Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1903-06-16

Fenner felt very savage; he would have
liked to throw himself with a swagger
into one of the chairs, but he did not
dare. There was something in ErroPs
| look, and something in his own servile
fear of rank, that made him afraid to
take liberty.
Presently Mr.. Hastings looked up and
said:
Il have sent for you to tell you that
l object to the way in which you have
annoyed Miss Eyre lately, and to request
that you will discontinue it."
| Tom Fenner felt he was getting very
| savage.
"And suppose" he remarked, insolent-
ly, that l say l shan't, what them"
very WELL" said Mr.. Hastings, quiet
ly, then l will order my horse, and go
round to Mr.. Lennox, and tell him you
are the scoundrel who shot Tom White,
the gamekeeper, three years ago in the
| Hoton woods
Fenner started convulsively, he turned
ashen white and trembled in every limb.
"Oh, sir!" he cried, in agony of fear,
| as soon as he could speak, don't do
| thatr'
And then all of a sudden he recovered
A1AioC1A, anu lOOhGu dl Tie man WHO udu
confronted him with an air of dogged de-
fance.
Il didn't know what you meant at the
| minute" he said, pale to the lips; II
| thought it was something else. / don't
know anything about Tom Whites affair
that was the poachers' DOING
Mr.. Hastings did not answer for the
moment; but his eyes were fixed on Fen
nar'c Tho +on
| courage from his opponents silence, and
tried to force sneer.
Il suppose you thought to trump up
some lie against me-" he continued; "but
fine gentleman's word isn't quite enough
| in these days to transport an honest
| man."
No. acquiesced Enrol, quietly; lit
wants proof"
"Yes," echoed Fenner, "it wants proof"
"Shall 1 give it first to you or the mag
istrates?' asked Mr.. Hastings, coolly.
Il know nothing about it; it's a trump
ed-up lie. I defy your cried the farmer,
savagely.
Mr.. Hastings kept his temper admira-
bly,; he did not even raise his voice.
"Stop a moment" he said. u have
something to tell you; if any of my details
are wrong, you can correct me. The
gamekeeper, White. had very pretty
sister called Sophy, who was a seam
stress, and worked for your mother"
Fenner started uneasily.
"You promised to marry her." proceed
ed Enrol, coldly. ''She appealed to you to
keep your word, and you laughed in her
face. She turned in her misery to her
brother, and he met you and thrashed
you in the lanes. Is it not so?"
Fenners teeth chattered, but he ddi not
speak.
"You told no one of your meeting"
Enrol went on, but you remained in bed,
and said you had an attack of rheuma-
tism. One day when you knew White
would pass alone through the HoltonI
woods, you hid yourself, with your gun,
and waited for him.
The wretch was brought to bay at last,
through the information which Hawkins
had impaired to Enrol.
Have mercy on me, sirr' he gasped.
almost inarticulately. "Ill do anything
you tell me-"
"Sit down on that chair, them said
Mr.. Hastings, sternly, ''and copy what
is on that piece of paper"
Fenner walked trembling to the table.
and sat down. His hand shook so that
he could scarcely hold the pen that was
thrust into it. He leaned back for mo-
ment, wiped the cold sweat from his
brow, and began:
"I apologize to you. Miss Eyre, for the
anxiety and annoyance have caused you,
and / solemnly swear never again from
this time to molest OR injure you in any
way, either by word or deed.
s"THOMAS FENNER"
IT have just one word of caution to give
you before you co." said Enrol, in a
quick, rasping tone of contempt. THE
wisest thing you can do is to be off from
these parts as soon as you can settle your
affairs. l am not the only person who
knows the cowardly assassin of poor
White, and as long as any trace of you
is left you are at his mercy and mine.
And now, you spying, murderous hound,
begone, while 1 still have power to re-
strain myself from kicking you out of the
house,
CTo be continuedl