The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-11-10
(Continued.)

tne idcts must pe truei more thoh sho''
being young. ana a man. he could not
entirely resist the charm OF a narrative
IN which a lady told at full, the love.
the grief, the terror. the sufferings OF her
heart. and the terrible temptation under
which she had gone astray.
He laid 1t down at last. and drew
long breath.
Its a devil OF job for me-" said he.
Dick Bassett, and hate him. But wnat
.is to become OF met" s,..
you will be happier than you ever could
be at Huntercombe. l mean 10 buy you
vast pasture fields I'm Australia and cattle
10 feed: Those noble pastures VIII De
bounded only by wild forests and fields.
You will have swift horses 10 ride over
your domain. or. to gallop hundreds OF
nnement there no fences and boundaries;
all as free as air. No monotony; one
week you can dig for gold. another you
cam cam flas hunt aff All this @ IN 0aA climae 50 de-
lightful that you can lie all night In the
open air. without a blanket under new
inminates e' the he ii dull lights hts Of Off Europe.
The bait was too tempting. We'll. you
are the right sort" cried Reginald,
But isa w aSst ne sessa et OF no
''It will, but / have a great deal or
money"
Reginald tnougnt ana Saiu suspicivusly,
II don't know why you should do all this
for me-"
DO you not? What. when ] have
brought you into this family. and encour.
aged you in such vast expectations, could
/, I'm honor and common humanity, let you
fall into poverty and neglect? No. nave
many thousand pounds. all my own. ana
you will have them all. and perhaps waste
them all. but II will take you some time,
because. while you are wasting, / shall
be saving more for YOU"
-
Then Lady Bassett said quietly. and
with great apparent composure. or
course. there is a condition attached 10
what is that?'
II must receive from you a written pa
per. signed by yourself and by Mrs Mey-
rick, acknowledging that you are not Sir
Charles son, but distinctly pledging your
self TO keep the secret SO long as ] con,
living. You hesitate. Is il not fair?'
We'll. IL looks fair. but IL is an awk-
ward thing. signing paper OF that sort.
you doubt me, sir: you think that, be-
cause have told one great falsehood.
from good but erring motives. may
break faith with you. Do not insult me
h deqe s ladies' py apd
IN the world. though you prefer gypsies.
Have you forgotten that night when you
laid me under SO deep debt and told told
day was / not always your friend? Was
not always the one TO make excuses for
your"
Reginald assented to that.
Then trust me. pledge you my honor
that ] am this day the best friend you
ever had. or even can have. Refuse To
sign that paper, and ! shall soon be In
my grave, leaving behind me my con-
fession. and other evidence. on which you
will be dismissed from this house with
ignominy, and without farthing, for
your best friend will be dead, and you
will have killed her"
He looked at her full; he said with
shade OF compunction. .! am not gen
tleman. but you are a lady; I'll trust you.
Ill sign anything you like"
THAT confidence becomes you." said
Lady Bassett, and now | have no obtec-
ton 10 show you deserve IL. Here is "A
letter 10 Mr.. Rolfe, by which you may
learn ] have already placed 5000 POUNDS
10 his account, TO be laid out by him for
your benefit I'm Australia, where he has
many confidential friends and this is
check for 800 pounds drew In your favor
yesterday. Do me the favor to take 1T
He did her that favor with sparkling
Now here is the paper / wish you 10
sign. but your signature will be OF little
value TO me without Mary Meyrick's,"
only TO tell her."
take dispassionate view Of their own in
terest, but women are not so wise. Take
II and try It.. II she refuses, bring her
TO me directly
''Do YOU understand? Otherwise, in one
fatal hour, her tongue will ruin you, and
destroy me-"
Impressed with these words, Reginald
hurried 10 Mrs. Meyrck, and told her, In
an off-hand way, she must sign that paper
directly.
She looked at II. and turned very white,
but went on her guard directly.
Sign such a wicked lie as that" said
she. THAT 1 never will. That | never
will. You are his son, and Huntercombe
shall be yours. She is an unnatural
mother"
b "Gammonl" said Reginald. "You might
as we'll say fox is the son of n gander.
Come now; / am not going 20 let YOU cut
my throat with your tongue. Sign at once.
or else come TO her this moment and
tell her So
That WILL" said Mary Meyrick, "and
give her my mind"
This doughty resolution was a little
shaken when she cast eyes upon Lady
Bassett. and saw how wan and worn she
looked.
She moderated her violence. and said
,sullenly, Sorry to gainsay you, my lady,
and you so Ill, but this is a paper / never
can sign. IL would rob him OF Hunter
combe. Ia sooner cut my hand off at
the wrist"
Nonsense Mary. said Lady Bassett
contemptuously.
A Gut lltn pIOCetQtu 10 Itdcbn WIN Hti,
but II was no use. Mary would not listen
TO reason, and defied her at last In a loud
voice.
VERY we'll" said Lady Bassett. Then.
since you will not do IL In my way, Il
shall be done another way. I shall put
my confession I'm Sir Charles hands, and
insist on his dismissing him from the
house. and you from your farm. 1t will
kill me. and the money intended for
Reginald I shall leave TO Compton.
These are idle words, my lady. You
daren't."
IL dare anything when once / make up
my mind TO die"
She rang the bell
Mary Meyrick affected contempt.
A servant came TO the door.
Request sir Charles TO come 70 me Inn
mediately."
CHAPTER XLI1I.
Don't you be a fool" said Reginald
20 hts nuran