The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-05-22
BY WILLIAM w. COLLINS.
fContinued.)


with passion. The counts hrm hand
slowly frightened its grasp on his shoulder
and the counts voice quietly repeated.
'sRe good enough, II you please, 10 re-
member n, too"
They both looked at each other; Sir
rercival slowly drew mis- shoulder from
under the counts hand; slowly turned his
face away from the counts eyes. doggedly
looked down for a little while at the
parchment on the table. and then spoke.
with the sullen submission OF a tanned
animal. rather than the becoming resig-
nation Of convinced man.
Il don't want 10 offend anybody" he
said "but my wife's obstinacy is enough
To Try the patience OF saint. have told
her this is merely formal document
and what more can she want? You may
say what you want. but II is no part OF
a woman's duty 10 set her husband at
defiance. Once more. Lady Clyde. and
for the last time. will you sign or will
you not?"
Laura returned 10 his side OF the table
and took up the pen again.
II will sign with pleasure" she said
eff you will only treat me as respon-
sibie being. l care little what sacrifice
Is required Of me, II IL will affect no one
else and lead to no Ill results"
who talked OF a sacrifice being re-
ouired OF your" he broke In, with half
suppressed return of his former violence
II only meant" she resumed that
would refuse no concession which could
honorably make. II i have scruple
about signing my name to an engagement
Of which know nothing. why should you
visit IL on me so severely? IL Is rather
hard. / think, to treat Count Fosco's
scrupies so much more indulgently than
you have treated mine"
This unfortunate. yet most natural.
-sIf Iftaor
power over her husband. indirect as IL
was. set Sir Percivars smoldering temper
on fire again in an instant.
"Scrupes" he repeated. Your scru-
plesl 1t is rather late I'm the day for you
TO be scrupulous. / should have thought
you had got over all weakness OF that
sort when you made virtue of neces-
sity by marrying me-"
The instant he spoke those words. Laura
threw down the pen-looked at him
with an expression in her eyes
which throughout all my experience Of her
/ had never seen In them beforehand
turned her back on him in dead silence.
This strong expression OF the most
open and the most bitter contempt was
so entirely unlike herself, so utterly out
of her character. that IL silenced us all.
There was something hidden. beyond
doubt. under the nero surface brutality
of the words which her husband had just
addressed to her. There was some
lurking insult beneath them. OF which l
was wholly ignorant. but which had left
the mark OF its proclamation so plainly
on her face that even a stranger might
have seen II.
II as distinctly as I did. When | left
my chair to join Laura. / heard him
whisper under his breath 10 Sir Percival,
"You IDIOT.
Laura walked before me TO the door as
I advanced: and. at the same time, her
, husband spoke to her once more.
"You positively refuse. then. to give
me your SIGNATURE" he said. I'm the al
tered tone of a man who was conscious
that he had let his own license OF Ian
guage seriously injure him.
After what you have just said 10 me.
she replied firmly II refuse my sigma
ture until have read every line in that
parchment from the first word to the
last. Come away, Marian; we have re-
manned here long enough"
"One momentl" interposed the count,
before Sir Percival could speak again
zone moment Lady Clyde, implore you"'
Laura would have left the room without
noticing him: but / stopped her.
Don't make an enemy of the count!
I whispered. Whatever you do don't
make an enemy OF the count!'
Il
again. and we stood near II. waiting.
Sir Percivai sat down at the table, with
his elbow on the folded parchment. and
his head resting on his clenched fist. The
count stood between us-master OF the
dreadful position in which we were placed
as he was master OF everything else.
Lady Clyde" he said. with a gentle
ness which seemed to address Itself to
our forlorn situation instead OF to our
or1O me ~ L
offer one suggestion; and pray believe
me that speak out OF my profound re-
spect and my friendly regard for the
mistress OF this house" He turned sharp
~ toward Sir Percval, rs II absolutely
necessary" he asked. that this thing
here. under your elbow, should be signed
today"
sIt Is necessary 20 my plans and wish
es." returned the other. sulkily. But
that consideration. as you may have no-
ticed has no influence with Lady Clyde
Answer my plain question plainly. Car
the business of the signature be put on
till tJrnorrow-Yes or No?'
Yes, IL you will have IL So"
.'Thcn what are you wasting your time
for here? Let the signature walt I'LL to-
rnorrcw-let II wait till you come back
Sir Tercival looked up with a frown an1
an cath.
"you arc taking tone with me that I
don't like he said "A tone won pear
from any man"
Il am advising you for your good. re-
turned the Count with a smile % quiet
conte,rpt. "Give yourself time give Lady
CLYDE time. Have YOU forgotten that your
dog-oart is waiting al the door? My tone
surprises you-ha7 ] dare say 10 does-it
is the tone OF man who can keep his
temper. How many doses OF good advice
have I given YOU I'm my timer More than
you can count Have | ever been
wrong defy YOU 10 quote mo an In
stance OF A. CO. take your drive. The
matter OF the signature can walt TIL to-
morrow. Let IL wait--and renew IL when
YOU come back
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