Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1903-10-19
Continued.

spare another.
Then you shall not" said Janet
firmly. Your duty is to Richmond
here: your promised wife"
Yes" said Mark modify; my
duty is TO Rich here. my promised
wife"
And yet for the sake OF some I'M
worthy wretch. you make her suffer
yes. sir, and me too. Why, Rich, dear
Rich. what is the matter?"
She flew TO her friends side. and
caught her hands; for Rich had
started from her chair, looking wildly
from one 10 the other, as, struggling
as IL were from out OF a confused
mist. now revived she could not tell.
there came back TO her, memory by
memory. the scenes of that terrible
night Yes: she remembered now,
though IL still seemed like a dream
a fragmentary. misty dream.
Yes. that was the clue. Janet had
said il was upon that same night that
Mark had returned-had been found
seuseless in the streets.
Don't, don't speak TO me for a
minute" she cried. as she fought
hard TO recall everything-th
maddeEing pain that night, the visit
to the surgery, the choral she had
obtained and taken, and then that
strange wild sleep.
Yes; she recalled it now. She
dreamed she had come down to fetch
something else from the surgery 20
allay the agony she suffered, and that
the door was locked. and that she had
heard vOICes-her fathers voice,
Marks vOice-yes, IL was Marks
voice; and she had stood there
trembling till IL died away. and that
formed part OF her dream.
But TOW the voice was here in this
room, and he caught her hand with
q wildly susp.ciOls look in his eye
What arc .goJ thinLing?"
She turned upon him sharply.
The name OF your friend with
whom you took refuge that night?"
she ssid; and her eyes flashed as she
gazed searchingly in his.
He dropped her hand, and turned
away. with MS lips compressed and
face contracted.
Mark" she cried, why do you not
speak? Where did you go that night
when you returned?"
He looked at her for a moment.
and then turned away again. Il do
not know" he said hoarsely.
1T is not true" cried Rich. You
must speak now. II was to our house
you came"
What"
I remember now I heard your
voice. YOU were with my father-sn
the surgery"
Rich, he said. almost savagely,
as he caught her wrist, think Of
what you are saying."
Rich dear. don't say that" cried
Janet piteOusly
4 know what I am saying" she
said excitedly; and though her face
was calm, 1t was evident that she was
suffering terribly.
No, no he cried; no. dear. you
are wrong"
No. Mark. am right: you told
us YOU took refuge with a friend
that friend was my father
What, Rich. do you know what
you are s1ying-dO you know what
this means If the police should hear?"
Yes" she cried; the clearing up OF
a terrible mystery; perhaps the
restoration OF ali that you have lost"
Janet is she mad?" cried Mark.
DO You not see what al this means?"
Janet shook her head with a help
less look on her face.
Then / viii tell YOU" he thunder
ed: 1T means TuiE-misery TO us all
Girl. for PHYS sake. be SILENT Rich,
dear Rich, I love you with a mans
first strong love. Have I not shaved
for you all these years. to win you for
my own true wife? Don't-don't
raise this up between us. What rs
poverty to such a shadow as this?"
Il DO not understand you" she
cried; but it is true. You did come
90 my fathers house that night"
He gazed at her in blank despair.
Why do you look at me like that?
Do YOU not see the light?"
The light" he cried, with a bitter
laugh Il see yOU-the woman love
trying To force me into a position
which / would sooner die than hold.
Hush, FOR mcrcy's sake. No, no. no."
he muttered: and then aloud, Call il
a lie. or a desperate mans last cry
for help. I did not come to your
fathers house that night"
Rich Eazed at him in blank astonish-
men for the moment. and then she
flung her arms about his neck. and
with her eyes close to his. she cried.
What are you thinking-that il
was my father who drugged and
robbed YOU. or my brother? Oh.
Narkg"
She seemed to throw him of as she
stepped back. her pale face flushing.
and a look Of indignant anger in hei
eyes.
What does this mean?" cried
Janet. but her words fell UNDECIDED.