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

nWben you believed that, you were
.,ht Not a soul in the world does know
~ The fact but your lawyer and Lionel
%.rsden. See, Lawrence Richmond, do
.u recognize that documentY and from
i%,r bosom she drew a scroll; at is the
amor that takes from you Richmond Ter
,sc. the home Of your ancestors. 1 am
tse one whom it has pleased to call her
self Lionel Marsden."
He stood there mute, his eyes glued up
an the precious document. All, if it were
INIT destroyed, Richmond Terrace might
rt be his, and yet little good it would
ia for him to do the deed, for beyond a
ioubt her lawyer had made it secure.
"Mysterious woman, who are you?
What cause for enmity have you against
mo that you hunt me down? Heaven has
seen fit to punish me for my great sin,
Int even she, if she lived, could not look
save with pity upon the wreck Of the
once proud Lawrence Richmond. l keep
m A show of pride still, but it is a hol-
Inv mockery, for my heart is crushed
within, and I am fit only for the grim
reaper, Death. The past haunts me, and
vet | do not regret it, for l was right.
loved her, oh how dearly, but she was
false TO me, and I sent her from me-"
The old man seemed overcome with
these recollections, and apparently forgot
that there was any one present. His
head had fallen upon his chest, and his
whole attitude was one Of despair.
Fancy the feelings of his lost wife,
standing there in front Of him and hear
Ing such a TRADE from his lips. 1t was
very evident that Time, healer of many
wounds both of body and heart, had fail
ed to entirely alleviate the pain that had
lain in the breast of this man.
One little lingering hope had remained,
and by this slender thread he was saved
from utter darkness. He loved the men,
Ory of what his wife had once been to
him. even while he hated and cursed that
fatal day when they had separated to
meet no more. Thus it was the recollec-
ton rushing upon him seemed to bewilder
his brain.
There that woman stood, with folded
hands and eyes full of unshed tears, wait
ing in an agony Of suspense. Something
of the truth must have entered her mind,
for she did not betray herself. The
wrongs of the past, endured at the hands
of this man, arose before her mental
vision, and the sight must have given her
both courage and strength, for she grad
ually drew her form back until, from a
wistful, pleading position, she had as
sumed the attitude Of a queen.
MADAM, you are more than you seem;
you hold a power over my head, and can
send Lawrence Richmond out into the
world almost a beggar, but he never ask,
ed a favor of man or woman in his life,
and it is too late to begin now. l see you
are allied with my enemies, but l defy
you; do your worst"
There was something really heroic in
the old mans manner as he folded his
arms over his chest and threw back his
head. The breeze blew his long white
hair ftfully, and added new strength tc
the picture.
Heaven forbid that I should wish tc
harm you. No, no; 1 have forgiven all
DO you see this document? 1t is worth
a kings ransom. There, it is lost, lost
tViOftls
As she spoke she turned into the house
and hurled the mortgage into the flames
OF a small fire burning upon the hearth
an operation Lawrence Richmond wit
messed with amazement.
Woman, are you mad? There is a for
tune in that paper. 1t shall never be sale
a Richmond accepted such a sacrifice
from a stranger" and he would have
ieaped forward to save the document bu'
mat she barred the way.
NO, a thousand times no! See !
shrivel up. There, Richmond Terrace IL
yours again."
Woman, who are your he gasped
hoarsely.
Seek not to know" she replied; bu'
ne caught her wrist and turned her t.
the light.
Proudly she met the blaze Of his mac
eyes.
1T is my wife! This is retribution. M!
sin has found me out!' and he fell back
dazed.
CHAPTER XIX.
Bitter tears of anguish wept Caro-
nlchmond on that afternoon when Roge,
barrel, the man she had loved and mis-
trusted, had left her with such scathint
words upon his lips.
never had she ever suspected tn
wealth Of love for this man that dwell