Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-02-28

merchant from Kimberley, and was for
tunatc enough TO do him several little
services en- voyage, with the result that
he has offered me the post of private
secretary. and as he is without wife OF
family, ! am TO be to him as a son, and
am TO have half his fortune when be
dies. So you see, Minnie, | am made for
hte and | only want YOU to share my
gnod fortune. I know Lucas Myers, my
patron. will take to you as soon as he
sees you, and between Us we should
twist our millionaire around our little
fingers
Minnie flushed more hotly than before,
and gave him look of whitening con-
tempt
"lou do me too much honor, Roderick
trowther,' she said, with sweeping
clIrtesy. Il am afraid / should make but
an indifferent toady, and | might be the
means of your losing Mr. Myers alto
gether, rather than binding him more
closely to you. At any rate. | must de-
cine your offer, and repeat what l sand
before YOU Went out TO the Cape, can
never be your wife"
And this answer is irrevocable, Min
nie!Y he asked, his face turning of a
CHASTITY pallor.
"Qnite. And now. viii you let me pass.
If You please. Any Prolongation of this
interview can be only painful to both"
No. no" he said, hoarscly: you do
not 60 like this Hear me. Minnie Mer-
ton, II you do not marry me, | swear
You shall marry no other. You shall
never be Countess of Langdale.'
Il do not think it is i'll your power 10
prevent it, Mr. Crowther. But You are
excited now, and scarcely know what yen
are saving. l am truly sorry have
given you pain. You know it is not my
fault"
But although she spoke so proudly, she
felt a heavy sinking sensation in her
bosom which warned her of some impend
ing calamity.
II am not one to waste my breath on
Idle threats, Mimic" he said, with n
slightly sarcastic laugh. III | had not
possessed The power of stopping this mad
marriage, | should not have said / had.
Know, then, madam, that if You were to
go through the marriage ceremony to-
NOR With the Earl OF Langdalc you would
be committing bigamv"
1t was her turn to laugh now, and
right merry laugh it was, for she felt a
| load lifted from her, as it were. She on
hearing his solemn words and seeing his
confident manner, had really. in spite OF
herself, credited him with possessing the
power OF delaying, if not absolutely
stopping, her marriage with the carl.
But now her trouble was over, for her
cousins last words proved that he was
talking at random, if he had not, in fact
for the moment quite taken leave of his
senses. Hence her Joyous laugh.
Ills next words, however. arrested the
! laugh on her lips, and caused her TO stag
ger back i'll dismay.
You may laugh now" he said sternly
"but in n few minutes, if you listen to
me, you will be convinced your merTi-
ment is rather premature. Did / not love
! you as | do, ! might have let You com
init this felonious act and afterwards
used my knowledge for my own pur.
! poses. But my sincere love for you for
/ bids me acting i'll such n manner, and,
on the contrary, come forward to rescue
! YOU even on the very brink of the abyss
/ into which You would have plunged"
For heavens sake. speak more plain
I "" she cried. You have said either too
much or too little. What do you mean
| by coupling bgamy with my manner"
at seems to me you don't know your
own name, or you are a marvelously
clever actress" he snarled. Are you
really ignorant of the fact that you are
! Mrs. Eustace Crowther, lawfully mar
I ried to my brother by the law Of scot
/ land ?"
~ Oh must be mad. Roderick" She SAID,
( feeling certain now that his brain had
! lost its balance, and fervently wishing
! she was safe in the farmhouse again
No | am not mad, Mrs. Gowther"
! hc said calmly. Let me explain tie
Scottish law of marriage to you-at
least, the point that concerns us. 1t is
to the effect that, when a man and
woman declare themselves husband and
wife before witnesses, they are from that
moment as certainly married as though
they had been united by the Archbishop
OF Canterbury. You can easily consult Il
lawyer who is well up in Scotch law,
and you viii find l am right. DO not
wish to impose upon YOU
Minncs face had now turned Of
deathly whtencss, and she swaycd to and
fro like slender willow in a heavy gale
of wind. for, as if like a revelation, .
certain scene that she had taken Part in
two years before presented Itself to her
mental vision.
TO BE CONTINUED
------------------
Cr00NSv MTICTACuEc