The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-07-16
cltApTI51, XII.

But his aBtOnlsnment anu iilui = ' ~ ~,
were nothing to the rage VIII Whici, o.
MS lie leaned against the edge of MI
great writing table. and then glarct
Fl stonily at his nephew.
t.What does this meant stnminerce
he at last, in q voice 50 changed, So
nged, that Dcvcrill would scarcely NAYS
recognized IT.
Devcrlll, who had nstinctivcly stepped
& back at the same moment ms MaEGle'5 oli
Ii hca ring his uncle in the room, now
moved forward. and spoke low III he'
x ear.
II must tell hin, now" whispered nc.
But Maggie who was still quite white
md who was shaking from head to foot,
s5 raised her head.
NO she said TREMENDOUSLY, "lct nc
Il sneak Sir Wilfred,'' she went on, hold
ing IN lmploring hands towards nm
and speaking i'll n low, shnmefaced Volce'
l..it is all my fault all my. fault. ve
brought all this misunderstanding una
misery upon you both, and all | can say
to excuse myself is that I never meant
TO do It: I never knew l was doing II
until it was too late TO draw BACK
OIL"
Her voice suddenly failed her, and she
seemed to be on the point OF collapse.
IocyerIll sprang forward to her assistance,
but the baronet, whose face and voice.
instead OF softeninS, grew more angry
more harsh each moment, stopped MN
~ s,ch an impcrious gesture, such q
terr,hlc look. that Maggie herself, anxious
TO prescrvc what dccorlim was possible
In the desperate circumstances, avoided
her husbands touch and waving MN
~ OFF with a quick movement OF the hund'
sank into chair.
my darling!' calculated Dcverlli'
But the words seemed to excite Sir VIII.
frld Ito madness, and he came quickly
round the writing table, leaning upon
1t, and crouching over It. breathing heav-
ily and staring at his nephew with men
acins frown.
bnronct, scarcely above his breath, while
his lean fingers clawed the edge of the
table aud his eyes still glared at the young
man. Ma
1T means" said Maggie, looking up
with frightened eyes and holding ner
hands casped tightly together In instinct
i've gesture of entrcaty, "thnt got tired
of being tossed about. like a miserable
little shuttecock, and that l suddenly
saw all should lose II l lost Bob, and
that made up my mind that wouldn't
lose him, Sand--and that III married
+ him this morning. There"
And Maggie suddenly sprang to her
feet, almost as pale as ever, but with
flashing eyes and breath coming fast,
and With a change from AFFECT humility
to reclslessness and resolution.
There was dead silence for few mo-
mcnts.
Dcver tried to utter her name but
the word was formed with his lips. rather
than spoken. They were both frightened
by the. manner in which Sir Wifrld took
the news. He did not speak, did not
move. but he gnzed at them alternately.
with such an expression of malignant
fury in his face that he scarcely looked
human.
At last he laughed, with harsh and
grating sound.
y see!" said he. II understand! Rob-
ert. ] congratulate you. You have done
bold thing. a spirited thing. So, mad
am. have you. ] admire you both. The
one of you is worthy OF the other--uuite
worthy. Both of you are young, hand
some, daring. artful-and poor! You nrp
well matched in every way Take my
blessing!"
He spread out his hands In n CHASTITY
mockery of bencdiction that made Mag
gle shuddcr
Remember" said Devcril. finding his
voice. and taking his stand beside Mag
gle. that you are speaking to IL girl, a
girl who was honest from the first,
'Honest!" broke In Sir Wilfrid sharply.
rs that what you call honest? TO lead
me OIL to take my presents, to trick
me, to laugh at mo. and then to leave
me In the hrch f9r an old fool? Hon
est Ha, .,ha. shat
And again no burst into that hideous
laugh. which made Maggie turn and cling
10 her young husband.
But the movement enraged the buronct
still further.
"Oh. pray spare me these affecting
attitudes" said he sharply. They are
wasted upon me. indeed. I'm quite con-
tent to- take it for granted you adore
one another, that youthful passion overs
came prudence. and that, in cheating me,
trclling me. you did it with the best in
tentons.''
but did we cheat you and trick your"
asked Deveri in rather a bewildered
manner. II never pretended anything
that remember. ] told you from tho
first that ] loved Maggie. and that |
was ready TO give UP anything rather
than her, II she'd have me. AS for not
owning up to my having married her 1t
didn't happen moro than Il few hours
ago, you know. You haven't been kept
in ignorance very long"
sou have connvcd at my being deceived
But here Maggie broke In:
mo, he hasn't Sir Wilfricd, He hasn't
indeed He never knew word about
your-your Kindness to us TIL Tonight.
"My kindness. oh, nonsense! DO yol
take me for an idot?'' said Sir Wilfrld
when no followed you here he mus
have have known
'Ho didn't follow us here, II there hat
t,an anything wrong in what We did
Claudia and !. ] mean, It was In the way
VIC treated HIM Until tep minutes ago, 81
WNfrd, Bob NEVER knew that you la'
ever drenmt Of marrying me-
"Ah," said the baronet shortly.
''And you know" went on Maggie, re
covering herself "A little, and speaking
with more composurn, that myself ha
no idea Of any such things for q lone
long time, not unll That night a
Brighton, when you-when you
"Nvhen was idiot enough to ask 20
to he my wife. Ila, ha! And you, VII
had led ME on SO successfully"
Maggie stopped him quite mperous