Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1904-02-05
CHAPTER Xxx

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there-she whom Captain Grant had seen
go over the terrible precipice, and whose
BODY he supposed had been crushed cut of
all shape upon the jagged rocks far be-
low, or swept away by the restless wat
ers of the Potomac.
True, he had not hurled her over, but
1t had been because of him she had fall
en-, and when he might have saved her he
would not raise his hand, so that he was
at heart a murderer ever since, and the
sight of her standing there alive and in
the flesh gave him such a shock as he had
not experienced for many a day.
The tableau was quite a dramatic one
for about the space of a minute, none of
the three moving a particle. During this
while, however, the arch schemer was
rapidly recovering himself, and that
meant much.
He knew that Barbara had not come
there without a purpose, and, although he
had cause to fear her, he was just the
man to brave it all through, trusting to
fortune to clear him in the end.
Therefore he faced her boldly, and, in
a way that staggered Barbara, who had
fully expected him to cover at sight Of
her, and perhaps sink out Of sight Ike
a whipped cur She ought to have known
that was not his way of doing business.
Had he been married a dozen times, he
would have faced the whole of his wives
unfinchingly, and have denied them all
with the same cool, sneeting manner
which he could assume so well.
The first words of the gypsy treasured
Carol, and she learned much Of which
she had been ignorant before.
Lady, you remember that when last
we met l warned you against your lover,
and told you that he was a scoundrel of
the first water, that he had terribly
wronged me in the past, and that he had
a wife in the mad-house-one Nora War
ner. Though l knew it not at the time. I
was wronging both you and an honorable
man, but l thought this man who now
stands before you was your lover, and not
the other. Can you ever forgive me for
such a mistake, lady"
Before Carol could reply, the Captain
broke in with a harsh laugh.
You must be crazy, girl. Why, I new
er set eyes on you before. What do you
mean by coming here and intruding your
self upon our presence unasked? Go!
leave this spot at once, or l will find a
means to make you. 1 would not hesitate
a minute about giving you in charge, and
having you locked up as a mad woman
II believe you, villain. Perhaps the
time has not yet come for your downfall,
but it is close at hand, never fear. You
thought me dead, but heaven spared my
life most ~miraculously, not because it was
worth much to me, but in order that I
might become an avenging Nemesis, to
track you down to your doom. Oh, man,
foul wretch that you are, when you re-
member the cruel, heartless deeds Of the
past, and then look upon the face Of this
pure girl, does not your heart reproach
you?"
Again he laughed, this time coldly.
"You are pleased to be melodramatic,
1 see. There is nothing in my past to
make me shudder when I look upon the
face of this young girl, whom 1 hope to
make my wife,"
"Your wife? Never! Think you heav-
en- would permit you to accomplish such
a fendish act? Remember my words
Roger Darrell, for 1 shall haunt you like
a shadow" and the gypsy vanished
among the trees like an evil sprite.
"Roger Darrell! Surely she must be out
Of her mind to call you by his name. Per
haps she has mistaken you for him: there
is a certain resemblance which I have
sometimes noticed" said Carol, after the
gypsy girl had gone.
The crisis had come and passed, anG
she was deeper in the mire than ever
Captain Grant was quick to see this, ant
he smiled.
"You are right, Carol, the girl Is mad
It seems to me every one almost has gon'
crazy of late. Only the other day l wa
forced into a duel by an unknown party
who proclaimed herself my wife ant
called herself Nora Warner, and declar
ed I was Roger Darrell. / wish l was
I declare; then I would go and hang my
self for having injured so many people
and caused them to curse my name"
She buried her face in her hands Al
though she could not bear to hear hin
talk so of the one she loved so well. Moth
ing could cause her to doubt Roger again
hut at the same time she was now plac
cd in a position where she dared not thinl
of him.
Strange that Rogers words did not oc
cur TO her. i"We shall meet once more
and when you see me as the man l am
and not in the guise Of a villain VIII
chances to belong to my family and bea
my name, then perhaps you will deign t
offer me your forgiveness"
Ito be continued.)
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