Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1902-04-03

moved the wreck or MS 1OTluhc5, IL
Guiding his family.
The marquis waited certain length
Of time.
Then one afternoon he appeared at
the new home Of the Livermores.
To himself he declared many times
that he intended this visit as posi-
tive means of increasing his hold upon
the captains wife, over whom he
seemed to be exerting some peculiarly
hypnotic power, with the eventual aim
in view OF inducing her to leave
home and seek some asylum on the
continent.
For years he had looked forward to
this same moment with the keenest
anticipation; for years he had in his
mind gone over every little detail. had
seen her surprise and alarm, with MS
own great triumph, as he sent MS
shafts home with the arm of ample
revenge; yet, strange to say, he did
not approach the subject with the
eagerness he had expected, the FEVER
ish thrill was only conspicuous by It's
absence, and he even started guilty
rambling old structure peal OF child
ish laughter was borne to his ears;
there was something so condemnatory
in the merry sound.
By degrees he brought the subject
around to where he wanted 1t, and the
manner In which he accomplished this
declared that his strategic powers had
not waned a particle.
Have you had any American
friendso" he asked.
Yes, one" came the rather confus-
ed reply. and the listener knew he had
caused her mind to revert to that un-
happy past about which she even
usually avoided thinking.
Pardon me: but once knew poor
fellow, an artist out in Mexico. who
said he had been we'll acquainted with
Captain Livermore's wife" he went on
deliberately.
IAN artist" she echoed. looking
panied, and yet showing an eagerness
in her voice.
YES; by name Jack. | CHANGED to
do him several favors, and he even
confided his history to me. Poor fell
low, he had suffered bitterly"
"Confded to you-then you know"
in alarm.
That you apS he We're once be,
increasingly in the hope of gaining
fame and fortune your love for him
began to grow cold. He had been the
means of reconciling you to your
proud old English grandfather In the
whirl of society you met Captain Liv-
ermore, then the lion OF the hour. You
forgot to write to the man who be-
lieved in you as he did in Heaven. lie
came to London, unable to breathe
outside your presence. Then you
crushed him by declaring that while
you still loved him, you loved position
still more, and that you had agreed to
marry the captain"
Fedora's head had fallen on her
wildly heaving bosom, but she neither
looked up nor uttered a word as yet,
being too stunned as the tremendous
revelation was forcing itself upon her
mind.
He went on pitilessly!
Jack sought a quarrel with the
man who had robbed him of all he
had on earth-perhaps you never knew
Of 1t, but they met at dawn in the
deadly duello. each determined to kill
the other. The captain, as they ad
vanced toward each other, fired first
and only inflicted a wound. He was
then at Jacks complete mercy, since
he was allowed the privilege Of walk
ing up as close as he pleased and send
ing a ball through the heart of his
adversary"
Fedora groaned, but never moved.
THE captain was no coward; believ-
ing his hour had come, he deliberate
ly opened his coat and awaited the
fatal shot, his eyes looking into those
OF the man he had wronged without
knowing it. Twice Jack took aim, but
each time he failed to pull the trigger
Finally he raised his pistol, fired in
the air and fled from the scene"
For the first time she raised her head
and looked at him, her troubled face
marked by conflicting emotions.
Then came the wedding. which poor
Jack saw from the organ loft, enduring
the tortures OF the damned while the
woman whom heaven had given to him
was united by law to man she did not
love.
Then he fed from London as from
place accursed and sought fortunes
smiles upon new field hating women
because one had been false to her vows,
and always hugging to his heart the
resolution to some day return and take
full satisfaction for that treachery.
THAT was Jacks story - doubtless
other men have suffered in the same
way from a woman's hand, but none
more cruelty. And yet IL seemed that
fortune took strange delight in COM
pensating him his loss Dy throwing
into his hands the most wonderful
treasure ever known. surprising all
tales from the days Of Ophir and Solo
mon down to the present. More than
this, he was given power and made the
head of the Central American republic
whittier fate had drifted him.
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