Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1904-10-26
CHAPTER xxIv.-eContinued.,

you. LOOK mere, anu she tore open q
lady's reticue that lay upon the table:
+'thcre are the two hundred dollars YOU
sent me enclosed in your farewell letter;
look what / do with them" And she
tore them into shreds. Here are the
presents you gave me; see what | do
with them" And she took out some
trinkets and crushed them beneath her
feet, Now viii you sk me if it is
money | want of your
Her face was something awful to look
upon in its deathly pallor, and convul-
sive auivering, and those glaring eyes.
That man. with all his iron viii, quailed
before her.
What do you want, then?'
Respect. and | will have il. Let me
refresh your memory You found me in
a travelling show / was mere child
then, possessed of strange power over
certain minds--a power that to an am
bilious INSCRIPTIONS schemer like your
self, might one day prove invaluable.
You saw no way to use me at the time,
but YOU were 10th to lose sight of so adj
mirable an instrument You worIned
yourself into my confidence, and got
from me that | was disconnected with
a mode Of life which gave me bat Il
bare living, and filed the pockets of my
employer. | was vain of the attention of
a fire gentleman--I who had been
brought up in n back alley. You told
my father that if he liked to go to Bury
st. Edmund's you would help to set
him up in business-that you would rec
ommend him custom, as you possessed
come influence in the neighborhood."
Have yen ever had reason to repent
taking my counselY
My father hit upon a more easy and
profitable trade than shoemaking." she
went on, not needing the interruption.
Had we depended upon your promises,
we might have starved You thought no
more of them, and years elapsed after
our parting at Spalding before l ever
heard anything of you again. One day
we met in the streets of Bury. Although
years had elapsed, we recognized each
other instantly. You expressed great
delight at the meeting, which certainly
was not feigned, rs it gave into your
hands tue exact tool you required to
fashion one of the most diaboical
schemes that was ever Matched in hui
man brains But before you dared to
propose it to me it was necessary to
saw me | was an ungainly looking. ugly
girl: now | was well-grown woman,
with good looks enough to have secured
several offers of advantageous marriage.
But | was proud, ambitious; the life
l led and all its associations. were hate
full to me- longed to be free of them
all. and ! waited and waited. You, with
your fiendish cunning. OWNED my secret;
professed love for me. Blinded by am
bition and vanity, l believed you-be-
leved that you. the fine gentleman,
would marry me. But at that time You
simply lied to serve your own purpose.
You were very cautious. too-you bound
me down to breathe no word of your
secrets to my father. You said, once
in his power, You would never be free
from his eXtortions."
silence Numbered Rodwell. spriI :
ing to his feet
.'Well. enough of that for the pres
emit After the girls fight, you left
Bury, and | did not see you again for a
long. long time. At last. you returned
So you have got her into your clutch
again. What is it to be this time-mur-
der or marriage|
How my heart lenped! Could it b.
Clara of whom she was speaking? The
portrait l had seen in his namesake's
cottage-the likeness to her, forgotten
until that moment, flashed upon me with
the force of conviction. Oh, how eager
". how breathlessly, l listened now!
"How dare you speak such words to
me in the presence of a Stranger he
cried You are venomous enough to en-.
deavor to establish such a charge against
me,'
Il believe you to be capable of any
crime, John Rodwell," she answered. dis
painfully: although you would give the
preference to that which compromised
you least"
Suppose l admit that intend to mar
ry her. what then?' he demanded bold
". You will seek to thwart me?"
Il keep my intentions to myself But
! had forgotten; perhaps you are not
aware you have n rival?' she said, mock
ingly. lyon would not Imagine Mr.
Carston in the character OF 4 gay de
ceiver; yet, can assure you that, dur.
ing short absence from his loving wife
he was making violent love to Miss
Clara as a single gentleman, and not
unsuccessfully, l believe"
This is no subject to Jest upon" he
said haughtily. DO you mean to say
that .his fellow has dared--''
He advanced menacingly towards me
but. weak as / was, l rose up. and con
fronted him l felt no fear of him. al
though l was too agitated to speak-toc
overwhelmed by the thoughts of my
worse than powerless position.
He paused then, with look OF su,
nreme scorn. he turned upon his heel and
addressed Judith. Such an object is toe
contemplate to excite anger However
I presume that for the future you will
restrain in him such rowing propensi
ties. more especially after the confidence
YOU have chosen to repose in him this
evening Now let me understand. Dc
we part friends or foes"
Il pledge myself to nothing either
way. For years yoc used me as a tool
Now we have the reverse of the medal
YOU are utterly within my power. and
will use that power to minister solely
10 NV own interest. or caprice. as the
case may be, without one thought of yor
Yo, should have remembered that those
who love intensely. hate intensely"
He regarded her for a moment with 6
disconnected look, which she met by one
of determination. He tried TO laugh of
the effect of her words. but the laugh
was n woful failure What fool
must be to stand listening to the word;
of mad woman he cried.
He was leaving the room when She
called TO him. "Where are you going
If you are going to her room. | have the
key. l will accompany You.
he looked more aghast than ever; ther
ta1Fl "a 10