitting over my eyes.
knew that the miserable girl had lost ner
presence of mind, and was running TO
and fro.
Help. helpp' she was crying. In a
moment more she had aimlessly rushed
within my line of vision, and, to my hor-
ror, L saw that she was enveloped from
head to foot in little writing faAes. She
was retreating from before the Woman
in Gray, who swiftly followed.
Are you coming to kill meY Paula
screamed.
NO, to save your replied the clear,
calm tones of the other. For your life,
stand stillp'
There was a whirl of some large, dark
object, and she had firmly enveloped
Paula in the folds of a great Indian rug.
Lie down on the floor and roll your
self in it. 1t is your only chance" The
voice was stern, and compelled obedience
1T is all out" Consuelo said at last.
And there was a strange CULVER in her
voice. You are safe. Are you in pain p
Il don't know. Everything is whirling
in my brain. Oh, would far rather have
died than be saved by you! How dared
you-how dared you save me"
ut was not wholly for you. 1t was for
my own sake that l did it. You need
feel no gratitude to me-"
Nor do / feel any. Why was not Ter
~ here? Why should it have been you?
Go, find him for me. But no-you shall
not! All, yod, too, are burnt. Your
hand! The pearls are gomez Her cry
degenerated into a veritahle snarl Of hate
full triumph. "Now-now you shall not
escape me! l shall find out all"'
What! are you less than human,
Paula Wynne? / take no credit TO my
self that have saved you. but the fact
remains-I did it. Would you at this
moment, when l am faint and suffering
the misery of burns which 1 got in help
ing you, take advantage OF me? 1t can't
be! Yen would not be a woman if you
could do such thing"
Il can do it. and l Will / am suffer-
ing, too. We are equal, then. l have
not a scruple in the world. oh. you
tigress, how you fight nae: All, I have
done it! | have seen. | have seen! You
are at my mercy now"
There fell a silence as ominous as the
lull in a tropical STERN. Then Consuelo
spoke, and a stranger would scarcely
have recognized hes voice.
Yes; you have seen. lou intend 10
profit by what you know: but you are ter
ribly mistaken. 1t is not / who am at
your mercy, Paula Wynne. You have
done that which an angel from heaven
would find it hard to condone. At your
mercy! Why. it is you who are at miner
What do you mean? Why do you
look az me ike thatT
Y mean" and Consuelo Hope spoke
slowly, each syllable ringing clear as a
silver bell. ''that you shall never leave
this room until you have sworn, by such
an oath as even you viii not dare 10
speak. that you viii tell to no one the
secret you have been vile enough 10 force
from me-"
Paula laughed defantly.
How win you keep me? l have Just
shown that / am as strong as you are
stronger, perhaps"
Still. | tell you that you shall not go.
How do mean TO keep you? You shall
Secrs
! saw nothing. but l heard the flying
rustic OF skirts. the quick fight of high
heeled shoes across the polished floor. the
turning OF a KEY n the lock OF door,
and the slight metallic grating as Il was
drawn sharply forth.
she viii 70 out non by the Window
was the thought which swiftly crossed
my brain. And was sure that the
Woman in Gray had only just intercept
ed her al the door. But again there
was 2 silken rustic and rush, and the
window slammed violently shut. II lock
ed. as . remembered. il very curious.
old-fashioned way. But did either Con-