Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-04-12
CHAPTER xxx.
MARGARET's SECRET.

MARGARET SECRET.
At his chambers Brett found
Holden awaiting him, with the It'd
ings that Capelia had gone to Whit
by. Tho Italians agents. Messrs.
Matchem & Smith had evidently fer
reted out Margaret's whereabouts.
Her husband. full OF vengcful
tened after her, rejoicing in the
knowledge that her cousins and Miss
Layton would also be present
AS I knew exactly where be was
going, and assumed his object TO be
a domestic quarrel did not think it
necessary to accompany him until 1
had first consulted you, sir" said tho
imperturbable Holden.
"You acted quite rightly. Wait m
I'll the little beast returns to Lon
dom" exclaimed the barrister. with
some degree OF warmth.
Capella's conduct reminded him OF
a spiteful child which deserved
sound spanking. He telegrapbcd to
inform him OF the fiery visitor who
y ming.
Oddly enough, Helen, David. and
the Rev. MIR. Layton, tempted by a
marine excursion 30 scarborough and
back, loft Whitby Harbor on local
steamer at I a m. and were timed
10 return about Q pm. Margaret Was
not a good sailor, so Robert Hume
,,-4.I no IN u
going for protracted stroll along
tho cliffs.
During their walk, the golden In
fuences OF the hour unlocked Mar
garet's heart. She was overwhelmed
with the consciousness OF the
wretched mistakes of her life. She
could not help contrasting the man
", gallant, outspoken sailor by her
side with the miserable foreigner
whom she had espoused under the
influence of q genuine but too violent
nassion. The knowledge that Robert
might, under happier conditions,
have been her husband was crushing
and terrible.
There came TO her some half-de-
fined resolve TO show her cousin bow
/ unworthy she was OF his affections,
Stopping defantly at 2 moment when
/ he casually called her attention - Il
/ lovely glimpse Of rOck-bound sea
( framed in a deep gorge, she said 10
/ him
Robert, I have something 10 toll
you was on the point Of telling
Mr.. Brett the last time I saw him in
! London, but he would not permit II.
You are MY cousin, and ought TO
know"
My dear girl" he cried. why
this solemnity? You give NE shivers
when you speak IN that, way
Pray listen to me, Robert. This
Is no matter for testing | am your
cousin, hut only in sense In the
eyes Of the Law | am nameless out
cast My mother was not Alan
mother. | was born before NY father
married the lady who treated me az
her daughter until her death. Ny
mother was an Italian, Who died at
my birth. and whom my father never
married"
Frazer looked at the beautiful wo-
man who addressed these astonish-
ing words to him, and amazemcnt
Incredibly, q spasm almost Of teaF
held him dumb.
1t Is too true, Robert. l did NO.
know these things until a few shor
months ago. Some one, ! believe
told my husband the truth soou atte
our marriage, and it was this dis
covery that so changed HIS feelings
toward me. At first | was utteri.
unable to explain the awful altera
ton in his attitude, Not until ] r.
turned to England did I become
aware of the facts"
"Surely, Rita, you are romano
ing"
mo, there can be no doubt aoou
It. | have seen the proofs,
proofs, How can you be Ger
tain? Who made these statement
to you?"
II have been blackmailed blc'
systematically for large sums o
money. At frat l was beguiled int
a correspondence. Ny curiosity wa
aroused by references 20 my HUSBAND
and to my fathers will. FINALLY
received copies OF documents whicI
made matters clear oven 70 my be
wildered brain. More than that,
was sent memorandum, written b
my father, in which he gave Alan al
the particulars, corroborated by eS
tracts from registers, and eXpiainin
the reasons which actuated nm ]
framing his viii so curloUSlF' w
We're never closely knit together a
you know. | think now that he rc
garded mo as the living evidence o
the folly OF his earlier years, an
perhaps my sensitive nature wa
quick TO detect this hidden feeling.
May ask who blackmailed YOU?
Roberts face grew hard and s'err
The woman experienced tumultuou
Joy as she saw II. She had at leas
one defender.
THAT is the hard part az m
story" she murmured, in a vote
broken with emotion. The CORE