The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-12-16

your wedding"
Mora was puzzled by this reitera ton
ana contracted his brow In thought. Then
new idea occurred TO him:
do you mean thst-that Perdita has
come, after sll?"
NO: | do not mean that I am not al
luding TO Perdita when / speak OF your
marriage"
Then, In the name Of all that Is won
derful. who is this mysterious woman
who Is TO be my wife7'
Lillian Valet
Lillian Vale" cried Mora, recoiling
Lillian Vale, You are mad
NO, Mr.. Mora. j am perfectly sane.
came 10 Boston 10 be present when you
marry Lillian Valet
Not IL / know myselfr'
All. but perhaps you do not know your
sei1' Few men do. Listen to me, Mora IL
Is absolutely necessary that you marry
this girl"
But why7 Why should I marry her?
She is nothing but a little variety actress.
Why, she is
She is the mother of your child.' said
Mr.. Mitchell impressively.
AT this Mora dropped into a chair.
fairly overwhelmed.
You don't mind making assertions. do
you? he said al last. still attempting to
brave IL out. Il suppose you got that
COCK and bull story from herr"
Not entirely. For example, she did not
tell me your name She calls you Morton
Yes. and for a short time she alluded 10
you az Matthew Crane. You will admit
that IL Is suspicious for a gentleman to
have aliases?'
What proof have you that ever used
those namesY'
Come. come. Mr.. Mora! You are not
dealing with a child. You admitted to
Mr.. Barnes and myself that you called
yourself Morton In your Summing expe-
ditions and In the house In Essex street
You also admitted that there was Mrs
Morton In the same house Then you
sent note TO that Mrs. Morton and al
so carriage. in which she drove away
Now that same Mrs. Morton turns out
to be Lillian Vale. and In your note YOU
told her where TO go and instructed her
to call herself Mrs Matthew Crane So
you see. know everything"
Perceiving that further denial was
useless Mora laughed and lighting & ci-
gnrette. put 1t jauntiiy between his teeth
and said:
We'll. what II II II all true? What
are you going TO do about it?'
II am going 10 persuade you to mar
~ Lillian Vale"
I'D like to know how. II will take
n good deal OF persuasion, let me tell
you"
That will depend upon the quality Of
thr pNicu6Slons 1NeTe are TWO KINDS AT
my command-moral suasion and force"
Force! Force me to marry against
my Will Mr. Mitchell, excuse the slang,
but you make me tired
- VIII make you more than that be- !
Tore many minutes. young man. will |
make you penitent and obedient!'
Mr.. Mitchell spoke sharply and Mora |
took his cigarette from his mouth and |
ooked at him. puzzled.
What do you mean?'
First let me ask you a question. This |
sirl was an innocent child when you met
Ter. She loves you. She il beautiful
Above all, she In the mother OF your
'hiid Wfll you marry her for these rea-
ons?''
mo. I will not"
Then moral suasion fails and YOU
compel me 10 resort to force I regret
his, for up to this moment I looked up
m YOU merely as the needless fast young |
nan OF the day. Now l know that Mr..
sarnes' estimate Of you Is correct. You
re a criminal"
You are liar!" retorted Mora an
rily
II pass that by" said Mr.. Mitchell. "as
lie words which you cannot prove Mine,
owever. are susceptible OF proof I re-
eat. you are criminal, and can prove
'Td like you to tell me what crime
ave committed and then show me your
roof"
Very well Now we approach our
usiness In a businesslike manner You
the crime of abandoning your
,fant and the punishment In seven
ears In the penitentiary what have
ou TO saw"
II say rot! RI YOU think you can prove
rat, you are nightly mistaken"
We shall see"
81
IN. and when the hallboy came he gave
I'm note. While waiting the two men
II silent. Mora smoking his cigarette
-7zing insoently at Mr.. Mitchell
'ithin ten minutes there was tap on
'e door. and Mr. Mitchell admitted Re-
scca Polaski
"Rebecca. YOU remember the story you J
I'D me about seeing the man who J
aced that baby In the graveyard" said J
n. Mitchell
Yes. SIR" said the girl timidiy.
Tho moon shone brightly for awhile
nd YOU saw the mans face, did YOU
IT. You saw Il distinctly" c
"Oh. YES. sirl''
You would be able to recognize that !
an II YOU should see him again. would
WI not7'
Il would know him anywhere" Il
"''-~ ~ell Stop looking al me Look q
that man sitting there So Tell me n
do you recognize him.
Rebecca Polaski gazed 1xedly NJ Mora. r
I'd he stared az her fearlessly In return
length she spoke: \
NO sir: never saw hin, before u
'Ha. ha haV laughed Mora bolster 7
sly What dld tell YOU so YOU v
ought YOU had witness 10 nv crime n
your Well. YOU see YOU did lie when \
NJ called mo criminal" h
Mr. Mitchell was chagrnsd 10 find
at Rebecca could not Identify Mora. y
u he was stung into action by tho I,
eering tone In which the younger man q
w addressed him Turning TO the girl. n
dismissed her. and then. advancing n
ward Mora he said: II
'siencel You escape from this charge. -
u there IL greater one" n
Murder. eh7" N
No: ! have no proof of that though a
= Barnes thinks he has hut do Won a
ali1e that this q lrl whom you refuse 10 a
AIRY this girl who is the mother of q
er child-do you realize. 7 ask you. n
AZ she was only IL years old when YOU N
gan 20 ensnare her with your wilesY n
you know that she r. the daughter
Colonel Payton. one % the directors of Z,