Alaska sentinel., 1903-04-16


 had taunted her into what she had done. But she could not bear the scan- dal that must follow on his total ruin, nor the scandal that must follow If Ed l ward Wallace fulfilled his threat Her little fortune might save Charles would at least enable him to get of to America. She would make 1t over to chose to marry her-why. let him! The time was up, and Wallace re turned.
 Have you decided. Miss Black7" Yes" replied Daisy, without nov ing. T am perfectly helpless. I must marry you if you choose" He sat down by her and issued his dlreetions-not unkindly, but in man. ner that admitted no appeal. Daisy was to marry him in a month; she was not to return to her home but to spend that month with his aunt. Mrs. Tenant, who would see to all her preparations and act the part of guardian to her during 1 the time. Mrs. Tenant would arrange all the particulars of her rousseau and l charge herself with the payment for 1t. and in the meantime Edward would see his betrothed every day.
 So he took her away to Mrs. Tenants, and came day by day to see her; and all sorts of dainty garments were sent in from the best shops, and Daisy signed papers that her lawyer drew up l for her, and continually her eyes grew duller and her lips grew drier and half the month had gone away when l Edward came in his turn with papers to be signed.
 Then he explained to her that these legal documents represented the full | fillment of her uncles last wish. After | the destruction of his will his heart had melted toward Daisy, and he had de- cided to make over to her sum suffi- | cient to keep her In comfort all the days of her life. No penny was to go to | her brother. He did not live to carry out his intentions, but Edward felt 1t duty incumbent on him to do what he knew to be his cousins wish. He made over the specified sum to Daisy, and | considered himself thereby absolved from drawing up marriage settlements. Daisy heard. in the dead-alive way in which she heard everything in those days She neither cared nor understood and she did not see the inquisitorial | glance that her betrothed bent upon | her.
 Gradually-not that day nor the next 1t dawned on her dulled brain that this money was absolutely hers, to dis pose of If she would, and for a short while she was her own mistress, to act as she pleased. This, too, she would give to Charles; and again she wrote se- cretly to her lawyer. If Edward were | angry his anger could not kill her, and | if it did, there was nobody true and honest left in the world, and she would soon be out of 1t.
 Delays, tiresome and vexatious, kept | the mater unsettled till within two days of the wedding. It was Sunday, and l Edward had taken her to church, where she had heard a sermon. Something In that sermon stirred Daisy uncomfort-
 
 her tyrant's manner that she had never | noticed before.
 She left him for a minute, and re turned with paper torn to shreds in her hand. Her face burnt feverishly. and her manner was hot and excited.
 Edward she said, this Is the paper that you gave me fortnight ago."
 You have torn it"' said be, after bending to discover what 1t was. Tt does not matter; you can have another copy"
 But I tore 1t to destroy 1t. I do not want to have the money. I was going to do what I ought not with It.
 Tt was only copy, Daisy" he said gently. Your lawyer has the req. deed. The money is your own, and you cannot get rid of it.
 T was going to get rid of It," she sobbed. II was going to give 1t to Charles without your knowing You see I cannot be honest; there is some thing in the blood
 Poor Daisy" he said, In a voice of
 
 and I cannot torture you any further You shall be free altogether, dear You need not fear any talk or scandal l will arrange that no blame falls upon you. My aunt will take care of you. Do not make over that money to any one, Daisy; let Charles have the interest If you like. but keep the principal in your own hands. You may want it,"
 He kissed her hand, drew of the splendid ring that had marked the en- gagement, and left her far too much bewildered to know what had befallen her.
 All night long Daisy lay awake, thinking and weeping and praying. Ev- erything was puzzle to her-Edward most of all. Since the first day they had met they had been foes; she had taken no pains to disguise her enmity, and he had done his utmost to provoke her