Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1902-04-23
CHAPTER LX.-lContInued.l

=
ed. The Count took low basket chair
leaning negligently back in it.
You gave me fifteen minutes" he said
coolly. Ten win do. Have you ever
met Beryl Marsden's husband|
The insolent familiarity Of the words
even more than the insOlence of the man
1er inspired Ivor Grant with the fiercest
longing he had ever known to knock this
man down.
Speak more respectfully Of the lady il
you wish me to listen to you" he said
.ierceIy. What right have you to ask
such a question:
"Oh, merely friendly interest in you
both" said the Count. Il will accept
sour reply as q negative. You don't know
aim Perhaps it's as well He is a
Orute. Not only that, but he is swim
1ler. He has one virtue, however; he
Is jealous of his wife. l doubt il her life
or yours would be worth an hours pur-
chase if this same John Marsdel knew
pf = certain little tender scCce in this
conservatory some two hours ago"
In all his life Ivor Grant had never
9elt how keen and cruel thing humila-
ton might be tin he faced it now for
The sake - the woman he loved better
than his III. Yet. even while so facing
and defyiug it. be new how powerless
ne was to shield he. name or yindieate
Der honor.
''You-y0u wish me 10 buy your silence,
[ suppose be said, with such utter con
tempt of the man he addressed in his
face and voice that, even callous and
.sse-hardeued as he was, the Count
WINGED beneath it.
"NO-l simply wish to caution you he
said. lowering his eyes that their lurid,
evil light might not betray his hatred Of
the man he held at bay. What do you
InteRd TO do-run away with her?''
'You-!'
Hush said the Count. raising his
nand warningly. DO not use strong ian
guage We are both men OF the world.
You do not suppose you can throw dust
I'm my eyes at this time OF day. and
there's no reason why yeu shouldn't
shall say elope? II she knew what her
husband was her views as to wifely duty
might undergo a change. Facts do alter
cases. you know. and even good WON
.en-''
silence Numbered Ivor. turning on
him like a lion in his wrath If you
dare utter another word of disrespect to-
ward that lady ii win be at your peril
Il am willing to take the risk" said
the Cent, eoolly. Dwellings, out of
fashion, but perhaps you've fancy for
heroics. II might please her, even if
her name is compromised by your folly.
Come" he said, dropping his voice. don't
Get us quarrel We can do better than
that"
They stood and faced each other, full
of deadly anger and Of deadly hate; yet
prudence whispered to Ivor Grant that
open defiance of this man would only in
jure. instead Of serve. the woman he
wished - protect.
:! snow more about Mrs. Marsden
than You imagine said the Count, after
a moments silence. she is a very IN
happy woman, and her life in India has
been one long martyrdom to the caprices
and tyrannies Of selfish despot These
embarrassments are due to a cause Of
which everyone in the place-except, per-
haps. his wife-was cognizant. His name
Is covered with ignominy, and he has
retired to 4 remote district on the hills
with snug fund of his own securing.
aud a companion--about whom the less
said the better. | give you the informa-
4ioa, and you may verify it very easily.
Having done that"
lie paused His look said all and more
than all, that his words would have i'm
piled. and Ivor could only stand there
with elenched hands and throbbing
pulses, longing 70 silence sneers ard insin-
81.
that uttered them. yet withheld from
yielding TO the Impulse by thought Of
that fearful, idoiized face that once again
seemed besecchiug him to spare her, since
ne alone in all the world Of men and wom-
en- among whom she moved could she call
friend
What you say may be true or not.
he said at last 1T has nothing TO do
with me, ] viii not pretend to misunder
stand your nsinuations. You think /
! love the wife Of the man you defame,
Perhaps / do: but il is with a love that
such men As you can no more understand
than the toad beneath its stone can com
prehend the light and glory OF a world it
never sees. DO you fancy" he added,
with rising passion that famed and fired
his glance until those evil eyes before him
sank abashed for once; do you fancy
there is only one way for men TO love
that Of robbing woman Of her good
name2 You are mistaken for once. Beryl
MLrsden rs a wife could be nothing TO
me, even though the man whose name
she bears We're deeper blackguard than
yourself / reverence her too we'll to low
er her in the worlds sight, and, perhaps.
in my own. Tonight l leave her. Now,
il you can believe truth exists, accept my
words. and do your worst"
You defy me. then: l think you are
foolish. Your suffering and hers will he
dearly bought, aud you might have all
the gain"
Another such word. and / shall take
the liberty of throwing you through that
glass door. said Ivor coolly. There IS
a nice easy drop of ten or fifteen feet
befare you make acquaintance with the
terrace.
"You would regret it if you did. said
the Count. quite coolly. Il shouldn't ad-
wise you to try Heroics and herculean
feats are bad form. you know. | thought
you were a sensible man. There was not
much sainthood about you once. How.
ever" and he drew out his watch, Il
have said all | need. The fifteen min.
utes are mp. So you are going to part
Well, in few years time l dare say
you'U find someone else has run ava!
with her instead OF yourself. You'll ID
sorry then sou missed the chance Mean
while Wen see what John Marsden thin@s
OF your 'reverence' for his Wife
stop. cricd Ivor suddenly; bad a.
you are. you can't mean that. You won''