The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-09-14
CHAPTER XVI.


this afternoon-indeed. little too high
Bella, my love- said he. now I'll tell
you why ! made you give me your sig
nature this morning. The money has al.
come In for the wood. and this very day
sent Oldfeld instructions to open an ac-
count for you with a Londan banker" :"
Lady Bassett looked at him with tears
| Of tenderness In her eyes. Dearest.
said she. II have plenty Of money; but
! the love 10 which owe this present, that
IL my treasure Of treasures. Well, 1 ac-
cept IL, Charles but don't ask me TO
spend 1t on myself; should feel / was
| robbing you"
ut Is nothing to me how you spend IL;
! have saved II from the enemy"
Now that very enemy heard these
words He had looked from the Heirs
| Tower" and seen Sir Charles and Lady
Bassett walking on their side the wall
and the nurse carrying his heir on the
other side.
He had come down TO look at his child
in the SUM- but he walked softly. on the
| chance OF overhearing Sir Charles or
Lady Bassett say something or other
about his health; his design went no fur
| ther than that. but the fate OF listeners
| Is proverbial.
! Lady Bassett endeavored to divert her
husband from the topic he seemed TO be
! approachins; II always excited him now.
and did him harm.
do not waste your thoughts on that
enemy. He Is powerless
AT this moment, perhaps; but his turn
| is sure 10 come again. and I shall pro-
| vide for H. ! mean 10 live on half my
| income. and settle the other half on you
] I shall act on the clause In the entail
! and fell all the timber on the estate
except about the home park and my best
covers.
1T will take me some years 10 do this;
must not siut the market, and spoil
your profits; but every year I'll have
| iali. tiil I have denuded Mr. Bassett's in
hcritance, as he calls II. and sweled you-
bankers account 10 a plum. Bella, have
rad a shake Even now that I am better
such a pain goes through my head, like
bullet. crushing through II. whenever
I get excited. don't think ! shall be d
long-lived man. But never mipd. Ill live
as long as can: and, while / do live, III
work for yau. and against that villain"
Charles" cried Lady Bassett, Il I'M
plore you 10 turn your thoughts away
from that man, and 10 give up these idle
schemes Were you to die. I should soon
follow you; 20 pray do not shorten your
life by these angry passions, or you VIII
This appeal acted powerfully on Sir
Charles, and he left of suddenly, with
flushed cheeks and tried TO compose him
self.
But his words had now raised a corre-
spending fury on the other side OF the
boundary line Richard Bassett, stung
with rage and. unlike his bigh-ored cou-
sin, accustomed TO mix even cunning
with his fury, gave him terrible blow
a very coup de Jarnac. He spoke at him;
| he ran forward TO the nurse, and said
very loud: Let me see the little darling.
| He does you credit. What fat cheeks!
what arms! an infant Hercules! There.
take him up the mound. Now lift him In
your arms. and let him see his Inherit
ance. Higher. nurse. higher. Ay. crow
away, youngster; all that is yours-house
! and land and all. They may steal the
! trees; they can't make away with the
| broad acres Ha, l believe he under
| stands every word. nurse See how he
| smiles and crows"
! At the sound OF Bassett's voice Sir Chas.
stared. and, at the first taunt, he utter
| ed something between moan and a roar.
/ as OF a wounded lion.
Come away" cried Lady Bassett. He
is doing il on purpose.
But the stabs came too fast Sir Charles
shook her of, and looked wildly around
for weapon TO strike his insulter with
Curse him and his brat! he cried
They shall neither of them-Tn kill
| them both"
| He sprang fiercely at the wall. and.
notwithstanding his weakly condition,
raised himself above II, and glared over
! with a face so full Of fury that Richard
Bassett re coiled in dssmay for moment.
and said. Run. rum He'll hurt the
| childr'
But. the next moment. Si- Charles
| hands lost their power: he uttered a mis-
erable moan and fell gasping under the
wall in an epieptic fit, with all the ter
I 49,
vious portion of this story These were
new to his poor wife. and. as she strove
! In vain TO control his fearful commissions.
| her shrieks rent the air. Indeed, her
screams were so appalling that Bassett
| himself sprdng at the wall and. by a
! greater effort OF strength drew himselfup
and peered down. with white face, at the
glaring eyes, clenched teeth, purple face.
and foamins lips OF his enemy. and his
body that bounded convulsively on the
ground with incredible violence
At that moment humanity prevailed
over everything: he flung himself over
the wall. and in his haste got rather a
| heavy fall himself 1T is a nt," he cried
and, running To the brook close by, filled
his hat with water. and was about ~
dash II over Sir Charles face
But Lady Bassett repelled him with
horror. Don't touch him, YOU villain.
You have killed him" And then she
shrieked again.
At this moment Mr.. Angelo dashed up
and saw At n glance what II was. for he
had studied medicine a little He said
| 1T is epilepsy Leave him ~ me" He
managed. by his great strength to keep
! the patients head down till the face got
pale and the limbs still: then. telling
/ Ladv Rassett not 10 alarm herself too
| much. he lifted Sir Charles. and actual
" proceeded 70 carry him toward the
house Ladv Rassett. weeping profYered
her assistance. and so did Mary Wells:
but this athlete said. little brusouely
mo. no: have practiced this sort ~
thing" and. partly nv his rare strength.
partly hv HE Familiarity with all athletic
feats. carried the insensibie baronet 10
h's own house, rs have seen nv accom-
pllshed friend. Mr. Henry Neville. carry
tall actress on the mimic stage: only.
the distance being much longer. the ner-
Tniration rolled down Mr Angeles face
with 80 sustained an effort.
He laid hin, gently IN tho floor OF hIs
study. while LADY re sent two